R.W.B. Lewis
The directorship of the Yale College Writing Center is endowed in the name of the late R.W.B. Lewis, a beloved Yale professor and renowned scholar. The gift, made by a former student who wishes to remain anonymous, honors the life and work of Lewis, who had a profound influence on the study of American literature and was a revered teacher and mentor at the university for nearly 30 years.
Lewis was a prolific writer of literary criticism, essays, and biographies. He combined a passion for American writers and the American experience with a deep knowledge of the European tradition. His widely acclaimed Edith Wharton: A Biography earned him a Pulitzer Prize in 1976, as well as the first National Book Critics Circle Award for nonfiction and a Bancroft Prize for American history. His first book, The American Adam: Innocence, Tragedy and Tradition in the 19th Century (1955), is considered one of the foundation texts of American Studies. A member of the Academy of Arts and Letters, he received its Gold Medal for biography in 2000.
The Niel Gray Professor of English and American Studies at Yale, Lewis taught at the University from 1959 until his retirement in 1988. He served a number of times as director of graduate studies in American Studies and also chaired the department. From 1966 to 1972, he was master of Calhoun College, where he lived with his wife, Nancy, and their three children. The Lewises were active in the life of Calhoun and in the wider Yale community.
Writing has been central to Yale College courses for many years, and Professor Lewis’ example is no small part of that tradition. He wrote masterfully, traversing many fields and genres, and since he was known for his accessibility and his willingness to invest in individual students, it’s very fitting for us to continue this work in the company of his name.
