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John Evelev

@evelevj.bsky.social
333 followers 286 following 401 posts

Prof of 19c AmLit, class, culture, masculinity; “dad,” cook, dog-owner : order of emphasis varies moment-to-moment.

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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Got my first trolling "Can we just zoom and talk about your graduate program?" email. Undoubtedly, the questions would be about DEI. Just this week one of my colleagues had a conversation with another "prospective student" from last year, heavily edited, released, leading to a "public apology."
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Last week I had cardiac stent put in. This was the culmination of 6 weeks of chest pain, with many visits to the ER, many inconclusive tests. Finally, a cardiac ct revealed a 90% occlusion of my LAD artery (aka "the widowmaker"). Profoundly grateful to be alive, but man does this system suck.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
One of the many awesome things about teaching Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" is that when the critique of its impracticality/extreme idealism emerges, one can point to the Gandhi's Satyagraha and MLK jr's Civil Rights movements as actual evidence of its efficacy (but the profound moral challenge).
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
I remember when contributing the ADL was a core charity for my Reform Jewish parents. When I ended up managing their charitable giving as they became senile, I silently removed them for the annual list. bsky.app/profile/self...
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
It's really just that simple. We have a system set up so that it is fiscally sound to cave to fascism. There's nothing unique about American democracy.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
I'm teaching the New Critics in class tomorrow (Brook's reading of Donne's "The Canonization") and thinking about the gap between the NC's notion of "irony" and the current moment's general mystification surrounding the internet meme irony of the inscriptions on the bullets of CK's assassin.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 30/08/2025
Partially out of curiosity looking into getting an appointment for a Covid vaccine in my town at the various places that I used to get them: none available.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 25/08/2025
Talking with a student after my first class, crowded hallway, a million students asking me (the only adult-seeming person) to direct them all to the same room, the one that nearly everyone else is trying to get to for mega-lecture. First day of term.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
I sent my first ever "correction" to the NYT. The review of "Sorry, Baby" lists the main character as a "tenured professor," when it is very obvious that she is merely appointed to a FT instructor position. Speaks to how few people actually understand academic jobs.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
Spending the morning adding footnotes to an essay, acting like I built my argument on scholarship rather than making a bunch of claims and post facto justifying them.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
Teaching this little gem by David Graeber in conjunction with the first half of Melville's "Bartleby the Scrivener" in class tomorrow: strikemag.org/bullshit-jobs/
strikemag.org
STRIKE! Magazine – On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs: A Work Rant
Ever had the feeling that your job might be made up? That the world would keep on turning if you weren't doing that thing you do 9-5?
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
Perhaps not exactly how I would frame this, but it was nice that my college wanted to share some of my research, themed to Valentine's Day: showme.missouri.edu/2025/poetry-...
showme.missouri.edu
Poetry, parties and prestige: Mizzou professor researches the literary soirées that fueled Valentine's Day hype
University of Missouri Professor John Evelev explores Valentine’s Day’s evolution within New York’s 1830s-40s literary culture.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
Trump/Musk may do more to help the environment than anyone imagined: right now, a lot of people are rethinking the safety of flying on commercial airlines.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
Teaching Chris Looby’s essay on sex and aesthetics in M-D, and talking with students about “delicious” things like being undercovers in a cold room (Ishmael’s example) and feeling one’s hair after it’s cut and 2am water. Always and forever the greatest book and most fun to teach.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
“If you should write a fable for little fishes, you would make them speak like great whales”—Goldsmith to Johnson Though I’ve taught M-D many times, this is the first time that I’m devoting a class day to “Etymology” and “Extracts” (MWF for 6 weeks!).
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 26/01/2025
It’s so wonderful to see someone you know and is a good person (playwright is a distant relative) succeed!
Photo of a newspaper ad with rave reviews for the play “Eureka Day.”
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 25/01/2025
If you’ve got them, use them (we now have 4 sets of fine china, 3 inherited) www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/realesta…
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
Some personal favorites here (particularly the Novick and Simmons!) www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/books/wi…
nytimes.com
Winter Books to Read When It’s Cold Outside (Gift Article)
Chilly thrillers, snowy fantasies and Alpine adventure novels exquisitely capture the atmosphere of the season.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
Latest baking experiment: Gochujang & scallion sourdough!
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 12/01/2025
Having an eggnog party. Appropriate for a drink one really need only have once a year (but it’s so good that one night!).
A glass of eggnog, with a generous dusting of nutmeg.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 01/12/2024
Mesopotamian clay seals, with the abstracted images of goats, made by rolling an incised clay rod. Beautiful in its sense of line and motion. At the Morgan Library, NYC.
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Reposted by John Evelev
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez @aoc.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Some say the results of the election disprove that, but I think if you sit w the specific messages the opposition leaned into and what people heard, it is worth examining. The RFK Jr / MAHA thing did resonate w/people. Naming big pharma, big ag, etc. They’re a lying mess, but the words were there
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
Hard to leave home for a quick campus meeting on one of the first slightly chilly days.
Brown poodle snuggling on messy bed.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 13/11/2024
Teaching heteropessimism and Sally Rooney tomorrow, and excited for the conversation.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 02/02/2024
I just learned that my university president has dedicated email address for managing giving out tickets to school sports events.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 06/09/2023
Idiocy
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 27/08/2023
Reskeet with something you own that most people don't. I own 2 first editions of C.L.R. James’ “Mariners, Renegades,and Castaways,” self-published during his incarceration on Ellis Island
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 25/08/2023
On the final module of my university “compliance” package and we’ve reached the “making good choices model” on conduct. Sigh.
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Reposted by John Evelev
Sen. Pumpkin Gogurt @ugarles.bsky.social · 20/08/2023
plans? i have plans?
Flyer for "The House of Know: Double Fear-ture Lecture Series" with Colin Dickey on The mad, mad history of mad stones and Sarah Lyons on Operation Mindfuck and the JFK assassination.  at The Flying Fox Tavern in Ridgewood, 678 Woodward Ave. Tonight (8/20) at 5pm.
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 13/08/2023
For the L’Engle fans
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 02/08/2023
Such an amazingly compassionate and clear-headed discussion about gender: www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/07…
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John Evelev @evelevj.bsky.social · 27/07/2023
It seems like the midfield play of the Dutch team is exceedingly “physical.”
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