The Cavalier Daily
Serving the University Community Since 1890

Meet the Professor: Deborah Eisenberg

Basic Info:

English professor\nBachelor of Arts from The New School\nTeaches fiction writing and studies in the short story

Q: What are you most proud of in receiving the 2009 MacArthur Fellowship award?

A: Of course it's incredibly gratifying to be recognized in such a whole-hearted way. My writing is peculiar, and lots of people don't like it. I've just kept doing it year after year after year in spite of the fact that I'm bound to have a small audience, so it's very moving to me. And what is most particularly moving is that I really don't know who is responsible for my getting this. There are many people involved, so I think there's a benign conspiracy that has conspired to benefit me and make my life easier and happier.

Q: What do you plan to do with the grant money? Are there any major changes in your future?

A: No changes. I'll just worry less for half of every year. I teach a semester a year and live in New York City the other. I'll hopefully be able to actually get some work done with some peace of mind.

Q: I understand you joined the U.Va. English Department in 1994. What brought you to the school?

A: I was invited. And I immediately felt happy here. I loved the writing program and English department. I loved the feeling of good morals and seriousness of purpose; it's a very high-minded department. The campus is ravishingly beautiful, sort of ennobling in a way. It's a pleasant town - lovely and comfortable.

Q: What or whom have been your biggest influences?

A: It's hard to say who influences you, or at least for me because it happens on an unconscious level. When I was a child, I was a very big reader. I read indiscriminately and voraciously.

Q: When you're not teaching, how do you like to spend your time?

A: Writing. I live in New York City.

Q: If you could backpack across any country, which would it be and why?

A: Gee, it's hard to imagine any country I wouldn't want to backpack through, particularly if someone else were carrying the backpack.

Q: If you hadn't decided to teach, what job do you think you would be holding today?

A: I can't say I really did decide to teach. I was offered a nice teaching position. If I wasn't teaching, I'd probably be waiting on tables, which is a good combination with writing. In my next life, I plan to be able to sing and be a cabaret singer or a lead singer.

Q: What has been your favorite part of teaching?

A: I love my colleagues and I've been very fortunate in getting wonderful students.

Q: Who or what is your favorite author or book?

A: My favorite book is frequently the one I'm reading. Last book I read is what I happened to be teaching: "A Summons to Memphis" by Peter Taylor.

Q: What's your favorite piece you've written?

A: I suppose most of us like to think of their most recent book as their best work. I write what's called short stories; they're not really very short. It does mean there are a great number. There are some that I feel, yes that is exactly what I intended it to do, it fulfilled its purpose. Writing is always a bit of an experiment, so all of these stories are different kinds of explorations and all [are] satisfying to me whether they succeed or don't wholly.

-compiled by Jessica Modi

Local Savings

Comments

Latest Video

Latest Podcast

Ahead of Lighting of the Lawn, Riley McNeill and Chelsea Huffman, co-chairs of the Lighting of the Lawn Committee and fourth-year College students, and Peter Mildrew, the president of the Hullabahoos and third-year Commerce student, discuss the festive tradition which brings the community together year after year. From planning the event to preparing performances, McNeil, Huffman and Mildrew elucidate how the light show has historically helped the community heal in the midst of hardship.