Jim Buck

Visiting Assistant Professor of Creative Writing

Jim Buck is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the CW Program of the English Dept. He received his MFA from the University of Maryland, College Park. He also holds an MA in Comparative Literature from Ohio University. His non-fiction has been published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dayton Daily News, The Bradford Era, the Bloomsburg Press-Enterprise, Susquehanna Life, Bucknell World, University Times and the Williamsport Guardian. He also reported, wrote and broadcast news reports for WESB in Bradford, Pa. His short fiction has appeared in West Branch, The Westminster Review and Baily’s Beads. He was chosen as a Fulbright Scholar in 2013 and taught at two universities in Cyprus. After growing up in the Midwest, he has also lived for extended periods outside the U.S., most notably in Southern Italy (the area where some of his ancestors originated), Greece, Cyprus and the former West Berlin.

Educational Background

  • M.F.A. (fiction), University of Maryland, College Park
  • M.A. (comparative lit.), Ohio University
  • B.A. (political science), Kenyon College

Teaching Interests

  • Creative nonfiction
  • Fiction
  • Poetry
  • The history of interaction among communication technology, societies and the linguistic arts
  • The ability of narrative (in poetry or prose) to convey complex aspects of human experience (time, character, feelings, thoughts, relationships with others, etc.) in a form that humans find accessible, pleasurable and valuable
  • The surprising aesthetic power of radical simplicity
  • Humor
  • Mythology

Current Projects and Research Interests

  • The Bearded Venus, a novel-in-progress
  • Translations of prose, poetry and song lyrics from Greek to English

Selected Publications

Fiction:

"In the Viceroy’s Garden" in Westminster Review

"Blue Marlin" in West Branch

Nonfiction:

"Singing the Electric-Dereg Blues," The Williamsport Guardian, 2008

"Prison Guardians," The Williamsport Guardian, 2008

"Vets Give Unvarnished Accounts of Iraq War," The Williamsport Guardian, 2007

"Link Suspected Between Cancer and Environment," The Williamsport Guardian, 2007

"Paying For the Price of Excellence: College Costs Increase Nationwide," cover story for Bucknell World, 2002

"Yoga Comes to Central PA," cover story for Susquehanna Life, 2002

"The Action at Woodward," cover story for Susquehanna Life, Summer 2002

"Cupcake Ziggurat," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1999

Contact