Prof publishes book on Fowles

By Laura Andrews
Cardinal Staff

In May, Saint Mary’s University English professor Dr. Brooke Lenz published her first book, John Fowles: Visionary and Voyeur.
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The book began as a dissertation that Lenz finished in 2005 after two years of working on it. The book itself took another year and a half to revise and rewrite. “I have spent several years working on (the project) now, so it’s an accomplishment to get the book out there,” said Lenz.

Lenz chose John Fowles, one of the most significant post-WWII British authors, as her dissertation topic because she became greatly interested in his work during her graduate studies. “I was interested in reading his work from a feminist perspective that hadn’t been adopted before,” said Lenz.

After Fowles died in the fall of 2005, Lenz sought publication. “Usually when an author dies you get sort of a renewed interest in his work so it seemed like a good time to get the book out,” said Lenz.

Lenz is currently working on a conference paper with SMU English Department Chair Dr. Carolyn Ayers. They plan to submit the piece for publication later this year.

“Scholars are always working on scholarship, even while teaching. It’s not extra work. It is part of what we do,” said Lenz, who has also been working on a new book project that picks up on her interest in standpoint theory and narrative.

Lenz encourages students to check out her book, which is available in the Fitzgerald Library. “I think it would be interesting for students to take a look at it just to see the kind of work that their professors publish,” said Lenz.

There will be a party celebrating the book’s release on Oct. 29, at 3:30 p.m. in the Common Room of Saint Mary’s Hall.