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We at Bwog wish to express our condolences to the famiy of English professor Karl Kroeber (at right, with sister Ursula Le Guin), who passed away yesterday. Colleague and Bwog favorite prof Jenny Davidson has a remembrance of the American Indian lit scholar over on her blog, with a touching story about his kindness to junior professors.
She also links to another reason why we’re saddened by his death: Professor Kroeber was one of the first profs to sit down with Bwog, a full three years ago. Check it out to learn about his long academic career, living with cancer, and why he hated Disney.
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@CC 2000 Professor Kroeber was my teacher twice-over and thesis advisor. I’m going to miss him very, very much.
@Kroeber was guest speaker at the Phi Beta Kappa induction ceremony this year and gave a crazy/wild/provocative/thoughtful/hopeful speech that nobody there will forget
@abigail baruch dayan emet. what a sweet, wonderful human. we were all so lucky to know him. he will be so very missed.
@Anna He was my thesis advisor. One time I had a neurotic freak-out about something or other in front of him – involving work for another class – and burst into tears, and he was so upset to see me crying that HE teared up. Then he told me that the teacher of the other class could go fuck himself. That, and Dr. Kroeber’s cat was named Mr. Underfoot. There was nothing not to love.
@Adam I’m really proud there’s a link to my interview of him. If I know how to write at all, it’s mostly because of this man–he gave his students such attention that we couldn’t help but realize those parts of ourselves that had lain dormant.
@JAT I took the first children’s literature course Professor Kroeber offered at Columbia. He took a chance on a freshman for that seminar; I never forgot his generosity, and I followed him through five others, each of which transformed the way I think about literature, myth, and art. He was the most inspiring professor with whom I have ever studied. All my condolences go to his family and to the Columbia community, who lost a wonderful man yesterday.
@Religion and Lit Student What an amazing person Karl Kroeber was. I’m so lucky to have taken a class with him… condolences to his family… he will be missed and remembered as an inspiration to his students…
@mjm2178 my condolences to the kroeber family. prof. k was a wonderful intellectual and a great help to me during my studies.
@William He was an amazing spirit.
@RIP that is devastating! I was in his last class and loved it! He’s such an inspiration and my condolences to his family.
@Terribly sad. I took the last class he offered in children’s literature at Columbia. He was an amazingly kind and attentive professor. It’s a shame more people won’t get to study with him.
@his sister was Ursula Le Guin?! What a great family.
@This is so sad! I had a class with Professor Kroeber my freshman year, and he was always so happy to talk to students!! What a wonderful man– he will be greatly missed.