I'm Associate Professor of Comparative Literature and Arts and Ideas in the Humanities at the University of Michigan. I'm especially interested in modern fiction and philosophy, but have been a humanist dabbler in scientific topics for some time. Currently, I'm on a fellowship leave to finish my second book manuscript (tentatively entitled "A Book of Joys: The Ethics of Reading to Live." My fiancée lives here in Saint Louis, Missouri, so I'm spending my leave here. In the Spring, I'll extend my leave from my post at Michigan by doing some teaching in English and Philosophy at Webster University in St. Louis. You can also read me at my own blog: http://reading2live.blogspot.com/