Last Friday, the world of literary criticism and the COMMENTARY community lost a major voice when D.G. Myers passed away after a long and courageous battle against cancer. David taught English literature for more than two decades at Texas A&M and then later at the Ohio State University. He was the author of The Elephants Teach, a definitive history of creative writing as well as of A Commonplace Blog, where he shared his thoughts about books, politics, and culture. He also contributed to COMMENTARY from 1989 to 2012. His reviews, both in the print magazine and in his Literary Commentary blog that he wrote from 2011 to 2012, were consistently insightful and provided readers with a voice of sanity and support for the best in the Western tradition against those seeking to dumb down our culture.
David left behind his wife Naomi and children Dov, Saul, Isaac, and Miriam as well as many colleagues and friends who will always think of his humor and brilliant insights on a host of topics with affection. Below are links to Literary Commentary and a few of his review essays that appeared in the magazine. May his memory be for a blessing.
Real Presences by George Steiner, February 1990
The Best American Poetry, January 1992
The November Criminals, June 2010
Let Franzen Ring, December 2010
Don’t Eat That Lotus, February 2011
The Art of Being First, November 2011
Bearing Witness, December 2011
