Charles Taylor, Jr.
Charles "Chuck" Taylor, Jr. (born 1943) is an author of books of poetry, essay, short story, and novels who was born in Minneapolis but has lived most of his life in Texas. He teaches creative writing at Texas A&M and operates small press Slough Press, publishing since 1973.[1] His contribution to building the literature scene on the Third Coast in Austin, Texas, includes activities as both a writer and publisher. He published leading poets, fiction and non-fiction writers whose books received numerous awards and were later published by larger presses. His own titles, such as the poetry collection What do You Want, Blood? received the 1988 Austin Book Award and regional critical acclaim. He is one of the legendary figures of the Austin–San Antonio–Dallas triangle culture that nurtured the eccentric, free-spirited independence of Texan bohemia and cross-cultural innovative creativity, especially in the literary arts. Taylor's novel, Drifter's Story, and his poetry book, Ordinary Life, explore the lives of the working poor. He has taught in the NEA Poets-in-the-Schools Program and was CETA Poet-in-Residence for the City of Salt Lake.
Along with Pat Littledog, Taylor co-operated Paperbacks Plus Books in Austin, Texas, from 1980 to 1988. The store became an important literary center for the Southwest sponsoring literary readings and plays as well as serving as a home for Slough Press.[2] Business owners John and Marquetta Tilton of Dallas opened several store locations run by famous Texas poets and writers who had not yet achieved widespread notoriety: poet Dr. Ricardo Sanchez in San Antonio and Dr. Hedwig Gorski's infamous Voltaire's Basement bookstore in downtown Austin. All branches of Paperbacks Plus allowed serious poets to live with their families on the store premises while providing a small income managing or selling at the location. Each became a hub of literary and performance activities across generations and styles nurturing the offbeat talents and lifestyles Central Texas is known for. These activities, venues, and people set the stage during the late 1970s and 80s for Austin Poetry Slam scenes.[3]
Communalism
Among the many themes Taylor uses expressing a hippie principle of communalism in both poetry and prose is the conflict between the ideal and the actual. His influences include Henry David Thoreau and hedonism. His search for spirituality includes reading Barth and Tillich and practicing chanting and meditation, plus explorations with a channeling group and a Wiccan group.
Professor
Taylor has been the Coordinator of Creative Writing in the English Department of Texas A&M University at College Station and taught literature and creative writing there for 21 years.[4] One of his students who writes under the name Sophie Jordan is currently on the New York Times best-seller list.[5]
Education
PhD in English, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois MA in English, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa BA (major in English) Northwestern University. Evanston, Illinois
Areas of specialization
Creative writing (poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction), composition and technical writing for international students, Renaissance literature, Shakespeare, American literature, Introduction to film, bibliography, literature of the Beat Movement, American nature writing.
Courses taught at Texas A&M University
English 689 Literary Editing and Publishing; English 235 Introduction to Creative Writing: Prose; English 236 Introduction to Creative Writing: Poetry; English 346 Writers’ Workshop: Prose; English 396 American Nature Writing; English 396 Mexican-American Poetry and Fiction (Honors); English 350 Surrealism and Its Influence on English and American Literature (Honors); English 203 Introduction to Literature (Regular and International); English 231 English Literature I; English 228 American Literature II; LBAR 181 Immigrant Literature; LBAR I81 Film Adaptation; English 104 Composition and Rhetoric (Regular, Honors and International); English 210 Scientific and Technical Writing (Regular and International); English 221 World Literature I; English 222 World Literature II,
- NEW COURSES TAUGHT SINCE 2005
English 481 (American Nature Writing), English 481 (Beat Movement in American Literature), English 628 (Literary Journal Editing), English 624 (Writing Seminar), English 622 (Introduction to Creative Writing), English 348 (Writer’s Workshop: Poetry), English 235 (Intro to Poetry and Prose), English 221 (World Literature I), Honors 203 (Southwestern Literature and Film).
Publications
Poetry titles
The Breaking that Brings Us Anew (Folder Press, New York, 1978).
Selected Poems (Goethe's Notes, Maryland, 1978).
Always Clear and Simple (Aileron, Austin, 1981).
Ordinary Life (Cedar Rock, New Braunfels, 1984).
What Do You Want, Blood? (Austin Book Award, 1986)
Amerryka! (Ruddy Duck, 1984).
Drinking in a Dry County (Maelstrom, Portland, Maine, 1985).
I am Delighted that You are Here (Fat Tuesday, Grantville, 1995).
Flying (A Primer), Tsunami, 2004
Rips (Unicorn Press, 2005)
Heterosexual: A Love Story (Panther Creek, 2006)
Like Li-Po Laughing at the Lonely Moon (Pecan Grove Press, 2008)
Memoir
Saving Sebastian (2010)
Fiction titles
Somebody to Love (Flatland, 1991
Fogg in High School (PublishAmerica, 2007)
- Essay titles
1. Only a Poet (Cedar Rock Press, 1984).
2. Poet in Jail (Pygmy Forest, Albion, Ca. 1997)
- Anthologies (poetry, fiction, and essays)
1. A Long Line of Joy, edited by W.J. Robinson (Long Beach,)--contains
poetry and an essay by Chuck Taylor.
2. Travois (Thorps Springs Press, Houston Contemporary Arts Museum, 1976).
3. The Texas Anthology, edited by Paul Ruffin (Sam Houston State University
Literary Review, 1979.
4. Texas Poetry (Bowder Springs, 1995).
5. Mondo James Dean (St. Martins, 1996).
6. Texas Short Stories (Bowder Springs, 1997).
7. Suddenly (Martin House, 1998).
8. Yexas Short Stories II (Bowder Springs, 2000).
- Journal articles
1. "Where is the Last Picture Show?,” Journal of the American Studies
Association of Texas, V(1974), 35–40.
2. "Diane Wakowski's Greed, or One Bourgeois Poet to Another," Big
Boulevard, III, 12–16.
3. "The Oral-Reading Approach to Sophomore English," Arizona English
Bulletin, 1977.
4. "Why Johnny Can't Read and What You Can Do," Army Times, March 1978.
5. "To Videotape or Not to Videotape,” Audiovisual Instruction, 22, I, 33–40.
6. "Writing about Writing at La Tuna Federal Prison, Southwest Art Forum,
September 1977.
7. "In the Jail House Now," Austin Challenger, 1986.
8. “The Workshop Way to Learning: Linking Aesthetic Experience to Creativity and Beginning Performance in the Classroom,” Naomi Katsura (Mie University) and Dr. Chuck Taylor (Texas A&M University), republished in the 2008 Mie University Journal of Research, (2008) 71–79 from The Proceedings in the 6th Annual Meeting of Hawaii International Conference on the Arts and Humanities, 2008. 1.11
9. “Sandra Cisneros, Outlaw Poet,” Voices, Volume III (2008), 26–30.
10. “The Forgotten Poetry of Sandra Cisneros,” Journal of Texas Women Writers, I, I (2009)
- Short stories (not published in books or anthologies)
1. "Dreams Moving Through the World, The Washington Review, 3, i (1977),
15–17.
2. "A Case of Biological Superiority," The Mill, 3 (1977), 34–36.
3. "My Lover's Husband," Street Bagel, 14, 1–5.
4. "Paranoia Strikes Deep," The Volcano Review, 6, 45–60.
5. "To the Monastery," Bogg, 46, 15–18.
6. "Last Scholar," Cellar Door, II, 5–7.
7. "Guatemala Water on the Brain," Maelstrom Review, 6, 7-ll.
8. "The Story of Linda," American Fiction Review, 1979.
9. “Question, Son,” Tex! (Today Foundation, 1998), 12–13.
10. “Now You Know, Now You Know How It Is,” short story published in the Concho River Review, XXII, 1
(Spring 2008),
- Poetry
Poetry published in over 150 journals, including The Texas:
1. Quarterly, The Literary Review, Louisiana Review, Rocky Mountain Review, The
2. Antigonish Review, Writ, and Ball State University Forum.