It is with great sadness that I communicate the passing of Ezra Tawil, Professor of English at the University of Rochester. Ezra was a brilliant scholar and skilled teacher, and we will remember with gratitude the joyful exuberance, sharp acuity, and generous mentorship that he brought to the profession. His books included The Making of Racial Sentiment: Slavery and the Birth of the American Frontier (Cambridge UP, 2006); The Cambridge Companion to Slavery in American Literature (editor, 2016); and Literature, American Style: The Originality of Imitation in the Early Republic (2018). Ezra’s work was always meticulously researched and beautifully written, offering wholly convincing explanatory theories that shed vibrant new light on early American literature and culture. He was always self-effacing and modest, even though he was one of the brightest minds in our field. Most of all, his colleagues and friends remember him for his genuine warmth, unfailing kindness, and the broadest, happiest smile. He is survived by his wife Kirsten and son Jules, to whom we extend our deepest sympathies and love.
Please visit the University of Rochester memorial page and the Rochester Campus Times to read moving testimonials about Ezra from his students, colleagues, and friends.
Siân Silyn Roberts
CUNY Queens College