Widely considered one of America's foremost essayists and a central figure in the recent revival of interest in the personal essay, Phillip Lopate discusses how to write with style and how style affects writing. Lopate's works have received numerous literary awards and have appeared in internationally acclaimed publications.

Phillip Lopate is the author of three essay collections, Bachelorhood (1981), Against Joie de Vivre (1989), and Portrait of My Body (1996); two novels, Confessions of Summer (1979) and The Rug Merchant (1987); two poetry collections, The Eyes Don't Always Want to Stay Open (1972) and The Daily Round (1976); and a memoir of his teaching experiences, Being With Children (1975). He has edited two anthologies: Journal of a Living Experiment (1979), and The Art of the Personal Essay (1994, short excerpt of introduction). He writes regularly for a variety of magazines and literary journals on topics ranging from movies to architecture and urban form to travel.

He has worked with children for many years as a writer-in-the-schools and has taught creative writing and literature to graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Houston, Bennington College, and Columbia University. He currently holds the Adams Chair at Hofstra University, where he is Professor of English.

Cosponsored by the Kelly Writers House.