Darryl Dickson-Carr's Home Page
What? No picture?!?
If this is what you're asking right now, don't worry. I decided to take my picture off this page when it became clear to many of this page's visitors that the old picture was, well, old. I now have a newer picture linked below, but it is not exactly the sort of picture I'd like to greet visitors. When I do have such a picture available, though, I will place it here posthaste.
If you really want to see what I look like, click here. Don't hate me because I'm beautiful.
WHO I AM, AND WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING
My name is Darryl Dickson-Carr. I am an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. I specialize in African-American and Twentieth-Century American Literatures. My primary area of interest is the role of humor in African-American literary texts. Click on the link in this sentence to learn more about my colleagues.
Would you like to peruse my Curriculum Vitae? Please click on the link.
I have linked a list of African-American satirical works to my page, since several people have asked me where to begin their reading of African-American satire. For those of you who might be my future students, this is a good way to get on my good side.
Well, not really. You'll be graded just like anyone else. You may, however, have an additional conversation piece when you come into my office. Better yet, you will learn something new and be taken into previously unexplored realms of knowledge. Nothing would make me happier!
COMING SOON!
My list of Books You Should Read. When complete, all visitors will be privy to a decidedly incomplete list of books
(a) that I have read,
(b) that I have purchased but not read (the eternal curse of starting or, worse, completing graduate work and becoming a professor);
(c) I have started reading;
(d) I believe all beings interested in self-improvement should read, if only for fun;
(e) that reveal what a sick mind I have. They might include literary theory, literary (or general) history, postmodern novels, philosophy, and other such offenses to the human condition.
(f) that--in all seriousness--are excellent, informative, and interesting.
I am happy to report that the University of
Missouri Press has published my first book, African
American Satire: The Sacredly Profane Novel. Please click on
the links in the previous sentence or on the book cover pictured here if
you would
like to read the book description
or perhaps order a copy.
Click here to read an
interview in which I discuss the book's subject matter.
I am also working on two other projects simultaneously: The Columbia Guide to African American Fiction, 1970-2000 and a book-length project on satire in the Harlem Renaissance. I am always keeping my eye out for and studying new African American satirical texts, so if you know of any, please let me know! Even if I already know of them, I would enjoy discussing them with you. In addition, I study various modes of satire in general, but particularly in late 20th Century America.
If you'd like to discuss my research with me, I would welcome all correspondence. Please send email to dbcarr@english.fsu.edu. I try to check my mail on a daily basis, and will make every effort to give you a quick reply.
SOME VITAL STATISTICS: I was born in Los Angeles, California, later lived in Lexington, Kentucky, then moved back to California, where I lived in Concord, Santa Barbara (for my college career) and Orange, the heart of bankrupt (in more ways than one) Orange County. I currently live in Tallahassee, Florida.
I am married to Carol Dickson-Carr, who is a Research Associate at Economic Research Services, Inc. Carol is also the founder and President of Power-Ed Solutions, Inc., a company dedicated to showing individuals and groups how to use their personal resources to reach their maximum potential.
You may E-mail Carol here. She would love to hear from you!
Carol and I are the proud parents of Miss Maya Y. Carr, born January 6, 2000. You may find more information on Maya, including pictures and other links, by clicking here.
HOBBIES: Generally, I like reading just about anything you can name. That includes newspapers, magazines, novels, and yes, Literary Theory.
Please take a look at my new, eventually-evolving Research Resources page if you are interested in intellectual inquiry or further World Wide Web browsing.
I also love Jazz: the music, its musicians, everything about it. Two of my many favorite musicians are Thelonious Monk and Eric Dolphy (if you don't have Dolphy's phenomenal Out to Lunch yet, get it). If you have a sound card on your system, please listen to this clip from the song "Gazzeloni" from Out to Lunch.
Want to start your own Jazz collection? Click here. Please note that I will not be held responsible for the temptation of thousands of musical selections you will encounter at this site.
My mother, Barbara Carr, teaches children from elementary through intermediate grades about African American history. If you would like her to come to your school, please contact her at her website, Black History Comes Alive.
A good friend of mine, Bryan Wilhite, is an author, poet and poet's advocate embarking on a new, experimental venture with artistic representation via his multimedia magazine, Kinte Space. I strongly encourage you to download and investigate this unique magazine. If you would like to become a contributor to Kinte Space, please email Bryan at rasx@netcom.com.
Let me close with the obligatory disclaimer, viz: This home page is always under construction, whether or not I've worked on it recently. Moreover, I will not be held responsible for any strange encounters you might have from exploring the links I've included here.
Special thanks go to Professors Mary Cardenas and Alan Liu for all their help in getting my home page started and for suggesting various improvements. Thanks also to my wife, Carol, for providing further ideas and URLs for the page.
Last Updated: 6/1/04