Gandal’s ‘The Gun and the Pen’ garners worldwide critical acclaim

The book shelves in English professor Keith Gandal’s office are crowded with acclaimed works by the likes of Shakespeare, Melville and Chekov. Filling the empty spaces between those literary titans are copies of books he has written, one of which is acclaimed in its own right.

On Nov. 11, Gandal appeared on Chicago Public Radio’s “Eight Forty-Eight” program to discuss his latest work, “The Gun and the Pen: Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Faulkner, and the Fiction of Mobilization.” That interview effectively heightened his profile as an author.

Despite that, Gandal sees writing as more of a complement to his teaching than anything else, adding that fame and popularity always take a backseat to someone who appreciates his work.

“Just this week I got a note from a professor in Australia saying, ‘I used this article that you wrote in 1986 and I actually consider that article a gift to students. When I teach that article, it blows them away,’” Gandal said. “That’s what I like to hear.”

Now, what Gandal considers one of his most accomplished efforts, has seemingly taken on a life of its own.

Since the book’s release over summer, Gandal has been invited to discuss his book at several in-state libraries and book stores. He has also spoken at the University of Nevada-Reno, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Bowling Green University.

Gandal’s students have taken notice, as well. Senior communications major Jimmy Ottolino admits he was surprised when he heard his professor on the radio to discuss “The Gun and the Pen,” but any doubt he had went away when he heard of how long it took him to complete it.
Gandal began researching his book in 1983.

“If you’re dedicated to do something, it doesn’t matter how long it takes,” Ottolino said. “You don’t need a parameter, you just need a goal. He has reached that goal – he wrote the book.”

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