Author of Back to Barron, a chronicle of growing up in small-town-and-rural mid-century America, Daniel E. Van Tassel graduated from St. Olaf College and earned his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. He taught at Pacific Lutheran University, California State San Marcos, and Muskingum College. His scholarly publications include numerous book reviews and articles on Shakespeare, Hardy, Lawrence, and Beckett. Retired, he lives in Minnesota and teaches literature courses in a program geared for seniors. For recreation, he takes to trails on his mountain bike and swims laps. He recently published Journey by the Book: A Guide to Tales of Travel and Beyond Barron: A Memoir.