Robert Riner Hellenga

Background

Robert Riner Hellenga was born on August 5, 1941 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Son of Theodore Edward Hellenga and Marjorie Hellenga. Robert Hellenga grew up in Three Oaks, Michigan and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Education

He graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. (with high honors) in 1963. He attended the Queen’s University of Belfast, the University of North Carolina, and Princeton University. He received his Ph.D. from Princeton University in 1968.

Career

Hellenga began teaching English literature at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois in 1968. In 1973-1974 he was co-director of the ACM Seminar in the Humanities at the Newberry Library in Chicago, and in 1982-1983 he directed the ACM Florence programs in Florence, Italy. He has also worked in Bologna, Verona, and Rome. He is currently Distinguished Writer in Residence and Professor Emeritus at Knox College.

Works

More photos

• book

  • The Sixteen Pleasures
  • The Italian Lover
  • The Fall of a Sparrow
  • Philosophy Made Simple: A Novel
  • Snakewoman of Little Egypt: A Novel
  • Blues Lessons: A Novel
  • The Confessions of Frances Godwin by Robert Hellenga (2014-07-08)

Interests

• Blues guitar, Italian cooking.

Connections

He married Virginia Killion Hellenga on August 31, 1963. They has 3 daughters: Rachel, Heather, Caitrine.

Father:

Theodore Edward Hellenga

Mother:

Marjorie Johnson

Spouse:

Virginia Killion Hellenga

child:

Rachel Hellenga

child:

Heather Hellenga

child:

Caitrine Hellenga