Obituary for Neil Browne (1956-2025)

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It is with great sadness that we communicate the news that Neil Brown, a long-time contributor to Connotations and to its biennial symposia, died on May 28, 2025. He was Professor of American Literature at Oregon State University for the last 23 years of his life. In his early career he established a lasting bond with Germany when he stayed in Jena as a student and in Bonn as a young lecturer. Although he was a dedicated academic, he was also very grounded in the real world and knew the life of non-academic people. He worked in kitchens and in stables, and he spent a lot of time on horseback and on ski runs. These experiences informed the way he thought and talked about literature, especially his interest in nature writing. Neil Brown will be missed by the Connotations community.

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