Paul Fussell (b. 1924)
American literary and cultural historian. Born in Pasadena, California, Fussell was twice decorated for his service in the U.S. Army in World War II, earned a Ph.D. at Harvard University, and became an instructor of English at Connecticut College. In 1955 he was hired by the University of Pennsylvania, where he is now a professor emeritus. Fussell’s early books deal with poetic theory and eighteenth-century literature. With the publication of The Great War and Modern Memory (1975), a National Book Award winner, Fussell became better known as a critic of the glorification of war in popular culture. In Class: A Guide through the American Status System (1983), he reveals a sharp eye for the nuances of social class. Fussell has also edited The Norton Book of Travel (1987) and The Norton Book of Modern War (1990). See also mystfx.ca/pinstitutes/bronfman/paulfussellbiography.htm.