Carol Bly
Encyclopedia
Carol Bly was a teacher and an award-winning American
author
of short stories
, essay
s, and nonfiction works on writing. Her work often featured Minnesota women who must identify the moral crisis that is facing their community or themselves and enact change through empathy, or opening one's eyes to the realities of the situation.
. She was raised in Duluth and Tryon, North Carolina, where she was sent to live with one of her father's sisters because her mother suffered from tuberculosis
and was often away from the family being treated in sanitariums.
Bly's mother died in 1942, at a time when two of her older brothers were fighting in World War II
. As a young teen, Bly worried for the safety of her family and often had nightmares about the Gestapo
. Bly never lost her preoccupation with the damage that evil people could do.
in English and history from Wellesley College in 1951 and spent several years working in New York and Boston before undertaking graduate-level work at the University of Minnesota
in 1954 and 1955.
on a blind date. They married in 1955 and moved to Robert Bly's family farm, near the small town of Madison, Minnesota
, to live on which at the time had no running water. The family lived a relatively simple life, and as she once told a disbelieving census taker, instead of owning a television they entertained themselves with their five thousand plus books. Their house was usually filled with visiting poets, including Donald Hall
, James Wright
, and Bill Holm
, all of whom were asked to do their share of chores before Bly would feed them.
The couple had four children, Micah, Bridget, Noah, and Mary
, who is now an English professor at Fordham University
and a best-selling romance novelist under the pseudonym Eloisa James. She and Robert divorced in 1979. She moved to Sturgeon Lake, then in 1986 she purchased a house in St. Paul.
At the beginning of the next decade, Bly was asked to write a monthly column, "A Letter from the Country" for the Minnesota Public Radio Magazine. Writing these short essays about rural life taught her how to think and to express herself well in a relatively small number of pages. The essays were later compiled into the book Letters From the Country, published in 1981. Three of her stories were also combined into the movie Rachel River, which starred Craig T. Nelson
.
Perhaps inspired by Robert Bly's co-founding of American Writers Against the Vietnam War
in 1966, Bly used her literature to reflect modern-day concerns. Her work is in many ways an ethical treatise, often featuring a "bully", embodied by either a person or a corporation, who takes pleasure in forcing his will on another person or group of people. Some of her stories also explore evil, which, to her, is seen in people or organizations which find enjoyment in enslaving, humiliating, or crushing their opponents. The stories emphasize redemption through empathy, which, to Bly, is the step of deliberately looking at how one's actions impact others.
A typical Bly protagonist is a conventional woman who has been content to live in "ignorant complacency," but, through her own strength and intelligence must first identify the moral crisis facing either her or her community and then work to accomplish change. In her best works, the moral center is hard to find, as each character has some claim to the reader's sympathies.
These principles were demonstrated during the four creative writing workshops that Bly taught each spring in Saint Paul, Minnesota
as well as in the talks and readings she gave. The workshops were of limited size, usually including only eight students, with Bly lecturing as well as providing individual advice and criticism of the student's works.
Edelstein-Keller Distinguished Minnesota Author (1998–1999) and the Minnesota Women's Press Favorite Woman Author (2000).
A past member of the Board of Directors for both The Loft Literary Center
(1991–1994) and Episcopal Community Services (1978–1979), Bly was also a member of the Minnesota Book and Literary Arts Building Authors' Advisory Group in 1999. She has designed workshops for Women Against Military Madness, National Association of Social Workers, and the Midwest Institute of School Social Workers, and was a consultant to the Land Stewardship Project from 1983-1992.
, a best-selling writer of romance novels under the pseudonym
of Eloisa James.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
, essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
s, and nonfiction works on writing. Her work often featured Minnesota women who must identify the moral crisis that is facing their community or themselves and enact change through empathy, or opening one's eyes to the realities of the situation.
Childhood
Carolyn McLean Bly was the youngest child and only daughter of Charles Russell and Mildred Washburn Mclean of Duluth, MinnesotaDuluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
. She was raised in Duluth and Tryon, North Carolina, where she was sent to live with one of her father's sisters because her mother suffered from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and was often away from the family being treated in sanitariums.
Bly's mother died in 1942, at a time when two of her older brothers were fighting in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. As a young teen, Bly worried for the safety of her family and often had nightmares about the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
. Bly never lost her preoccupation with the damage that evil people could do.
Education
After graduating from the Abbot Academy boarding school Bly received her B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in English and history from Wellesley College in 1951 and spent several years working in New York and Boston before undertaking graduate-level work at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1954 and 1955.
Marriage
While at Wellesley, Bly met Robert Elwood BlyRobert Bly
Robert Bly is an American poet, author, activist and leader of the Mythopoetic Men's Movement.-Life:Bly was born in Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota, to Jacob and Alice Bly, who were of Norwegian ancestry. Following graduation from high school in 1944, he enlisted in the United States Navy, serving...
on a blind date. They married in 1955 and moved to Robert Bly's family farm, near the small town of Madison, Minnesota
Madison, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,768 people, 789 households, and 462 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,737.6 people per square mile . There were 882 housing units at an average density of 866.9 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 99.21% White,...
, to live on which at the time had no running water. The family lived a relatively simple life, and as she once told a disbelieving census taker, instead of owning a television they entertained themselves with their five thousand plus books. Their house was usually filled with visiting poets, including Donald Hall
Donald Hall
Donald Hall is an American poet. He was appointed Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 2006.-Personal life:...
, James Wright
James Wright (poet)
James Arlington Wright was an American poet.Wright first emerged on the literary scene in 1956 with The Green Wall, a collection of formalist verse that was awarded the prestigious Yale Younger Poets Prize. But by the early 1960s, Wright, increasingly influenced by the Spanish language...
, and Bill Holm
Bill Holm (poet)
Bill Holm was an American poet, essayist, memoirist, and musician.Holm was born on a farm north of Minneota, Minnesota in 1943 and attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota where he graduated in 1965. Later, he attended the University of Kansas...
, all of whom were asked to do their share of chores before Bly would feed them.
The couple had four children, Micah, Bridget, Noah, and Mary
Mary Bly
Mary Bly is a tenured associate professor of English Literature at Fordham University who also writes best-selling Regency romance novels under the pen name Eloisa James.She is the daughter of poet Robert Bly and short-story author Carol Bly....
, who is now an English professor at Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
and a best-selling romance novelist under the pseudonym Eloisa James. She and Robert divorced in 1979. She moved to Sturgeon Lake, then in 1986 she purchased a house in St. Paul.
Career
While her children were small, Bly worked on the farm when necessary and found time to manage the literary journals published by her husband and William Duffy, Fifties and Sixties, as well as managing their business, the Sixties and the Seventies Press.At the beginning of the next decade, Bly was asked to write a monthly column, "A Letter from the Country" for the Minnesota Public Radio Magazine. Writing these short essays about rural life taught her how to think and to express herself well in a relatively small number of pages. The essays were later compiled into the book Letters From the Country, published in 1981. Three of her stories were also combined into the movie Rachel River, which starred Craig T. Nelson
Craig T. Nelson
Craig Theodore Nelson is an American actor. He is probably best known for his Emmy-winning roles as Hayden Fox on the TV series Coach, and as Steve Freeling in the 1982 film Poltergeist. He also starred in The Incredibles in 2004 as Mr...
.
Works
Bly's short stories are known for their realistic characters and situations, which are fully developed within the small number of pages the story allows. Although many of her stories are set in Minnesota, the people and the situations transcend local boundaries, emphasizing pride in one's work, resourcefulness, the ability to laugh at one's self, and the ability "to hold values beyond one's own immediate welfare."Perhaps inspired by Robert Bly's co-founding of American Writers Against the Vietnam War
American Writers Against the Vietnam War
American Writers Against the Vietnam War was an umbrella organization created in 1965 by American poets Robert Bly and David Ray. The group organized readings, meetings and joined in rallies, teach-ins, and demonstrations against the Vietnam War, allowing writers to protest under a collective...
in 1966, Bly used her literature to reflect modern-day concerns. Her work is in many ways an ethical treatise, often featuring a "bully", embodied by either a person or a corporation, who takes pleasure in forcing his will on another person or group of people. Some of her stories also explore evil, which, to her, is seen in people or organizations which find enjoyment in enslaving, humiliating, or crushing their opponents. The stories emphasize redemption through empathy, which, to Bly, is the step of deliberately looking at how one's actions impact others.
A typical Bly protagonist is a conventional woman who has been content to live in "ignorant complacency," but, through her own strength and intelligence must first identify the moral crisis facing either her or her community and then work to accomplish change. In her best works, the moral center is hard to find, as each character has some claim to the reader's sympathies.
Teaching
To reach a broader audience, Bly wrote several books to assist others in learning to write well. Rather than concentrate on the technical basics of writing a story, these books provide tips for writing a story that is "morally, politically, and emotionally deep." Her books are somewhat controversial, as they encourage students to use "the sort of 'empathetic questioning' therapists and social workers use" in order to find their strongest feelings and amplify their ideas.These principles were demonstrated during the four creative writing workshops that Bly taught each spring in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
as well as in the talks and readings she gave. The workshops were of limited size, usually including only eight students, with Bly lecturing as well as providing individual advice and criticism of the student's works.
Recognition
Bly was awarded the 2001 Minnesota Humanities Award for Literature. She had previously been named the University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
Edelstein-Keller Distinguished Minnesota Author (1998–1999) and the Minnesota Women's Press Favorite Woman Author (2000).
A past member of the Board of Directors for both The Loft Literary Center
The Loft Literary Center
The Loft Literary Center is a nonprofit literary organization located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Incorporated in 1975, the Loft's stated mission is "to support the artistic development of writers, to foster a writing community, and to build an audience for literature"...
(1991–1994) and Episcopal Community Services (1978–1979), Bly was also a member of the Minnesota Book and Literary Arts Building Authors' Advisory Group in 1999. She has designed workshops for Women Against Military Madness, National Association of Social Workers, and the Midwest Institute of School Social Workers, and was a consultant to the Land Stewardship Project from 1983-1992.
Later years
In 2003, Bly donated to the University of Minnesota her correspondence, notes from writing workshops and classes she has taught, and drafts of her works. The eighty-nine boxes included papers written when she was just a child to those of her later years. Also in 2003 Bly and a friend, Cynthia Loveland, opened Bly and Loveland Press, a small publishing company which has so far published four books that they have written together. Their press also sold custom crossword puzzles, which Bly designed. She continued to work until the very end of her life, completing a novel, "Shelter Half," which was published in June, 2008 by Holy Cow! Press.Mary Bly
Carol Bly was the mother of Mary BlyMary Bly
Mary Bly is a tenured associate professor of English Literature at Fordham University who also writes best-selling Regency romance novels under the pen name Eloisa James.She is the daughter of poet Robert Bly and short-story author Carol Bly....
, a best-selling writer of romance novels under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Eloisa James.
Fiction
- Backbone: Short Stories
- The Tender Organizations
- The Tomcat's Wife and Other Stories
- My Lord Bag of Rice: New and Selected Stories (2000)
- Shelter Half (Holy Cow! Press, 2008)
Essays
- Letters from the Country (1981, reissued 1999)
- An Adolescent's Christmas: 1944 (1999)
- Bad Government and Silly Literature: An Essay
- Soil and Survival: Land Stewardship and the Future of American Agriculture
- Changing the Bully Who Rules the World (1996)
- There once was a man from Nantucket, (1950)
Books on writing
- Beyond the Writer's Workshop: New Ways to Write Creative Nonfiction (2000)
- The Passionate, Accurate Story (1990, reissued 1997)
With Cynthia Loveland
- Three Readings for Republicans and Democrats
- Stopping the Gallop to Empire
- A Shout to American Clergy
- Against Workshopping Manuscripts
Awards and recognition
- 2001 - Minnesota Humanities Award for Literature
- 2000 - Minnesota Women's Press Favorite Woman Author
- 1998-1999 Edelstein-Keller Author of Distinction, University of MinnesotaUniversity of MinnesotaThe University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
- 1994 - Friend of School Social Work, Minnesota School Social Workers' Association
- 1992 - Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Northland CollegeNorthland College (Wisconsin)Northland College is a small, coeducational, liberal arts college in Ashland, Wisconsin, USA. Founded as the North Wisconsin Academy in 1892, the college was established in 1906. Originally affiliated with the Congregational Church, the college remains loosely tied to the Congregational Church's...
- 1991 - Friend of American Writers Award
- 1991 - Bush Foundation Artists Fellowship
- 1990 - Minnesota State Annual Book Award, for essays
- 1990 - Minnesota State Arts Board Individual Artist Grant
- 1985 - South Dakota Council of Teachers of English Certificate of Honor
- Seabury-Western Theological Seminary Distinguished Christian Service Award
- Ramsey County Women's Political Caucus Founding Feminist
- Minnesota Women's Consortium Distinguished Minnesota Leader Award