Publications

Curriculum Vitae

RITA ELIZABETH RIPPETOE

EDUCATION

Ph.D. in English, May 2003

University of Nevada, Reno

Dissertation title: ". . . sober and I didn't care who knew it: Alcohol and the Hard-Boiled Detective's Code. Dissertation advisor: Dr. Robert Merrill.

Comprehensive Areas: American literature since 1900; fiction; novel, Arthurian literature.

M.A. in English, August 1993

California State University, Sacramento

Comprehensive examination option: The detective novel.

Advisor: Dr. David Madden.

Course work included: methods of teaching composition, tutoring in writing, and an internship in a community college writing class.

U. California Extension, Berkeley Certificate of Completion in Publishing, May 1985

B. A. Anthropology, June 1970

University of California, Davis

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

UNR, Western Traditions Fall 1996-Spring 1999 & Fall 1994-Spring 1995

Graduate Assistant: Western Traditions 201, 202.& 203.

Discussion leader for two sections per semester. Led discussions; graded essays, classroom work, quizzes and exams; calculated final grades; kept student records; performed other duties as required.

UNR, English Dept. Summer Session 1996

Instructor: American literature and culture (Engl. 304).

Lectured; led discussion; wrote and graded quizzes and exams; assigned paper topics; graded papers and performed all related duties for course emphasizing pluralism and cultural diversity including Native American, African American, Gay and Lesbian and immigrant literature.

UNR, Core Writing. Spring 1996

Instructor: Composition II (Engl. 102).

Performed duties of instructor as above, for 2nd semester composition course with special topic of "Exploring the Unknown."

UNR, English Dept. Fall 1995

Instructor: Survey of American Literature (Engl. 241).

Performed duties of instructor for general survey course from encounter narratives to modern literature. Readings included essays, poetry, drama and fiction.

UNR, English Dept. Summer Session 1995

Instructor: expository writing (Engl. 321).

Performed duties of instructor for advanced composition course.

UNR, Writing Center Nov. 1993-May 1994

Tutor: Aided students of all levels, basic through graduate, in writing and revising academic papers in a variety of disciplines. including physical and social sciences. Worked frequently with international and other students for whom English is not a primary language.

California State University Sacramento Oct. 1992- Aug. 1993 .

Student assistant: English department: Aided students in use of computer writing lab, proctored examinations, reproduced class materials, filed, relieved receptionist.

EDITORIAL EXPERIENCE

Shakespeare Variorum Project. Dr. Eric Rassmussen, editor. April 1995-Sept. 1995.

Graduate assistant: compared photocopies of variant Shakespeare manuscripts, marking significant differences for entry into project database.

PUBLICATIONS

Book

Booze and the Private Eye: Alcohol in the Hard-Boiled Novel. McFarland and Co., Jefferson NC. Dec. 2004.

Chapter

"Lynda S. Robinson and Lauren Haney: Detection in the Land of the Mysteries." in The Detective as Historian: History and Art in Historical Crime Fiction. Ed. Ray B. Browne & Lawrence A. Kreiser, Jr. Bowling Green Popular Press, Bowling Green, OH, 2000. 11-21.

Articles

"Unstained Shirt, Stained Reputation: Anse Bundren Reread." Mississippi Quarterly. 54.3 (Summer 2001) 313-325. Link here to Mississippi Quarterly.

“Layered Genre Strategies in Smiley’s People.” Clues 20.1 (1999): 105-117. Link here to Clues: a Journal of Detection.

“Not a Magical Mystery Tour: Locale in Dorothy Sayers’ Harriet Vane Novels.” Para*doxa. 2.3-4 (1996): 534-541. Link here to Para*doxa, a journal of genre studies.

Book Reviews

Behind the Crystal Ball: Magic, Science and the Occult from Antiquity Through the New Age. Anthony Aveni. Electronic review PCA/ACA e-list (1998) and Journal of Popular Culture.

XXX: a Woman’s Right to Pornography . Wendy McElroy. Electronic review PCA/ACA e-list (1996) and Journal of Popular Culture.

Living Witchcraft: a Contemporary Coven. Allen Scarbora, et. al. Gnosis. Spring 96.

Poems

“Fragments of a Song Attributed to Penelope, Queen of Ithaca.” Tropos : a Journal of Classical and Romantic Culture, May 1997: 48-57.

“Hymnos.” The Classical Outlook. 73.3 (Spring 1996): 91.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

"'An Alcoholic is Not the Same Man at All': Meditations on Alcoholism in Chandler's The Long Goodbye." Popular Culture Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, 16-19 April, 2003.

"'The Poet's Eye in a FIne Frenzy': Neil Gaiman's Vision of Shakespeare as a Servant of Dream." Mythcon XXXIII, A Midsummer Night's Dream: Shakespeare and Fantasy. Mythopoeic Society Conference, Boulder CO, 26-29 July 2002.

"'. . . the voice of his own blood': Robin Paige's Edwardian 'OJ' Jury." Popular Culture Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, 19-22 April 2000.

"Mean Streets in Berkeley: Susan Dunlap's Sense of Place." West of the West: California and the American West. The Western Literature Association. 13- 16 October 1999.

". . . the mirror up to nature": Witchcraft (Re)Written by Witches." Popular Culture Association Annual Conference. San Diego, CA. 31 March- 3 April 1999

"Blokes, Blood and Beer: The Working Class Vampire in Ennis' The Preacher." International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 17-21 March 1999.

“Goddess Poetry in a New Light: From Robert Graves to the Current Revival." Robert Graves and The White Goddess, U. of Manchester, Manchester, England, 2-5 September 1998.

“Darkest Knight: the Paradox of a Vampire at King Arthur’s Side.” International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 18-21 March 1998.

“Peter Wimsey and the Aftermaths of W.W.I.” Bang, Boom, Bust and Bang (Again) The Space Between: Precursors and Aftermaths 1915-1945, U Nevada, Reno, NV. 2-4 October 1997.

“Who are the Little People: Tribal Identity in The Mists of Avalon and Firelord.” Popular Culture Association Annual Conference. San Antonio, TX. 27 March 1997.

“Old Religion in a New Age: Neo Paganism versus the New Age Movement.” Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association Annual Conference. Las Vegas, NV. 27 March 1996. :

HONORS

Popular Culture Assoiciaton: Nominated for Earl Bargainnier Mystery/Detection Award, 2000

UNR Graduate Student Association Paper Contest: Second Prize. “Goddess Poetry in a New Light: From Robert Graves to the Current Revival.” Spring 1998.

UNR English Department Graduate Student Paper Contest: Honorable Mention. "Witchcraft in Her Rank Blood: the Rhetoric of Evil in The Dutchess of Malfi.” Spring 1996