William Lyon Phelps

Born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1865, William Lyon Phelps became one of the most recognizable literary teachers of his era. He studied at Yale and Harvard, then returned to Yale, where he spent much of his career teaching English and championing the serious study of the modern novel.

Beyond the classroom, he wrote essays, criticism, and books for general readers, helping bring literary discussion into everyday life. He was also a widely known public speaker, remembered for an enthusiastic, conversational style that made literature feel approachable rather than distant.

Phelps died in 1943, but his reputation endures through his long connection with Yale and his gift for turning reading into a shared pleasure.