Freisinger, Randall R.
February 6, 1942—
Place of Birth: Kansas City, Missouri
Place of Principal Residence: Houghton, MI
Biography
Randall Freisinger was born to Winifred and Earl Freisinger in Kansas City, Missouri on February 6, 1942. He attended the University of Missouri-Columbia between 1959-1975, earning his BJ, MA, and PhD in English Literature. Ever since 1972, Freisinger has taught at Michigan Tech University, and today serves as a Professor of Rhetoric, Literature, and Creative Writing. In addition to teaching, he is the Associate Editor for Laurel Review. His poems have been and continue to be published in many literary magazines, and in 1997 published a book-length manuscript of poems, Plato’s Breath, which won the 1996 May Swenson Poetry Award. Freisinger lives with his wife, Jill, and his two stepsons, Ian and Quentin, in Houghton, Michigan.
Selected Works
Plato’s Breath (1997)
Awards
1975 Flume Press National Chapbook Award
1996 May Swenson Poetry Prize for Plato’s Breath
n/a Nominated for Pushcart Prize (four times)
Critical Reception
For Plato’s Breath:
[Freisinger’s] poems are funny, sad, light, dark, hopeful, grim, and quite often all of these at once. Don’t overlook this book.
The Missouri Review
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work
Freisinger teaches Humanities at Michigan Tech University, where he helps students develop a deeper appreciation for literature and creativity.