Bernstein, Charles, 1950-....

Variant names

Hide Profile

Late 20th-century American poet acknowledged as a leader of the LANGUAGE movement, Charles Bernstein was born in New York City in 1950 and Educated at Harvard University (1968-1972). He founded, and co-edited with Bruce Andrews, the LANGUAGE Journal; published over fifteen works of his collected poetry. Bernstein teaches literature and poetry at the State University of New York in Buffalo.

From the description of Charles Bernstein papers, 1962-2000. (University of California, San Diego). WorldCat record id: 44624696

Biography

Charles Kegel Bernstein was born on April 4, 1950, in New York City. As a student at the Bronx High School of Science, Bernstein edited and wrote for the school newspaper, SCIENCE SURVEY, and was active in his synogogue's youth group. Before entering Harvard University in 1968, Bernstein met visual artist Susan Bee, whom he would later marry and with whom he occasionally collaborates.

During his years at Harvard University, Bernstein studied philosophy with Stanley Cavell and wrote his final thesis on Gertrude Stein and Ludwig Wittgenstein, portions of which were later published. After receiving his A.B. in 1972, Bernstein and Bee moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, and then the following year to Santa Barbara where he worked part-time as a community health education coordinator. In 1974, the two moved back to New York City.

Over the next ten years, as Bernstein became an established poet, he earned his income by editing and writing for medical and healthcare publications. During this time, Bernstein was very active in the experimental poetry scenes of New York, San Francisco and Toronto, not only as a poet, but also as an editor and publisher. Bernstein and Bee started Asylum's Press, which brought out some of their collaborations as well as the works of other poets who are now well-known. In New York, he met Bruce Andrews, with whom he founded and co-edited the L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E Journal, the name also given to the loosely connected group of experimental writers with whom Bernstein has been most closely associated. In conjunction with the magazine, Bernstein co-founded Segue Distribution service, which made small press publications more accessible to readers.

In 1990, Bernstein was appointed David Gray Professor of Poetry and Letters at the State University of New York in Buffalo, where he continues to exert a significant literary influence through his continued teaching, writing and editing; the on-line Poetics discussion list which he founded and initially moderated, and the Electronic Poetry Center for which he serves as the main advisor.

As a writer, Bernstein works in a wide range of styles, showing that there is no "natural" voice or register for poetry or any other sort of writing. Like many associated with L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E writing, Bernstein foregrounds the materiality of language and extends the experimentalism often associated with the Black Mountain and New York Schools of poetry and other arts. Bernstein's work is also significantly influenced by figures such as Gertrude Stein, Laura (Riding) Jackson and Ezra Pound, as well as his background in philosophy, evident in his early work on Wittgenstein.

From the guide to the Charles Bernstein Papers, 1962-2000, (University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Potes & Poets Press. Potes and Poets Press records, ca. 1980-[ongoing]. University of Connecticut, Homer Babbidge Library
referencedIn Lyn Hejinian Papers, 1966-2004 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
creatorOf Fraser, Kathleen, 1935-. Kathleen Fraser papers, 1957-2006. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn John Taggart Papers, 1962-2002 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
referencedIn Stanford Humanities Center. Stanford Humanities Center audio-visual materials, 1989-2006. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn David Gansz Papers, 1979-2004 Mandeville Special Collections Library
creatorOf Gansz, David C. D. David Gansz papers 1979-2004. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Barone, Dennis. Papers, 1975-1991. Temple University Libraries, Paley Library
creatorOf Charles Bernstein Papers, 1962-2000 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
creatorOf Armantrout, Rae, 1947-. Rae Armantrout papers, 1947-2010. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
creatorOf Taggart, John, 1942-. Papers, 1962-2000. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Howe, Fanny. Papers, 1980-1990 Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Rodefer, Stephen. Stephen Rodefer papers, 1955-1994. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Bernadette Mayer Papers, 1958 - 1996 Mandeville Special Collections Library
creatorOf Bernstein, Charles, 1950-. Correspondence with Singing Horse Press, 1978-1991. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Silliman, Ronald, 1946-. Ron Silliman papers, 1965-1988. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Susan Howe papers Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Bernstein, Charles, 1950-. [Poetry reading, May 12, 1999 [sound recording] / Charles Bernstein ; introduction by Michael Davidson]. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
creatorOf Howe, Susan. Papers, 1942-2000. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
creatorOf United Artists (New York, N.Y.). Records, ca. 1977-1983. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Leland Hickman Papers, 1950-1991 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
referencedIn Rae Armantrout Papers, 1954-2009 Mandeville Special Collections Library
creatorOf Mayer, Bernadette. Papers, 1958-1996. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
creatorOf Hejinian, Lyn. Lyn Hejinian papers, 1973-1994. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
creatorOf Hickman, Leland. Papers, 1950-1991. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
creatorOf Alternative Press (Detroit, Michigan). [The Alternative Press collection], 1969-1992. Wayne State University
referencedIn Susan Howe papers Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Bernstein, Charles, 1950-. [Poetry reading, Mar. 25, 1998 [sound recording] / Charles Bernstein]. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Ron Silliman Papers, 1965-1988 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
creatorOf Schwerner, Armand. Armand Schwerner papers, 1945-1999. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Howe, Fanny. Fanny Howe papers, 1980-1990. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn United Artists (New York, N.Y.) Records, 1977-1983 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
creatorOf Bernstein, Charles, 1950-. Charles Bernstein papers, 1962-2000. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Clayton Eshleman Papers, 1958 - 1993 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
creatorOf Bernstein, Charles, 1950-. Office files of The American Poetry Review, 1988-1994. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Anne Waldman Papers (1945-2012, bulk 1965-2000) University of Michigan
creatorOf Jordan Davies. Papers, 1979-1987. Washington University in St. Louis, .
referencedIn Lazer, Hank. Office files of The American Poetry Review, 1994. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Eshleman, Clayton. Papers, 1958-1993. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Rothenberg, Jerome, 1931-. Jerome Rothenberg collection on American literature, 1959-1995. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Stanford Humanities Center audio-visual materials, 1989-2006 Cecil H. Green Library. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Kathleen Fraser Papers, 1957 - 2006 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
referencedIn Sun & Moon Press Archive, 1976-2002 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Alternative Press (Detroit, Michigan) corporateBody
associatedWith Andrews, Bruce, 1948- person
associatedWith Armantrout, Rae, 1947- person
associatedWith Asylum Press corporateBody
associatedWith Asylum Press corporateBody
associatedWith Barone, Dennis. person
associatedWith Bernstein, Emma. person
associatedWith Child, Abigail, person
associatedWith Creeley, Robert, 1926-2005, person
associatedWith Eshleman, Clayton. person
associatedWith Fox, Jane. person
associatedWith Fraser, Kathleen, 1935- person
associatedWith Gansz, David C. D. person
correspondedWith Greenwald, Ted person
associatedWith Greenwald, Ted, person
associatedWith Hejinian, Lyn. person
associatedWith Hickman, Leland. person
associatedWith Higgins, Dick, 1938-1998, person
associatedWith Howe, Fanny person
associatedWith Howe, Fanny. person
associatedWith Howe, Susan. person
associatedWith Howe, Susan, 1937- person
correspondedWith Jordan Davies. corporateBody
associatedWith Language (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Lazer, Hank. person
correspondedWith Mayer, Bernadette person
associatedWith Mayer, Bernadette. person
associatedWith McCaffery, Steve, person
associatedWith Messerli, Douglas, 1947- person
associatedWith Perloff, Marjorie, person
associatedWith Potes & Poets Press. corporateBody
associatedWith Rodefer, Stephen. person
associatedWith Rothenberg, Jerome, 1931- person
associatedWith Schwerner, Armand. person
associatedWith Segue Books corporateBody
associatedWith Segue Books corporateBody
associatedWith Silliman, Ronald, 1946- person
associatedWith Stanford Humanities Center. corporateBody
correspondedWith Sun & Moon Press corporateBody
associatedWith Taggart, John, 1942- person
associatedWith United Artists (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Waldman, Anne, 1945-. person
associatedWith Watten, Barrett, person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
American poetry
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1950-04-04

Americans

English

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6k653t2

Ark ID: w6k653t2

SNAC ID: 32468665