He has lectured at the University of Michigan, where he also received his Ph.D. in American literature. He specializes in 19th-century American literature and visual culture. His course offerings have included courses on 19th and early 20th century comics, hoaxes in American literary culture, and the literature of the transatlantic slave system. He is currently at work on a book about the history of graphic narratives in nineteenth-century American culture. This book traces how nineteenth century artists in the United States experimented with an array of visual languages that often look distinct from the modern comic strip. In his free time, he enjoys watching and playing basketball, playing guitar and perfecting his recipes for Chicago-style pizza. email: aberinger@montevallo.edu