Andrew Blum '99
Image
Boston, MA
Current City
Brooklyn, NY
Education
BA, Amherst '99; MA, Human Geography, University of Toronto '02
Why Amherst?
The literary tradition—which, to me in the mid-90s, meant Ted Conover, David Foster Wallace, and William Pritchard.
Memorable class
"Constructing Space In Japan,” an art history seminar with Joel Upton.
Memorable professor
Peter Pouncey, who encouraged me to write (with his border collie at his feet).
Research Interests
Energy infrastructure
Favorite Book
The Sixth Extinction, Elizabeth Kolbert
Favorite Author
Karl Ove Knausgård
Tips for Aspiring Writers
Revise until the end.
Path to Writing
I began freelance magazine writing a few months after graduation, and never stopped.