Dr. Leonard Feinberg
Dr. Leonard Feinberg was Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English at Iowa State University,
where he taught for thirty-five years. He was born in Vitebsk, Russia, on August 26, 1914,
the son of Samuel and Belle (Feinberg) Aleshker. Feinberg came to the US in 1923 and was
naturalized in 1933. He married Lilian Virginia Okner (deceased) November 26, 1938.
His academic degrees included a B.S. from The University of Illinois, 1937, and an M.A. from the U. of I., 1938. In World War II he served as a naval officer on the island of Adak in the Aleutians, 1944-1945, after which he returned to The University of Illinois to complete a Ph.D. in American Literature (1946). The subject of his dissertation was Sinclair Lewis.
As Professor of English at Iowa State University, Feinberg taught courses in American literature, creative writing, and satire. Internationally respected as an authority on humor and satire, he was the author of a number of books. His academic publications include The Satirist, Introduction to Satire, The Secret of Humor, and Asian Laughter. His satiric works include Hypocrisy: Don't Leave Home Without It and The ET Visitor's Guide to the U.S.A. His novels include, Where the Williwaw Blows: The Aleutian Islands--World War II, and Waking the Tiger: A Novel of Sri Lanka.
Academic honors included ISU Professor of the Year, ISU Faculty Citation, Wilton Park Scholar (a program sponsored by the British Foreign Service), Fulbright lecturer at the University of Ceylon, and visiting lecturer in India, Japan, Hong Kong, Hungary, Poland, and Yugoslavia. He was listed in Who's Who in America.
Leonard Feinberg passed away on February 26, 2006, at the age of 91. He lives on in his books and writings.
