Speaker Bio: Allen Tilley

Allen Tilley is Professor Emeritus of English at the University of North Florida, where he taught for 35 years.  After completing his BA at Vanderbilt University, he served as an officer in the US Navy, seeing duty in Viet Nam. He received his PhD in Medieval and Renaissance English literature from the University of Iowa in 1972. At the University of North Florida he chaired the English department for nine years and was awarded the University Outstanding Teaching Award and was named Distinguished Professor.

Allen’s academic publishing field is narrative theory and he has published several books related to this topic.

For about 25 years Allen was the Tenzo (cook) for the Jacksonville Zen Sangha, where he was given the dharma name of Zojo (‘Keeper of the Dharma Treasury’). That experience led to Hungry Zen: Vegetarian Meals in Under an Hour (2009). His non-vegetarian recipes, including family traditions, are collected in Back Porch Feasts (2012), which provides low carb versions of most recipes except desserts.

Allen is active in environmental groups. Since 2004 he has prepared a biweekly online news list on global warming, the Global Warming Study Group (GWSG). He and his wife live in Jacksonville, Florida, close to their two children and their families.