Leslee Thorne-Murphy

Biography

Leslee Thorne-Murphy specializes in Victorian literature, especially the tantalizingly long, intricate, mid-century novel. In her courses, she takes a historical and cultural approach, looking at how literature shapes and is shaped by its environment. Professor Thorne-Murphy’s research, also, emphasizes the interactions between literature and its culture. Her current work explores how Victorian authors used depictions of women’s philanthropy in their literature to reason through and illustrate literature’s potential for aiding an ailing society. In addition to her scholarly work, Professor Thorne-Murphy is the mother of three boys, who ensure that she takes time to laugh and enjoy life. Her husband, John Murphy, is Curator for 20th-century Western and Mormon Americana in BYU’s Special Collections Library. 

Degrees

PhD, Brandeis, 2001

Interests

Victorian