William McKeen
Address: 640 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02115
Office Phone: 617.353.3484 E-mail : wmckeen@bu.edu
Web: williammckeen.com
I. Academic Employment
Boston University College of Communication / Interim Associate Dean, 2016-2017; Chair, Department of Journalism, August 2010-February 2023; Professor, August 2010–
University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications / Chair, Department of Journalism, July 1998 – August 2010 ; Professor, June 1994 – August 2010 ; Associate Professor, August 1990-June 1994; Assistant Professor, August 1986-August 1990
University of Oklahoma H.H. Herbert School of Journalism and Mass Communication / Assistant Professor, August 1982-August 1986; Assistant Director, June 1984-August 1986
Western Kentucky University Department of Journalism / Assistant Professor, May 1981-August 1982; Instructor, August 1977-May 1981
II. Education
University of Oklahoma Ph.D., higher education administration, 1986. Dissertation adviser: Paul Sharp, president emeritus
Indiana University
M.A., journalism, 1977. Thesis adviser: G. Cleveland Wilhoit, professor of journalism; B.A., history, 1975
III. Books [as author or editor *]
Everybody Had an Ocean, a nonfiction narrative / Music and Mayhem in Los Angeles / Chicago Review Press, 2017.
Too Old to Die Young, a collection / Thoughts on Rock’n’Roll, Sex, Gonzo, Road-Tripping, Parenthood and Other Things and Other Places / Dredger’s Lane Press [Digital book], 2015
Homegrown in Florida , an anthology * / Stories of growing up in Florida / University Press of Florida, 2012
Mile Marker Zero, a nonfiction narrative / The Moveable Feast of Key West / Crown Publishers, 2011
Outlaw Journalist , a biography / The Life and Times of Hunter S. Thompson / W.W. Norton and Company, 2008; Published in the UK by Aurum in 2008 and in France by Tristram in 2010
Highway 61, a memoir / A Father-and-Son Journey Through the Middle of America / W.W. Norton and Company, 2003
Rock and Roll is Here to Stay, an anthology */ W.W. Norton and Company, 2000
Literary Journalism
: A Reader * / Edited with Jean C. Chance / Wadsworth, 2000
Tom Wolfe, a critical biography / Twayne, 1995
Bob Dylan: A Bio-Bibliography
Greenwood, 1993
Hunter S. Thompson
, a critical biography / Twayne, 1991
The Beatles: A Bio-Bibliography Twayne, 1989
The American Story, an anthology * / Assistant editor; edited by Starkey Flythe, Jr. / Curtis, 1975
IV. Books [as contributor]
Contemporary American Literature in Context / Edited by Linda DeRoche / Contributed articles on Thomas McGuane, Hunter S. Thompson and gonzo journalism / ABC-Clio, 2019 [in press]
Gonzology, a bibliography / Edited by Eric Shoaf / Wrote the preface, “The Ultimate Freelancer” / Cielo Books, 2018
Fear and Loathing Worldwide, an anthology / Edited by Robert Alexander and Christine Isager / Contributed the afterword, “Gonzo Without End, Amen” / Bloomsbury, 2018
Dylan Disc-By-Disc, an anthology / Edited by Jon Bream / Contributed two essays / Voyageur Press, 2015
The Cozumel Diary, a collection / by Al Satterwhite / Wrote the afterword / Redcat Editions, 2013
Hunter’s Gonzoville, a collection / Edited by Kelly Cook and Ron Whitehead / Contributed one essay / Cook, 2014
Pilgrim in the Land of Alligators, an anthology / by Jeff Klinkenberg / Wrote the introduction / University Press of Florida, 2008
Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin , a history / by Jon Bream / Contributed one essay / Voyageur Press, 2008
The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, a yearbook / Edited by Arnold Markoe / Contributed one essay / Thomson, 2006
Orange Journalism , a history / Edited by Julian Pleasants / Contributed one essay / University Press of Florida, 2003
Kingdom of Fear, a memoir / by Hunter S. Thompson / Contributed one interview / Simon and Schuster, 2003
The World Book Encyclopedia / I served a member of the board of advisers for 15 years and also served as a contributing editor for popular culture, rock music, country music and journalism. My contributions include the extensive entry on rock’n’roll music as well as shorter articles on Marvin Gaye, Berry Gordy, Michael Jackson, rap and hip-hop music, Art Buchwald, Richard Harding Davis, Ann Landers, Don Marquis, Adolph S. Ochs and Ernie Pyle. / World Book, 2003 — 2017.
The Guidebook to United States Popular Culture, edited by Ray and Pat Browne / Contributed two essays / Popular Press, 2001
The Biographical Dictionary of American Journalism , edited by Joseph McKerns / Contributed five essays / Greenwood, 1989
The Encyclopedia of American Humorists , edited by Steven Gale / Contributed four essays / Garland, 1988
Springboard to Journalism , edited by James F. Paschal / Wrote one chapter / Columbia University, 1985
V. Recordings
Rock’n’Roll and American Society / Writer and performer of a 14-lecture course for the Modern Scholar Series of Recorded Books, Inc., 2011
Outlaw Journalist / Author of biography performed by Fred Berman, Recorded Books, Inc., 2011
Stranger than Fiction
/ Writer and performer of a 14-lecture course for the Modern Scholar Series of Recorded Books, Inc., 2010
VI. Blogs
Asshole: A Memoir, a detailed recollection of my cancer diagnosis and treatment, and subsequent surgeries (15 in four years), williammckeen.com, January 2018—
The Coast Watcher, a blog devoted to reviews of books, films and parenting, williammckeen.com, January 2011—
Bill’s Book Blog, reviews of books and profiles of writers for Creative Loafing in Tampa, cltampa.com, September 2008—March 2012
The Farm Report, a blog devoted to family life and parenting, williammckeen.com, January 2008-August 2010
VII. Magazine Publications
Forum: The Magazine of the Florida Humanities Council, “True Key West,” Fall 2018
The Florida Engineer, “Reality Bytes,” July 2009 (cover story)
Creative Loafing, “Talking About Doc Ford,” May 25, 2009
Creative Loafing, “Experience is the Key,” March 25, 2009
Creative Loafing, “A Different Era,” March 18, 2009 (cover story)
Creative Loafing, “Tim Dorsey’s Book Tours are Murder,” Feb. 18, 2009 (cover story)
American History, “The Day the Music Died,” February 2009
Creative Loafing, “A Slaying in the Suburbs,” Jan. 21, 2009
Creative Loafing, “Taking Off the Band-Aid,” Nov. 17, 2008
Creative Loafing, “When Harry Met Mickey,” Oct. 15, 2008
The Florida Engineer, “Hip to Be Square,” July 2008
American History, “Fifty Years on the Road,” December 2007
American History, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Elvis,” August 2007 (cover story)
The Satellite, “A Night with Dick Dale,” February 2007
Lakeland Magazine, “Coming Home,” Spring 2006
University of Florida Today, “Dadhood II,” Fall 2005
Gainesville Magazine, “Two for the Road,” Summer 2003
City Link, “How to Prepare for a Road Trip,” May 21, 2003
Music.Com magazine, “Yesterday Again,” Spring 2001
Maxim, “New Classics,” Summer 1997
University of Florida Today, “Music With a Message,” November 1992
Haverford, “Journalism’s Greatest Hits,” Summer 1991
Campus Life, “Beatle Paul,” October 1986
Campus Life, “Time is Apparently on Their Side,” April 1986
Campus Life, “All They Had to Do Was Dream,” March 1986
Campus Life, “Everybody Had an Ocean,” February 1986
Sooner, “The Education of William McGrew,” Winter 1985
Campus Life, “Bringing it All Back Home,” November 1985
Sooner, “A Conventional Education,” Autumn 1984
The Saturday Evening Post, “Chicago,” May 1977
The Saturday Evening Post, “Stay Tuned,” September 1976
The Saturday Evening Post, “Face of the Nation,” May 1976
Holiday, “Close to the Edge,” March 1976
Holiday, “Cause Celebre,” November 1975
VIII. Major Broadcast Appearances
Travel with Rick Steves, National Public Radio, Dec. 10, 2011. Interviewed by host Trick Steves about my book Mile Marker Zero.
On Point, National Public Radio, Oct. 5, 2011. Interviewed by host Tom Ashbrook about my book Mile Marker Zero.
On the Media, National Public Radio, Nov. 1, 2008. Interviewed by host Bob Garfield about the political journalism of Hunter S. Thompson.
The Right Hook, News Radio Ireland, Oct. 24, 2008. Interviewed by host George Hook about Hunter S. Thompson.
The Book Show, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Oct. 22, 2008. Interviewed by host Ramona Koval about Hunter S. Thompson.
The O’Reilly Factor, Fox News Channel, May 6, 2005. Interviewed by host Bill O’Reilly about the decline of network television news, May 6, 2005.
CNN Latin America Evening Report, March 8, 2005. Interviewed by anchor Orlando Rivera about the life and death of Hunter S. Thompson.
More to the Point, Public Radio International, Feb. 21, 2005. Interviewed by host Warren Olney about Hunter S. Thompson.
British Broadcasting Corporation, news report, Feb. 21, 2005. Interviewed by correspondent Julia Sartre about Hunter S. Thompson.
CBS News, news report, Feb. 21, 2005. Interviewed by correspondent Robert Goodman about Hunter Thompson’s life and work.
Here and Now, National Public Radio, Aug. 17, 2004. Interviewed by anchor Frank Stasio about the absence of black artists on beer cans commemorating 50 years of rock’n’roll.
The Today Show, Feb. 3, 2004. Interviewed on the historical importance of the Beatles on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the group’s arrival in America.
The Radio Factor with Bill O’Reilly, Fox News, April 29, 2003. Discussed press coverage of the Laci Peterson murder case.
Connor Calling, WUFT-FM, March 28, 2003. Interviewed with my son Graham about the Highway 61 book.
The Great Books, The Learning Channel, May 18, 2001. Interviewed on camera and served as a consultant for a documentary on Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff.
CBS News, May 2001. Five-part radio series with correspondent Peter King on the occasion of Bob Dylan’s 60th birthday.
The CBS Evening News, Feb. 7, 1994. Interviewed on camera, along with Tom Wolfe, for a story commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Beatles’ arrival in America.
WUFT-FM (Gainesville, Fla.) (National Public Radio Affiliate), creator, host and writer of “Rock of Ages,” an hour-long weekly limited series on the history of rock’n’roll music. Pilot created in November 1994.
WUFT-FM (Gainesville, Fla.) (National Public Radio affiliate), Book Critic, September 1991-May 1993
KGOU-FM (Norman, Okla.) (National Public Radio Affiliate), Reporter, July-August, 1984 (Special assignment covering the Democratic and Republican national conventions.)
WKY-AM (Oklahoma City), Reporter, July-August, 1984 (Special assignment covering the Democratic and Republican national conventions.)
IX. Literary Review Publications [fiction]
Ground Water Review, Colorado State University, “Radio Sermon,” Spring 1984
Ground Water Review, Colorado State University, “All U Can Eat,” Spring 1984
Snapdragon, The University of Idaho, “Chevrolet,” Spring 1982
Wind/Literary Journal, Pikeville College, “Youth and Time,” December 1981
Snapdragon, The University of Idaho, “The Barber’s Lament,” September 1981
The Webster Review, Webster University, “The New Mall,” Autumn 1981
The Malahat Review, The University of Victoria, British Columbia, “Garage Sale,” July 1981
X. Industry Employment
[* indicates short-term job, supported by university or private grants]
The Tampa Bay Times (Formerly The St. Petersburg Times) Copy Editor, Regional Desk, May-June 1991; Copy Editor, Sports Desk, May-June 1992 *
The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Copy Editor, May-August 1990 *
The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun / Copy Editor, April-December 1987; June- July 1991; August 1992-June 1993 *
The Norman (Okla.) Transcript / Reporter, May 1983-September 1983 *
The Saturday Evening Post / Assistant Editor / January 1975-June 1976
The American Spectator / Production Editor, August 1974-December 1974
The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Florida) / Copy Editor, Columnist, May 1974-July 1974
The Courier-Tribune (Bloomington, Indiana) / Reporter, Weekend Editor, Copy Editor, September 1971-December 1973
XI. Part-Time Industry Employment
The Boston Globe / Book critic, 2010-2016
Creative Loafing (Tampa, Florida) / Book editor and critic, October 2008-February 2013
The Tampa Bay Times / Contributing writer and book critic, November 2003 —
The Satellite (Gainesville, Florida ) / Contributing writer, critic , June 2002-August 2009
Moon Magazine (Gainesville, Florida) / Book critic, May 1997 – February 2002
The Orlando Sentinel / Book critic, June 1989-August 2010
Capitol News Bureau (Oklahoma City) / Bureau manager, legislative and political reporter, January 1983-May 1986
Indiana University / Associate instructor, School of Journalism, August 1976-May 1977
The Examiner (Bloomington, Indiana) / Contributing Editor, August 1976-February 1977
The Courier-Tribune (Bloomington, Indiana ) / Reporter, September 1969- September 1971
XII. Newspaper Publications
My articles and reviews have appeared in these newspapers, among others: The Boston Globe; The New York Times [education website]; Chicago Tribune; The Dallas Morning News; The Arizona Republic; The (Bergen, N.J.) Record; The (Lakeland, Fla.) Ledger; The St. Petersburg Times [since 2012, The Tampa Bay Times]; The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.); The Orlando Sentinel; The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun; The Independent Florida Alligator (Gainesville, Fla.); The Cleveland County Record (Noble, Okla.); The Ponca City (Okla.) News; The Ada (Okla.) Evening News; The Norman (Okla.) Transcript; The Stillwater (Okla.) News Press; The Oklahoma Daily (Norman, Okla.); The Madill (Okla.) Record; The Atoka (Okla.) County Times; The Hennessey (Okla.) Clipper; The Kingfisher (Okla.) Times; The McIntosh County Democrat (Checotah, Okla.); The Yukon (Okla.) Review; The Marlow (Okla.) Review; The Duncan (Okla.) Banner; The Green River Republican (Morgantown, Ky.); The Indiana Daily Student (Bloomington, Ind.); The Examiner (Bloomington, Ind.); The Indianapolis News; The Palm Beach Post; The Courier-Tribune (Bloomington, Ind.); The Herald-Telephone (Bloomington, Ind.); also Oklahoma City bureaus of The Associated Press and United Press International.
XIII. Awards
Gold Medal For Nonfiction / Florida Book Awards, 2012
Sustained Performance Award / The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, 2009
Gold Medallion (for contributions to scholastic journalism), the Florida Scholastic Press Association, 2008
World Technology Fellow / So named by the World Technology Summit, 2006
Hunter S. Thompson’s Honor Roll / So named by the author in 2003
Sustained Performance Award / The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, 2002
Research Supplement Grant / The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, 2002
Research Supplement Grant / The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, 1994
Teaching Improvement Program Award / Legislature of the State of Florida, 1993
Research Supplement Grant / The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, 1993
Teacher of the Year / The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, 1990
Professional Development Grant / The University of Florida, 1990
National Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Writing / The Poynter Institute for Media Studies, 1987
Teacher of the Year / The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, 1987
Outstanding Faculty Member / The University of Oklahoma Student Press Association, 1986
Outstanding Faculty Member / The University of Oklahoma Student Press Association, 1984
Professor-in-Residence Grant / The Gridiron Club of Oklahoma City, 1983
Gannett Teaching Fellowship / The Gannett Foundation, 1979
Mark of Excellence / The Society of Professional Journalists, second place in the regional magazine writing competition, 1978
Mark of Excellence / The Society of Professional Journalists, second place in the regional magazine writing competition, 1977
IX. Personal
Divorced. Father of seven children: Sarah, New York; Graham, Bloomington, Indiana; Mary Grace, Chicago; Savannah, Cohasset, Mass.; Jack, Scituate, Mass.; Travis, Nashua, N.H.; and Charley, Oxford, Ohio. I also have five granddaughters, Mabel, Pearl, Rose, Myer and Vivienne.