Marvin Mirsky

I remember Marvin when he lived in New York
My wife snd I visited him in Maine many decades ago

It’s good to see, decades after my college experience, that Marvin Mirsky elicited such appreciative responses. I gained such insight into the literary and psychological aspects of the Bible. While unaffiliated with a religious community at that time (1970s), I am now happily involved with Jewish and Unitarian Universalist groups and mesh well with a friend who enjoys one Biblical study group with Hebrew text and another group with Greek text.

After several weeks of class, he asked: with everything else being equal, would you prefer beauty? Everyone was afraid to respond. Best professor I ever had.

Wish I could hear what he would have thought about our pandemic It would be worth hearing from a brilliant mind like his.

I was mad for this wonderful, charming, brilliant man and count myself so lucky for having met him. Pity to all the people who will never have a chance to share a class with him. I hope those he loved are comforted by many wonderful memories.

Marvin Mirsky was my favorite teacher at The University of Chicago in the 1970s, in courses dealing with the Bible as literature and Biblical themes in modern literature. My horizons were broadened, and I learned more about writing. A couple of papers from his class are the only papers I kept for a few decades.

I spent several memorable years with Marvin Mirsky in the house. He had a ridiculously fine wit and he was a charmer in every way. He taught me so much about life, theater, books. His wit was ridiculously sharp. And driving in a car with him was a trip. Truly he was one of the great men who I have known in my life. I am so lucky to have been his friend.

So sorry to hear of Marvin's passing. I knew him as a boy, when he and his son, Seth, would spend summers on Swan's Island, ME. He was such a kind, gentle soul.

Carl Ranquist

Mr Mirsky will be missed by all who knew him.