Jill Kolongowski, assistant professor of writing and literature at CSM, has become the second faculty member to publish a book within the last couple of months. “Life Lessons Harry Potter Taught Me,” published by Ulysses Press, is a collection of essays themed around the Harry Potter series on its 20th anniversary.

From Ulysses’ press release: “For many, older millennials especially, it is not unreasonable to say that the Harry Potter series has become the go-to secular source of moral instruction and strength for the rapidly shifting landscape of the post-9/11 world. With its universal themes of good versus evil and love over hatred, the arc of the series is detailed with surprising complexity, complete with a road map for speaking truth to power, forming community in dire circumstances, and, perhaps most improbably, maintaining a sense of wonder.”

Essays include: Riddikulus: On Laughter in Darkness; Evanesco: On Losing Our Heroes; Lumos: On Discovery, Wonder, and Cynicism; Legilimens: On Good People and Death Eaters; and Sonorus: On the Power of Words.

Jill received her BA in Creative Writing and Spanish in 2009 from Michigan State University, and her MFA in Creative Writing: Creative Nonfiction in 2014 from St. Mary’s College of California. She has been an assistant professor at CSM since 2015.