Donald J. Greene; USC Professor, Expert on Samuel Johnson

Donald J. Greene, 82, USC educator and authority on 18th century writer Samuel Johnson. Greene was Leo S. Bing professor of English from 1968 until his retirement in 1985. He was known for his book “The Politics of Samuel Johnson,” considered a landmark study that cleared away misconceptions about Johnson’s relationships to political parties and issues. The book was reissued in 1973 and published in a second edition in 1990 with an extensive introduction by Greene surveying 30 years of research sparked by the original book. The professor argued that Johnson was one of his era’s greatest writers and not the sour caricature of unkind witticism that most people believed. Greene’s other books include “The Age of Exuberance: Backgrounds of English Literature, 1660-1800” as well as many about Johnson. He also edited “Samuel Johnson: A Collection of Critical Essays.” Greene helped found the American and the International Societies for 18th Century Studies, which joins researchers from many fields. A native of Moose Jaw, Canada, Greene studied at the University of Saskatchewan and the University of London and served with the Royal Canadian Artillery during World War II. Prior to USC, he taught at UC Riverside, Brandeis University and the Universities of New Mexico, Toronto and Wisconsin. On May 13 in Claremont, Calif.