Professor James W. Thomas holds a doctorate from the University of Tennessee and has taught at Pepperdine University since 1981. He is the author of a number of articles, academic papers, and reviews, as well as a critical biography of Lyle Saxon. He regularly teaches courses on Poe, Faulkner, and contemporary American poetry. In addition to teaching courses on the Potter books since 2006, Dr. Thomas has been a panel member and made presentations at three Harry Potter conferences, and his authoritative opinions on all things Potter have been sought by newspapers, Time magazine, and National Public Radio. He and his wife Kanet live in Westlake Village, California, where their favorite activity is entertaining their grandchildren (who are too young to introduce to Harry just yet).