Liza Libes is a writer, poet, and cultural critic.
Liza received her B.A. and M.A. in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University, where she studied the poetry of Sylvia Plath and T.S. Eliot. After being disillusioned by the ideological capture of literary study in the American academy, Liza founded Pens and Poison, a unique multi-platform project that aims to restore the idea of literature as a work of art rather than as a political vehicle. Through videos, articles, and podcast episodes, Pens and Poison engages Liza’s 50K+ Instagram followers and 20K+ YouTube subscribers on a daily basis. Her weekly Substack essays on literature, culture, and the humanities have established her as an authoritative literary and cultural critic in heterodox circles.
Liza’s writing has most recently appeared in The Boston Globe, Persuasion, The Hechinger Report, The New York Times Upfront, and the Jewish Book Council’s Paper Brigade. Liza is also the founder and CEO of Invictus Prep, an inventive college consulting startup that highlights her aptitude for writing and entrepreneurship. When she is not writing, you can find her at her favorite bookstore or opera house, invariably overdressed.
Visit pensandpoison.bio to learn more.