A Tragicomic Memoir of Love & Shakespeare (University of Massachusetts Press, 2024). The award recognizes the highest literary achievements by authors with a Wisconsin connection for works published in the previous year.
Green World chronicles Ephraim’s deeply personal and often humorous journey from a struggling graduate student to a Shakespeare scholar—sparked unexpectedly by crashing a Shakespeare recitation party. The narrative intertwines her own story with echoes of Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, exploring themes of trauma, identity, and belonging. Through her encounters with Shakespeare’s texts, Ephraim discovers a “Green World”—a space of refuge and transformation where literature becomes a source of strength and healing.
This prestigious award from the WLA is the latest recognition for Green World. The book was recently named one of two recipients of the Friends of American Writers’ 2025 Literature Award and previously earned the 2023 Juniper Prize for Creative Nonfiction.
To hear from Professor Ephraim about teaching Shakespeare at a STEM school listen to The WPI Podcast: Shakespeare in STEM
