Joseph W. Smith

Joseph W. Smith III is a writer, teacher and public speaker in Central Pennsylvania. He holds a B.A. in newspaper journalism and English from Syracuse University and an M.A. in English and American literature from NYU. He has also taken classes at Harvard, the New School and Lycoming College.

He teaches high school English near Williamsport, Pa., and is officer, clerk and adult Sunday school teacher at New Life Presbyterian Church, also near Williamsport. He has led seminars and classes in Williamsport, Danville, Lewisburg, Manhattan, New Jersey and Bermuda. Since 1997 he has served as feature writer for the Williamsport Sun-Gazette (circ. 27,000), writing more than 500 reviews of films, CD's, concerts, plays and books.

His personal interests include seventies prog rock, the Buffalo Bills, reading, snorkeling and Scrabble. His favorite writers are Ian Fleming, Robb White, Dawn Powell, Patricia Highsmith and Nevil Shute. He is also active in Williamsport's world-famous Repasz Band, the oldest nonmilitary band in the U.S. (founded 1831).

He is married to Dr. Mona P. Chang, who practices family medicine in Williamsport, and they have two sons, Douglas and Tim, as well as an extraordinarily large and partly psychotic cat named Bob.

Joe can be reached at changsmith2@msn.com