Alan Gribben: key obituary facts
Is Alan Gribben dead? Yes. Alan Gribben died on May 9, 2026, at age 84.
Cause of death: Alan Gribben's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Alan Gribben known for?
He was an American academic (1941–2026).
More about Alan Gribben
Gender: male.
Occupation: literary critic, journalist.
Nationality: United States.
Education: University of Kansas, University of Oregon, University of California, Berkeley.
Employer: University of Texas at Austin.
Alan Gribben, an American literary scholar, died on May 9, 2026.
Born in Parsons, Kansas, on November 21, 1941, he built his career on the works of Mark Twain and served as professor emeritus of English at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama. He was distinguished research professor from 1998 to 2001 and the Dr.
Guinevera A. Nance Alumni Professor from 2006 to 2009. Gribben also edited the Mark Twain Journal and drew wide attention in 2011 when he announced plans to publish expurgated versions of Twain’s works.
Alan Gribben (November 21, 1941 – May 9, 2026) was an American academic and literary scholar on Mark Twain who was professor emeritus of English at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama. He was distinguished research professor from 1998 to 2001 and the Dr. Guinevera A. Nance Alumni Professor from 2006 to 2009. Gribben engendered widespread controversy in 2011 when he announced the publication of expurgated versions of Twain’s works.