Carol Bly (April 16, 1930 – December 21, 2007) was a prominent American essayist, novelist, editor, poet, and writing teacher, often hailed as the nation's "moralist" and "awakener of voices." A professor at the University of Minnesota for over thirty years, she pioneered a unique pedagogical approach known as "Moral Writing." Bly believed that literature should serve moral responsibility and shared emotional experience rather than mere aesthetic play or formal experimentation. Her works spanned fiction, essays, poetry, and children's literature, characterized by a profound depth of philosophical inquiry and a raw, elemental vitality. She was a fierce advocate for humanism in an increasingly secular age, leaving an indelible mark on American letters through her rigorous teaching, incisive prose, and relentless pursuit of literary integrity.