Mostly Illiterate is the creative and academic brainchild of Pavel Tretyak. I hold an M.A. in English Studies from NU and a B.A. in English from CSUF, and I’ve been teaching English since March 2013. Literature isn’t just my profession—it’s my passion. In my spare time, I dive deep into works like Ulysses by James Joyce, a cornerstone of my literary obsession. But my curiosity branches out to include Paradise Lost, the writings of Dostoevsky, The Yellow Wallpaper, Man’s Search for Meaning, the poetry of T.S. Eliot, and many more.

This website serves as a personal repository for both my academic and creative endeavors—a culmination of years of study, vulnerability, and the bittersweet labor of engaging with literature. Over the next few years (and hopefully decades), it will grow into a mosaic of literary connections and insights. I hope you find something here that resonates with you.

A quick note on my name: I often describe the pronunciation of "Tretyak" with a visual—imagine a "yak" sipping "tea" under a "tree." That’s the inspiration for the logo of Mostly Illiterate!

For visual elements, I use AI image generators like MidJourney and DALL-E. Their images are free from copyright restrictions, allowing me the freedom to express the visual side of my work across the site, videos, and more. While this site isn’t monetized (for now), I do plan to seek artists to represent my work should the opportunity for paid collaboration arise.

Feel free to contact me at MostlyIlliterate@gmail.com—I’d love to connect!