Blog Post
Singing and dancing through Ann Arbor the Morris way
by christopherporter
While the exact origins of Morris dancing are not clear, historians do know that people have been participating in this lively step dance for centuries. Shakespeare mentioned it in his plays. Peasants enjoyed it along with their summertime ales in the 1600s. The first known written reference dates to 1448 when Goldsmiths’ Company in London paid seven shillings to Morris dancers for a performance.
Blog Post
Callie Feyen's "The Teacher Diaries: Romeo and Juliet" encourages kids to read in the internet age
by christopherporter
Callie Feyen's new book begins with a kiss. But the writing of said book began with an essay -- one she wasn’t particularly keen to write.
“My editor at [T.S. Poetry Press] asked me if I wanted to write about teaching Romeo and Juliet to eighth graders. But at the time I thought it would be too painful.”
Blog Post
Forever Red: How an Englishman in Michigan sustained his Manchester United fandom
by christopherporter
Imagine you love a sport. You live that sport. You follow that sport and know the players and the stats and the plays.
And then you move to a place where that sport is not only not revered but is called by the wrong name.
Blog Post
A History of Mystery: Aunt Agatha's says goodbye after 26 years
by christopherporter
The world wide web can do many things: find the recipe for that cookie you had at camp that one summer, identify the weird rash you have on your arm, and tell you the name of the band that sang "Life in a Northern Town."
Blog Post
Accessing the Future: Petra Kuppers' "Ice Bar" explores disability culture via speculative fiction
by christopherporter
Themes of women, water, and power intertwine in delightful ways in Petra Kuppers’ latest book, Ice Bar, which features post-apocalyptic science fiction and psychedelic fantasy short stories where many of the characters are disabled in some way or another.
"They might use a wheelchair or have family members in psych wards or they themselves have been institutionalized," said Kuppers, a University of Michigan professor. "Normally in [these genres], disability is either erased or the person is made the bad guy. I wondered what would happen if I used a disability perspective to write my own stories in which [disability] is neither horrific nor celebratory but rather part of human life.”
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Scott W. Stern on Sex, Surveillance, and Suppression in "The Trials of Nina McCall"
by christopherporter
You've probably never heard of the American Plan. It isn't something that is talked about in most college history classes or in high schools’ curricula. The name sounds benign at first glance -- maybe it was a plan to help Americans overcome some obstacle or temporary setback in life?
Except it wasn't.
Blog Post
Rescue 'Net: Common Language Bookstore might have been saved by a web post
by christopherporter
The internet shows us the good, the bad, and the horrific of human nature.
Blog Post
Catch-"13": A2 author Michael A. Ferro's new book is a satire & character study of Midwest Americans
by christopherporter
Some authors would give their right arm for a book deal. Others would give a kidney or two.
Author Michael A. Ferro gave an eye.
Blog Post
Below the Borscht Belt: U-M's Eileen Pollack & her "Bible of Dirty Jokes"
by christopherporter
A cousin who runs a Vegas strip club? A beloved brother who goes missing while in Vegas? A late husband who wrote dirty jokes for a living? A heroine with a failed stand up career who must save the day?
Blog Post
Art & Performance: Joseph Keckler returns to Ann Arbor as a multifaceted star
by christopherporter
Joseph Keckler is a writer, artist, actor, musician, and singer with a three-octave range, and he often blends all those talents while creating his art. Because of his multidimensional skills, Keckler is frequently called a performance artist, which is fine by him.