Join us for a special Stortyime Event with Emily Siwek and the Violin Monster!
About A Monster on Main Street:
Strange sightings are all around in this simply sweet story inspired by Ann Arbor’s beloved Violin Monster. Rendered with loose, playful illustrations, this string playing werewolf encourages readers to give scary things a second look.
Emily Siwek is an Ann Arbor, MI native who loves finding adventure in her hometown with her husband and two children. She has worked in a variety of creative industries from interior design to trend forecasting and enjoys coloring outside the lines.
Readings by these 2 poets. An is a Thailand-based queer poet (and Midwest native) whose 2016 book, Naming the No-Name Woman, mythologizes her experiences as a Chinese-American woman with various overlapping identities. U-M social work grad student Kime writes freeform poetry with queer and activist themes. Kime is also an RC creative writing alum!
7 p.m. Espresso Royale, 324 S. State. $5 suggested donation. facebook.com/AnnArborPoetry.
Sept. 4 & 18. Open mike storytelling competition sponsored by The Moth, the NYC-based nonprofit storytelling organization that also produces a weekly public radio show. 10 storytellers are selected at random from among those who sign up to tell a 3-5 minute story on the themes of “Rivals” (Sept. 4) & “Extra Mile” (Sept. 18). The 3-person judging teams are recruited from the audience. Monthly winners compete in a semiannual Grand Slam (see Sept. 26 listing). Space limited, so it’s smart to arrive early.
7:30-9 p.m. (doors open and sign-up begins at 6 p.m.), Greyline, 100 N. Ashley. $8. 764-5118.
We are excited to welcome sociologist and former professional football player Rober W. Turner II to Literati to discuss his new book Not For Long: The Life and Career of the NFL Athlete.
About Not For Long:
The NFL is the most popular professional sports league in the United States. Its athletes receive multimillion-dollar contracts and almost endless media attention. The league’s most important game, the Super Bowl, is practically a national holiday. Making it to the NFL, however, is not about the promised land of fame and fortune. Robert W. Turner II draws on his personal experience as a former professional football player as well as interviews with more than 140 current and former NFL players to reveal what it means to be an athlete in the NFL and explain why so many players struggle with life after football.
Without guaranteed contracts, the majority of players are forced out of the league after a few seasons. Over three-quarters of retirees experience bankruptcy or financial ruin, two-thirds live with chronic pain, and too many find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Robert W. Turner II argues that the fall from grace of so many players is no accident. The NFL, he contends, powerfully determines their experiences in and out of the league. The labor agreement provides little job security and few health and retirement benefits, and the owners refuse to share power with the players, making change difficult. And the process of becoming an elite football player–from high school to college and through the pros–leaves athletes with few marketable skills and little preparation for their first Sunday off the field.
With compassion and objectivity, Not for Long reveals the life and mind of high school, college, and NFL athletes, shedding light on what might best help players transition successfully out of the sport.
Robert W. Turner II earned his Ph.D. in sociology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He is Assistant Professor of Clinical Research and Leadership at George Washington University. Dr. Turner played football professionally in the now defunct United States Football League, the Canadian Football League, and briefly in the National Football League.
Performances by 2018 Ann Arbor Youth Poetry Slam finalists Hasna Ghalib, Aldo Leopoldo Pando Girard, Anika Love, Karley Misek, and Thea Rowe.
7 p.m., Nicola’s, Westgate shopping center. Free. 662-0600.
Literati is thrilled to welcome author Sarah Zettel who will be reading from her new novel The Other Sister.
About The Other Sister:
Two sisters. One murder plan.
An intense psychological thriller full of family secrets, perfect for fans of The Woman in the Window and Watch Me Disappear.
Everyone thought reckless, troubled Geraldine Monroe was the bad sister-especially when she fled town after her mother’s death twenty-five years ago.
But people don’t know the truth.
Marie Monroe knows. She was there for their father’s cruel punishments, the constant manipulation, the lies. Everyone thinks she’s the perfect daughter-patient and kind, and above all obedient. No one would suspect her of anything. Especially not murder. Now Geraldine’s home again, and she and Marie have united in a plan for the ultimate revenge. But when old secrets and new fears clash, everyone is pushed to the breaking point . . . and the sisters will learn that they can’t trust anyone-not even each other.
“An exhilarating ride full of twists and turns, this page-turner will leave you guessing until the very end!” -Steena Holmes, New York Times bestselling author of The Forgotten Ones
“Sarah Zettel’s THE OTHER SISTER is as dark and twisted as they come; a compelling and sinister psychological thriller in which every character is deeply flawed, their desire for revenge understandable and relatable. With its intricate web of secrets long buried, readers won’t be able to stop turning the pages!” -Karen Dionne, author of The Marsh King’s Daughter
Sarah Zettel is an award-winning author. She has written eighteen novels and multiple short stories over the past seventeen years in addition to practicing tai chi, learning to fiddle, marrying a rocket scientist and raising a rapidly growing son.
Literati is excited to welcome poet Ruth Behar who will be reading and sharing from her newest collection Everything I Kept: Todo Lo Que Guardé
About Everything I Kept: Todo Lo Que Guardé
Moving between the speech and silence of a woman struggling to speak freely, Ruth Behar embarks on a poetic voyage into her own vulnerability and the sacrifices of her exiled ancestors as she tries to understand love, loss, regret, and the things we keep and carry with us. Behar’s vivid renderings of wilted gardens, crashing waves, and firefly-lit nights recall the imagery of her inspiration, Dulce María Loynaz, who is often known as the Cuban Emily Dickinson. Presented in a beautiful bilingual English-Spanish edition–Behar serves as her own translator–Everything I Kept/Todo lo que guardé will haunt readers with the cries and whispers which illuminate the human spirit and the spectrum of emotions that make for a life and lives well-remembered.
Ruth Behar is the Victor Haim Perera collegiate professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan.
Join us for a celebration of authors, books, art, and bratwurst.
Booktoberfest will feature industry experts from around the country, offering advice and insight for authors, as well as fun and educational activities for the whole family.
Authors can even pitch their books to a panel of experts for a chance to win a publishing package from Thomson-Shore! (Must sign up for the pitch contest ahead of time by visiting thomsonshore.com/booktoberfest.)
Enjoy a day of music, food, and fun, while learning about the ever-changing world of publishing and bookmaking. A portion of proceeds will benefit 826 Michigan.
Announcement of the winners of Kerrytown BookFest Cover Contest. Also, the grand opening of an AADL exhibit showcasing entries in the contest. In conjunction with the 16th annual Kerrytown BookFest (see 9 Sunday listing). Also, live music by local ensemble Horizon Strings and refreshments.
4:30-6 p.m., AADL Downtown 4th floor. Free. 327-4200
The Kerrytown BookFest is held each September and is a celebration of books, those who create them and those who read them. Our primary goal is to highlight our area’s rich heritage in the book and printing arts and showcase local individuals, businesses, and organizations. The day will be filled with entertainment, education, and hands-on experiences.
We’ll have a booth setup at the festival throughout the day, so stop by and say hello!
For a complete schedule of events, please visit the Kerrytown Bookfest: ktbookfest.org
