Dec. 5 & 19. Monthly open mike storytelling competition sponsored by The Moth, the NYC-based nonprofit storytelling organization that also produces a weekly public radio show. Each month 10 storytellers are selected at random from among those who sign up to tell a 3-5 minute story on the monthly theme. Dec. themes: “Dirt” (Dec. 5) & “Rules” (Dec. 19). The 3 teams of judges are recruited from the audience. Monthly winners compete in a semiannual Grand Slam. 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.
Literati is excited to welcome author Richard Retyi who will be discussing his debut book The Book of Ann Arbor: An Extremely Serious History Book. Rich will discuss his book—one of the inaugural releases from the Ann Arbor District Library’s Fifth Avenue Press—as well as reading one of the 41 stories from the book, with photos, music, and details that just wouldn’t fit on the page. He’s also open to answering questions from the audience, no matter how shockingly personal in nature.
About The Book of Ann Arbor:
A suicide submarine parade. Ann Arbor’s top 10 astronauts. Shakey Jake, the Embassy Hotel, and train/building collisions. The birth of Iggy Pop. Nazis getting punched. Visits from heads of state, from presidents to a dictator. The Music Mobile, the Naked Mile and a round-the-world flight. Plus, a few tales of murder, because it happens here too. These are a few of the stories that make up The Book of Ann Arbor.
Richard Retyi is the communications and marketing manager at the Ann Arbor District Library and part of the Ann Arbor Stories podcast.
Literati is excited to welcome sportswriter Angelique Chengelis who will be sharing and discussing her new book, Michigan Man: Jim Harbaugh and the Rebirth of Wolverine Football.
About Michigan Man:
All eyes and ears turned toward Ann Arbor in late 2014 when it was announced that Jim Harbaugh would be returning to the Big House as the new head coach of Michigan football. Now, Angelique Chengelis, longtime chronicler of the Wolverines for the Detroit News, gives the inside story on how exactly Harbaugh restored the Michigan program to national title contender status. Learn how he instilled a new culture and rankled rivals with outspokenness, creative tactics, and relentless recruiting. Get the behind-the-scenes story on how and why Harbaugh chose to come back to the university he led to glory as its starting quarterback in the early 1980s. Follow along as Jabrill Peppers, Jake Butt, and others develop into true stars. Michigan Man is a comeback tale, an examination of the rapid turnaround from a five-win team in 2014 to squads that earned 10 wins plus trips to the Citrus and Orange Bowls in 2015 and 2016 respectively. Featuring extensive interviews with Harbaugh himself, this is a book Wolverines faithful and football fans in general will not want to miss.
Angelique Chengelis is a sportswriter for the Detroit News. Michigan football has been her primary beat since 1992, but she has covered countless sporting events including Super Bowls, U.S. Opens, PGA Championships, Ryder Cups, Stanley Cup Finals, NBA Finals, Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500, and NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. She has also been a contributor to ESPN’s NASCAR coverage as part of the NASCAR Now show. She lives in Detroit, Michigan
We are thrilled to welcome professors Philip J. Deloria and Alexander I. Olson to Literati Bookstore to discuss their latest book, American Studies: A User’s Guide.
About American Studies: A User’s Guide
American Studies has long been a home for adventurous students seeking to understand the culture and politics of the United States. This welcoming spirit has found appeal around the world, but at the heart of the field is an identity crisis. Nearly every effort to articulate an American Studies methodology has been rejected for fear of losing intellectual flexibility and freedom. But what if these fears are misplaced? Providing a fresh look at American Studies in practice, this book contends that a shared set of “rules” can offer a springboard to creativity. American Studies: A User’s Guide offers readers a critical introduction to the history and methods of the field as well as useful strategies for interpretation, curation, analysis, and theory
Philip J. Deloria is Carroll Smith-Rosenberg Collegiate Professor of American Culture and History at the University of Michigan. He is a former president of the American Studies Association.
Alexander I. Olson is Assistant Professor in the Mahurin Honors College at Western Kentucky University.
Readings by U-M creative writing grad students, including fiction writers Christina Kim and poet Chelsea Walsh.
7 p.m., UMMA Auditorium, 525 S. State. Free.
The Mark Webster Reading Series presents emerging writers in a warm and relaxed setting. We encourage you to bring your friends – a Webster reading makes for an enjoyable and enlightening Friday evening.
Brooklyn-based chefs Liz Alpern and Jeffrey Yoskowitz, co-owners of the Gifilteria, a restaurant specializing in reimagined Ashkenazi cuisine (including their signature artisanal gefilte fish), host a meal showcasing the Eastern European Jewish food featured in their cookbook The Gefilte Manifesto: New Recipes for Old World Jewish Foods. Alpern studied under the “queen of American Jewish cooking,” U-M grad Joan Nathan. The menu includes root vegetable latkes with apple-pear sauce and an Ashkenazi-inspired version of kimchi, crispy chicken with tsimmes (an Ashkenazi root vegetable stew), and more. Vegetarian option available. Also, a candle-lighting ceremony to commemorate the 1st night of Hannukah.
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6-9 p.m., EMU Student Center Ballroom B, 900 Oakwood, Ypsilanti. $36. Preregistration required by Dec. 5. at 487-6692 or at tinyurl.com/y8c59kc5.
Zingerman’s co-founder Ari Weinzweig interviews Italian fine food importer Rolando Beramendi about his new cookbook, Autentico: Cooking Italian, the Authentic Way.Tastings of some of Zingerman’s Italian pantry items.
6:30-8:30 p.m., Zingerman’s Deli, 422 Detroit St. $55 (includes one autographed copy of the book and a 20% coupon for the deli). Reservations required. 663-3354.
All invited to read and discuss their poetry or short stories. Bring about 6 copies of your work to share.
7-9 p.m., Crazy Wisdom, 114 S. Main. Free. 665-2757
Dexter poet Kathy Edgren was first published at age 17 and her poems have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, Oracle, Birmingham Poetry Review and many other journals. She will read from her latest book, The Grain Beneath the Gloss.
Jennifer Burd teaches writing and literature. Her poetry appears in two books along with numerous print and online journals, and she has also written a play for children and a book of creative nonfiction. Her most recent book of poetry is Day’s Late Blue.
The event begins with an Open Mic session when area poets can read their own work or share a favorite poem by another author in a welcoming atmosphere.
This series occurs on the second Thursdays of most months in partnership with Les Go Social MM&T.
Please note: Open Mic & Share will be on hiatus in January 2018. We will return on Thursday, February 8 at 7pm. Details TBA.
Ann Arbor Storytellers Guild members host a storytelling program. Audience members are encouraged to bring a 5-minute story to tell.
7-9 p.m., Crazy Wisdom Tea Room, 114 S. Main. Free. 665-2757
