Ann Arbor Book Festival - 2009 Event Schedule



EVENT SCHEDULE For information about our upcoming Fall 2009 Writers Conference, please visit our information page. For information about our 2009 Festival, held in May of this year, continue reading below. 6th Annual Ann Arbor Book Festival Schedule of Events May 1 - 17, 2009 Schedules subject to change Special Events \| STREET FAIR AUTHORS AND PERFORMANCES - SATURDAY MAY 16 SPECIAL EVENTS These events take place in the weeks leading up to May 15-17. Author readings, panels, and signings to take place in the Michigan League and on Ingalls Mall. May 2009 Exhibit at the Clements Library: 500 YEARS OF AMERICAN GRAPES AND WINES: THE LITERATURE OF A REMARKABLE JOURNEY. 909 S. University on U.M.'s Main Campus in Ann Arbor. 734-764-2347. Open weekdays from 1:00 to 4:45 p.m. or by appointment. Exhibition features books and ephemera that define the history of American wine making from early failures and disasters to ultimate emergence in the twentieth century of wines and a wine industry second to none. Special Event: Sunday, May 10 - Lecture by Professor Daniel T. Longone, Curator. 3:00-5:00 pm. Thursday, May 7 Literacy Symposium. Michael Smith from Temple University will present his work with young people and reading issues. Place: Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD), 1819 S. Wagner Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Contact: Kathy at (734) 369-3366. Cost: $20 before May 1, $22 after May 1. Time: 4:30-8:00pm. Week of May 11 - 15 Author visits to area schools (pre-arranged). Mayor John Hieftje to declare this week "Ann Arbor Kids Love to Read" Week. Tuesday, May 12 Join local noted children's book writer, Shutta Crum, at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library for an informative and lively presentation about getting your children's book published. She is well-seasoned and will give you lots of valuable tips. 7:00-8:30 pm, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor. (734) 327-4200. Free. Thursday, May 14 826michigan Student Publication (title TBD) Book Release Party. Come celebrate 826michigan's collection of original essays and stories by Ypsilanti High School students. Refreshments and student readings. Free and open to the public. 5:00 pm, Ypsilanti High School, Ypsilanti, MI. Thursday, May 14 Event at Traverwood Library Branch featuring author Frank Hadley Murphy and his book "The Spirit of Tea". The Tea Haus Shop from Ann Arbor's Kerrytown District will also be there with samples. 7:00 pm. Thursday, May 14 Authors Rosemary Harris and Jane Cleland will be joining the Aunt Agatha's Book Club on Thursday, May 14 at 7 p.m. The book club will be reading Rosemary's first book, "Pushing Up Daisies", with copies available at Aunt Agatha's for 15% off. Anyone interested may also join the authors and the book club members for dinner at The Blue Tractor at 5:30; just call (734-769-1114) or e-mail (wengas@aol.com) Aunt Agatha's for a reservation. 213 South 4th Ave., Ann Arbor, MI. FYI: Both Rosemary and Jane are teaching sessions at the Book Festival Writer's Conference on Friday, May 15. Click here for details. Friday, May 15 Writer's Conference, 8:30-5:00, featuring lunch provided by Zingerman's Deli, and a variety of writers and sessions devoted to developing writers. Place: Palmer Commons on UM Central Campus, 100 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109. Friday, May 15 Bookishness: The New Fate of Reading in the Digital Age. Angell Hall, Room 3222, 9:30 AM- 4:00 PM. The Michigan Quarterly Review, the Rackham Graduate School, and the Department of English Language and Literature are co-sponsoring this open discussion on the impact of new media on the ways we read. Speakers include: Sam Tanenhaus, Editor, New York Times Book Review; U-M University Librarian Paul Courant; Phil Pochoda, Director, University of Michigan Press; Alan Liu, Director of the Transliteracies Project; Jessica Pressman, Yale University author of Digital Modernism; and Leah Price, Harvard University editor of the PMLA special issue on "The History of the Book and the Idea of Literature." Schedule: 9:30-10:00: Coffee & refreshments; 10:00-12:00, Panel on New Reading Practices and Literacies in a Digital Age; 2:00-4:00: Forum on New Institutions for the Digital Age. Friday, May 15 Author Reception, Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Time: 6:00-7:30 pm. Free and open to the public. Come mingle with our invited authors, meet local dignitaries, and nibble on some delicious food. Friday, May 15 "The Art of the Play: from Page to Stage". In collaboration with professional theaters, The Blackbird Theater and Performance Network Theater, the Festival is pleased to bring an informative and stimulating evening featuring staged readings of two one-act plays followed by the performance of an original one-act play "A Chance Meeting" written by Sandra Seaton and featuring George Shirley in the starring role. William Bolcom will serve as the Master of Ceremonies and a panel discussion will also start the event featuring several local theater experts. At Arthur Miller Theater, 1226 Murfin, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109. 7:00 pm. Cost: $15. Friday, May 15 Check out this happening at our local comic bookstore, Vault of Midnight. They are having a fundraiser for an area skate park and this event promises to be loads of fun! Details here. Saturday, May 16 Author Breakfast, Michigan League, 8:30-9:45 am. Featuring several of the Festival guest authors. Come share a meal and mingle with our guest authors, up close and personal! Hussey Room, 2nd floor of the Michigan League, 911 N. University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. Saturday, May 16 Writer's Conference Saturday morning sessions. Michigan League: 10:00 and 11:00. Details to come soon! Saturday, May 16 Author Home Tour: Come tool around town on our Festival bus and visit notable authors' former residences in the area, including W.H. Auden, Robert Frost, Arthur Miller, and others. Cost: $15. Tours available at 1:15 pm and 3:30 pm. Depart from and return to the Michigan League. Registration is available online. Saturday, May 16 HOBART Games Issue Celebration: A reading at the Vault of Midnight featuring contributors from the most recent, game-themed issue of Hobart, as well as other friends, including Julia Wertz (comics author of FART PARTY), Davy Rothbart (FOUND Magazine), Matthew Simmons, Mike Alber, and Matt Bell. 6:00-7:00 pm. Saturday, May 16 Dr. Perri Klass, pediatrician and writer, will be interviewed by Dr. Chris Elkins, Ann Arbor pediatrician, about her many interests: medicine, family, teaching, early literacy in children, and how writing has been a theme that connects all of these for her. Dr. Klass is the Medical Director and President of Reach Out and Read, a national literacy organization which works through doctors and nurses to promote parents reading aloud to young children. For more details, please visit our special event page.Tickets: $5 available in advance, at the door, or by calling (734) 369-3366. Sponsorships available; call for details. 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm, Chemistry Auditorium #1800, 930 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor. Saturday, May 16 Come see Davy Rothbart on his tour for the new FOUND book, Requiem for a Paper Bag, Sat. May 16, at The Yellow Barn, 416 W. Huron, Ann Arbor MI. 8:00 pm. $5 suggested donation. Sunday, May 17 Annual Ann Arbor Antiquarian Bookfair (www.annarborbookfair.com) at Michigan Union. Sunday, May 17 "Clues from Sherlock Homes: Arthur Conan Doyle Collection at Michigan" 2:00 - 3:30 pm. Speakers: Dr. Philip Parker (donor) and Professor Daniel Hack (U-M Department of English Language and Literature). At Hatcher Library, Gallery 100, followed by exhibit opening 3:30 - 5:00 in Special Collections Library. Contact: Peggy Daub (734) 764-9377. Sunday, May 17 HOBART Reading and Party, with food, drinks, and fun! Readings by Mary Miller (author of the Hobart published collection of short stories, BIG WORLD), Blake Butler, Sam Pink, Jensen Whelan, and Barry Graham. 7:00-9:00 pm. Return to Top STREET FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS - MAY 16 Festival Events - 11am - 5pm Click for Printable Schedule - circle your preferred events and plan your day! Click for Festival Map. See a summary of activities at exhibitor tables. See a summary of activities for children and families. All Day Civics Bus In 1993, C-SPAN launched its Bus program as a way to bring the world of public affairs into schools and communities nationwide. Working with cable television partners across the nation, the two Buses have visited students, teachers, and citizens in all 50 states to discuss media, public affairs, and C-SPAN's programming and free educational resources. Entering their 16th year as C-SPAN's Civics Buses, they continue to stop at schools, colleges, book festivals and other public events. These 45-foot long mobile multi-media demonstration centers are equipped with TV production units that can be used as studios during live programs, such as C-SPAN's Washington Journal. Students, authors, journalists, and national leaders have been interviewed aboard the Buses. Thanks for Comcast for their sponsorship of the C-SPAN Civics Bus. 11:00 am Books Change Lives Panel Vandenberg Room in the Michigan League Moderator: Heather Neff, EMU English Department TA Barron, author Jan Longone, Clements Library Jay Platt, owner West Side Bookshop and Director, Ann Arbor Antiquarian Bookfair Steve Thorp, local historian Paula Tutman, Author and Channel 4 WDIV Morning Reporter Join this perennial favorite of the Festival as our distinguished guests share the book that made the greatest impact on their lives. Although their professions vary, all panelists are inextricably tied to the written word, and share an enduring love of books. Find out which books stay in panelists' memories and why. 12:00 pm Newspaper Panel Hussey Room in the Michigan League Moderator: Jim Knight, Ann Arbor News John Beckett, OpinionArtillery.org Mary Morgan, Ann Arbor Chronicle Drew Sharp, Detroit Free Press Niall Stanage, Reporter and author of Redemption Song: An Irish Reporter Inside the Obama Campaign The newspaper industry has experienced a multitude of changes in the recent past. Come to listen to our panel of experts in this field and engage in a lively discussion about the future of the newspaper as we have known it, and what the implications are for our society as informed citizens try to keep up with changing technology and information. Harriette Simpson Arnow: Getting to Know Her - Panel Kalamazoo Room in the Michigan League Moderator: Steve Thorp, local Arnow historian and leader of the Festival Author Home Tour Haeja K. Chung, Arnow biographer and Professor Emeritus Michigan State University Jane Makulski, Niece of Harriette Simpson Arnow Harriette Simpson Arnow, author of numerous noted works, lived in the Ann Arbor area for part of her writing life. During her time spent here, she worked on and edited her most noted book, The Dollmaker. Come meet her niece and learn more from our panelists about this compelling American author. Following their discussion, the Festival Author Home Tour will disembark from the Michigan League. Advance signup recommended and is available online. Cost: $15. Besides Miss Arnow's residence, a number of other homes serve as stops on the tour, including Arthur Miller and W. H. Auden. What are our Young People really Doing? - Panel Vandenberg Room in the Michigan League Introducer: Bill Gosling TA Barron, author of The Lost Years of Merlin, Great Tree of Avalon Series Susan Hutton, Development Director of the Leslie Science Center Annette Wannemaker, EMU Faculty Children’s Literature Masters Program Today's youth have a myriad of options for exploring their creativity. Come and hear an important discussion between these experts who want to encourage children to go outside and play, and also understand that young people are developing ingenuity when participating in indoor activities like computers and musical explorations. TA Barron is a great proponent of children's writing activities and will describe his experiences in developing new and innovative programs, as well as share his experiences as a writer himself. "Big Read" Panel Stage 1 on Ingalls Mall Moderator: David Kipen, National Endowment for the Arts Literature Chair Beth Kohler, Monroe County Community College Read Representative Donna Smith, Jackson District Library Read Representative Arlene Wood, Arab American National Museum Read Representative Marcia Young, Jackson District Library Read Representative Many communities across the US are participating in community reads, or one book-one town programs. The AA/YPSI program, established in 2003, is one example. Why have these grown in popularity? These panelists will describe their experiences in their own communities which were funded by the NEA's Big Read program, in a discussion led by the NEA's Arts Literature Chair, David Kipen. Peter Yarrow, Singer/Songwriter/Author Stage 2 on Ingalls Mall Peter Yarrow has long been a favorite of Americans who love folk songs. (Remember Puff, the Magic Dragon?!) Join Peter as he presents selections from his children's books, The Peter Yarrow Songbooks. He will lead us in a singalong and answer your questions. Peter will be introduced by Peter Schork. 1:00 pm International Institute Activities Stage 1 on Ingalls Mall Balalaika Music performed by Sasha Chernyak Youth Readings Stage 2 on Ingalls Mall 1:30 pm Future of the Book Panel Hussey Room in the Michigan League Moderator: Barbara MacAdam, University of Michigan Library, Espresso Machine Maria Bonn, University of Michigan Library David Marx, Passporter Press and Board Member of the Independent Book Publishers Association Kevin Smokler, CEO of BookTour.com There are many new ways that books are published today, including print on demand and one book at a time processes like the "Espresso Book Machine" now available at the University of Michigan Hatcher Graduate Library. These panelists will explore various means that books are getting into the hands of readers and the implications and repercussions of these methods for both readers and writers. Don't miss this compelling annual presentation! Writing in the World of Sports Panel Kalamazoo Room in the Michigan League Moderator: John Bacon, author of Bo's Lasting Lessons Angelique Chengelis, Detroit News sportswriter Donald Evans, author of Cubbie Blues: 100 Years of Waiting Till Next Year Drew Sharp, Detroit Free Press Sports Columnist Sports in the United States is a multi-million dollar business in many fields of interest. For writers, sports is a broad area that covers everything from fly-fishing to gambling in sports to biographies of great athletes. Keeping up with the daily information is challenging. Our panelists will discuss their experiences in this area in a lively conversation. Teen Writing Contest Awards with Gary Schmidt Vandenberg Room in the Michigan League Gary Schmidt is an American children's writer of nonfiction books and Young Adult novels, including two Newbery Honor books. He lives on a farm in Alto, Michigan, with his wife and six children, where he splits wood, plants gardens, writes, feeds the wild cats that drop by and wishes that sometimes the sea breeze came that far inland. He is a professor of English at Calvin College. Finalists of the Ann Arbor District Library's annual youth writing contest are featured and the winners are announced. "Llama Llama Misses Mama" Author Performance Stage 1 on Ingalls Mall Come see this wonderful children's book, the third in a series, by Anna Dewdney brought to life by Ann Arbor's own Civic Ballet. We are very fortunate to have the author herself here to narrate alongside this wonderful performance featuring local young dancers. Fun for children of all ages! Debut Novelists Stage 2 on Ingalls Mall Introducer: John Knott Katie Crouch, author of Girls in Trucks Sung Woo, author of Everything Asian Come meet these two young inspiring new writers and learn about their experiences with getting their first manuscripts accepted and then actually published. They have interesting stories to tell and they are eager to meet their readers, and to inspire other new writers. 2:00 - 4:00 pm Espresso Book Machine Undergraduate Shapiro Library Come down and see the "Espresso Book Machine" at work and watch a book printed right before your eyes! It could be the wave of the future. 2:00 - 5:00 pm Library Treasures Exhibit Hatcher Graduate Library On view, a selection of treasures of the University of Michigan Library from early rare books to modern graphic novels and one-of-a-kind artists' books. Expert library staff will be on hand to answer questions. 2:30 pm International Institute Activities Stage 1 on Ingalls Mall Storytelling from the African Diaspora - Elizabeth James Youth Readings Stage 2 on Ingalls Mall 3:00 pm Place and Setting as Critical Elements in Fiction Kalamazoo Room in the Michigan League Introducer: Keith Taylor Steve Amick, author of Nothing But a Smile Valerie Laken, author of Dream House Colson Whitehead, author of Sag Harbor Place is a very crucial aspect for writers when establishing characters, denoting themes, and developing the tone in their work. Both of these writers will describe how place and setting factored into the writing of their new books, and the importance of setting to their works. Chef Event: Making of a Recipe Stage 1 on Ingalls Mall Moderator Ari Weinzweig, author and Zingerman's Deli co-founder Eric Villegas, author of Fork in the Road Chef Laura Stec, author of Cool Cuisine: Taking the Bite out of Global Warming Brandon Johns, Vinology These noted chefs and authors will present their original versions of a cooking assignment: take a grain or a nut, an oil, a vinegar, a fruit, and a vegetable, and come up with your own new recipe to share at the Book Festival. They will also speak to what draws them to write their books when we know they are busy enough with just cooking for their fans! Two words: free samples! Harry Potter Wizard Rock Concert from Tonks & the Aurors Stage 2 on Ingalls Tonks & the Aurors is an Ann Arbor-based Wizard Rock (music about Harry Potter) band that has been performing around the country since August 2007. Fronted by Stephanie Anderson, the band plays songs from the perspective of Nymphadora Tonks. Steph's love for Harry Potter, and classic rock roots has earned her the title of "The Bruce Springsteen of Wizard Rock." Come hear Stephanie and wear your favorite Harry Potter gear! The Impact of the Google Settlement Hatcher Graduate Library – Gallery 100 Join Paul Courant, Jack Bernard, and John Wilkin for an inside perspective of the proposed Google settlement and its potentially ground-breaking impact. Barbara MacAdam will introduce this session. 4:00 pm Pitch Panel Kalamazoo Room in the Michigan League Moderator Kevin Smokler Shutta Crum, noted children's author of Thunder-Boomer! and My Mountain Song Masha Hamilton, author of The Camel Bookmobile Think you have the next bestseller? Pitch your idea to our panel of experts. You'll never get such great advice in such a short time! Participants must pre-register for a 2 minute presentation at a fee of $10. Click here to register. You will receive an email telling you of your scheduled time in the 4:00 session. Kevin Smokler is the editor of Bookmark Now: Writing in Unreaderly Times (Basic Books) which was a San Francisco Chronicle Noteable Book of 2005 and the co-founder of BookTour.com. An Ann Arbor native, he now lives in San Francisco. Shutta Crum is an award-winning poet and author of one novel, SPITTING IMAGE, and eight picture books including THE BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE which was an IRA/CBC Children's Choices winner, and listed on the Chicago Public Library's The Best of the Best. THUNDER-BOOMER! will be released in June, 2009. Masha Hamilton is the author of three novels: Staircase of a Thousand Steps, The Distance Between Us, and The Camel Bookmobile. As a journalist for the Los Angeles Times, Associated Press and others, she has reported from the Middle East, Russia, Afghanistan and Africa. Most recently, she traveled to Kenya to hike into the bush with the real camel library. Celebrity Spelling Bee Stage 1 on Ingalls Mall A host of well-known area personalities compete to be the best speller of the 2009 Book Festival, in this light and humorous annual event. Michael Betzold, returning Spelling Bee champ, was taught by nuns at St. Gertrude Elementary School in St. Clair Shores. That's why he can spell. He is the deputy editor of the Ann Arbor Observer, a regular at the Ann Arbor Scrabble Club, and a freelance writer who's written several books including Appointment with Doctor Death, about Jack Kevorkian. Trevor Burnham, 24, has always been good at tests. In high school, he got a perfect score on the SAT. Later, while studying mathematics at Carleton College, he reached perfection again on the GRE. Now he's a PhD student at the University of Michigan School of Information, where he studies economic theory. A prolific reader, he subscribes to several dozen magazines on politics and current events. This summer, he's planning to write a book on science and logic. David Carter is a librarian at the University of Michigan's Art, Architecture & Engineering Library. He blogs about comics & graphic novels at Yet Another Comics Blog. Katie Crouch grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, where she attended Cotillion but was never a debutante. The city of Charleston and its unique traditions (and its bounty of men with pickup trucks) have provided inspiration for her fiction. She studied writing at Brown and Columbia Universities and now lives in San Francisco, but she returns home to Charleston often. Stephanie Frey is a 22 year old resident of Saline, Michigan and a recent graduate of Western Michigan University, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in education. Stephanie is pursuing a career, locally, in Health Education at the secondary school level. Stephanie's platform is Student Leadership. She is currently writing educational grants for both the Milan and Ann Arbor Public Schools. Stephanie believes guiding students to their highest leadership potential will build stronger communities and stronger future leaders. Ms. Frey also is an accomplished baton twirler. She twirled for the WMU Bronco Marching Band as a feature twirler and has competed on a state and national level. She performed a dance twirl to the music of "Sing, Sing, Sing" to win the title of Miss Washtenaw County. Stephanie will compete for the title of Miss Michigan on June 17-20 at the Fruenthal Theater in Muskegon. Amy Harris is director of the University of Michigan Exhibit Museum of Natural History, and has been known to be supercalifragilisticexpialidocious at times, when she's not out battling antidisestablishmentarianism. In her spare time, she enjoys Scrabble, crossword puzzles, and reading the dictionary, all in the hopes of surviving the Spelling Bee on May 16. Tamara Real is the Director of Arts Alliance. Davy Rothbart is the author of the new FOUND book, Requiem for a Paper Bag. Bill Zirinsky and his wife, Ruth Schekter, have been the owners of Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room for the last 20 years. Bill is also the editor of The Crazy Wisdom Community Journal, a seasonal magazine for the holistic community, now in its 14th year of publication. Bill is on the Board of the Ann Arbor Book Festival. Adam Mansbach, Performance Poet Stage 2 on Ingalls Mall A dynamic public speaker whose lectures combine elements of spoken-word, hip hop, comedy, and traditional scholarship to address the complexities of identity, hip hop, history, literature, and popular culture, Mansbach has spoken on college campuses across the country. He teaches writing at the San Francisco Art Institute. His books include The End of the Jews and Angry Black White Boy, or The Miscegenation of Macon Detornay. Mansbach is the founding editor of the pioneering '90s hip hop journal Elementary, and a former Artistic Consultant to Columbia University's Center for Jazz Studies. His work has appeared in The Boston Globe, The San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, The New York Times, Vibe, JazzTimes, Wax Poetics, San Francisco Bay Guardian, Guilt & Pleasure, Poets & Writers, Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip Hop (Basic Civitas, 2007), The Best Music Writing (Da Capo, 2004), and elsewhere. He also writes a weekly political column for NewsOne.com. Return to Top