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Unwind with this Michigan summer 2019 reading list

By Metro Times Staff

Unwind (and gain knowledge) this summer with these Michigan-connected books. By Alexander Harring and Amanda Sinishtaj

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Unwind with this Michigan summer 2019 reading list

Abbott

Detroit native and University of Michigan alum Saladin Ahmed’s latest comic book, Abbott, follows journalist Elena Abbott as she finds supernatural forces being controlled by a secret society of the city’s elite while investigating police brutality and corruption in 1970s Detroit. In addition to comics, Ahmed has made a name for himself as a novel and short story writer. This book comes after a Hugo Award nomination and Locus Award for Best First Novel for Ahmed’s 2012 book Throne of the Crescent Moon.

Across the Great Lake

One woman’s past comes to the surface in this fiction novel set on Lake Michigan. Across the Great Lake, an Independent Publisher Book Award for Literary Fiction winner and 2019 Michigan Notable Book, is Fern Halvorson’s retelling of a childhood journey across the lake and the secret about life and death she has kept since.

Beautiful Music

Garnering a litany of regional awards from the likes of Voice, McLean & Eakin, and the 2018 Great Lakes Great Reads program, Michael Zadoorian’s senior novel Beautiful Music tells of one young Detroiter’s transformation through music during a time of political turmoil. Laden with details of the city, the novel is uniquely Detroit. (Some of the bands the protagonist, Danny, listens to are local legends MC5 and Iggy Pop.) Readers may also know Zadoorian from his novel The Leisure Seeker, which was turned into Sony Pictures Classics film starring Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland.

Betty Ford: First Lady, Women’s Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer

From Lisa McCubbin, the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Five Presidents and The Kennedy Detail, comes the story of Betty Ford, the former first lady to Michigan native Gerald Ford. Journalist McCubbin details Betty’s groundbreaking work to publicly champion causes related to equal rights, breast cancer, depression, abortion, and sexuality. The book is an intimate and revealing biography that charts one Midwestern girl’s rise to the national stage — and how she refused to be told how to act and what to do by men once there.

Building the Modern World: Albert Kahn in Detroit

Detroit News fine arts reporter Michael H. Hodges recounts the story of Albert Kahn, a German-Jewish immigrant who rose from poverty to become one of the most influential architects of the 20th century. From Wayne State University Press, the book highlights Kahn’s contributions to the cityscape and his growth from an apprenticeship at age 13 to death, with special emphasis on his relationship with Henry Ford, his work to save the Diego Rivera murals at the Detroit Institute of Arts (previously unknown until now), and his work as a consultant for the Soviet Union. Drawing on artifacts from the University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library and the Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian Institution, Hodges tells the story of Kahn’s ascent from poverty and lasting city influence in a way never seen before.

Elemental: A Collection of Michigan Creative Nonfiction

From Wayne State University Press comes this collection of creative nonfiction from Michigan authors. Edited by professor Anne-Marie Oomen, the essays examine the state on an atomic level, looking at the effects of weather patterns in a state known for its diverse landscapes and stunning natural fixtures. With more than a dozen contributors who each share their unique perspectives on Michigan, the collection is presented in hopes of using the past to build a better future — something we can all get behind.

The Faygo Book

As the name suggests, The Faygo Book tells the story of Detroit’s beloved pop — yes, “pop,” not “soda” — brand. The author, Michigan State University journalism professor Joe Grimm, has become an expert in Detroit food over the years, also authoring the 2012 book Coney Detroit. Published by Wayne State University Press, The Faygo Book tells the story of Ben and Perry Feigenson, Russian immigrants who created what would become a more-than-100-year-old brand. Through innovation, adaption, and a fiercely loyal fan base (we see you, Juggalos!), Faygo has become the last man standing in what used to be called “pop alley.” Grimm explains why and how the brand has become such a beloved symbol of the city. Whoop-whoop!

Notes From a Public Typewriter

In 2013, Michael Gustafson, owner of Ann Arbor’s Literati Bookstore, left a typewriter on a table for anyone to use. This experiment yielded a litany of musings, which Gustafson and award-winning visual journalist Oliver Uberti edited into a printed collection. An ode to its community that offers a peek into the lives of everyday Ann Arborites, Notes From a Public Typewriter tells stories that are hilarious, insightful, and sometimes even heartbreaking — but always worth reading.

Detroit: An Illustrated Timeline

Walk through three centuries of Detroit history with author Paul Vachon in this aesthetically pleasing illustrated timeline. From the First French missionaries to the Battle of Bloody Run to the Riot of 1943 to the Super Bowl XL at Ford Field, the book has the breadth and depth to leave Detroiters more aware of their city’s history than before.