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Footnotes: Department of English Newsletter (2008-2012) English

Spring 2009

Footnotes, Issue 3, Spring 2009

Department of English

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2009 Distinguished Scholar Robert Bradley In 1951 Robert Bradley graduated cum “Going to Western has really made a difference laude from the College of Education with a major in my life,” said Bradley, “I was an outcast at Bloomfield in English Literature and minors in History and Hills High School and really found myself at Western. I am French; he also received the George Sprau award proud to have graduated from there.” in English. Sixty years later Bradley returns to Bradley will speak at the annual Department Western Michigan University to receive the English Awards and Recognition Ceremony that will be held on Department’s Distinguished Scholar Award. April 15. “I feel quite good to have my teaching ca- -Aly Worden reer recognized,” said Bradley. “I’m very pleased.” For more on Robert Bradley See Alumni Book Reviews on During his time as a student at Western, page 5 Bradley was highly influenced by one particular professor, Dr.William Brown. “Dr. Brown was so enthusiastic about whatever subject he was teaching that you would also get excited and want to study that subject yourself. I took more classes with him than any other professor.” Mr. Bradley recently retired from a career of teaching high school English and History, a career which began at Lapeer Public Schools and fin- ished at Grosse Point Public Schools. Then he and his wife, Ann, moved to the Detroit area. During the years of 1963-1964, Bradley was a Fulbright Scholar in Denmark serving as a visiting lecturer in American Language and Literature. His published works include book reviews for the Mensa Bulletin; History, a publication of The faculty and staff of the Western Michigan University the Helen Dwight Reid Educational Foundation; Department of English and Best Sellers, a publication of the University of cordially invites you Scranton. to our Annual Awards Ceremony and Reception, He has also served as a Program Chairman honoring our undergraduate and graduate students of the League of Woman Voters of Grosse Point. He volunteers at the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Henry April 15, 2009 Ford Cottage Hospital, and the Dominican Literacy 3:00-6:30 p.m. Center. Lee Honors College Lounge In addition he is a member of Friends of Keynote Speaker: Historic East Campus (FOHEC) an organization Robert Bradley that is pushing for the restoration of East Campus. 2008-2009 Department of English Distinguished Alumnus “I would like to see the aesthetics brought back to “My Three Mentors” Western, which I feel was an architectual standout 1 when I attended college.” Chair’sthan Bush, Bethlynn CornerSanders) and Not a bad year to be an to move us forward is the Western intellectual in the field of English the College of Arts and Sciences Michigan Review, a journal that en- studies at Western: Meaningful Faculty Achievement Award in courages concise critical reflection polysyllabic words hail from the Research and Creative Activity on cultural productions in all areas White House, and an education in (Daneen Wardrop) as well as in of English Studies. For the WMR, English studies, a field imparting Teaching (Jonathan Bush). Our we invite all the friends of the Eng- the essential career skills of smart guests this spring included the lish Department, alumni/ae, emeriti/ writing, reading, thinking, research- former presidents of the Modern ae, students, and faculty to submit ing, and speaking, continues to Language Association of America, reviews of books, movies, per- attract excellent undergraduate and Gerald Graff, and of the National formances, etc., that demonstrate graduate students to our department Council of Teachers of English, the principal skills an education in and its programs. Sheridan Blau, to name but two of English Studies provides: critical How well the department the distinguished scholars and writ- comparative thinking, awareness of is prepared to teach and hone these ers who came to visit and speak with the power of words and linguistic skills is obvious from the number us. structures, and imaginative, en- of honors and publications faculty However, let’s not sit on our gaged, creative, graceful, and smart and students are producing: Our laurels, because we can even do writing. Please consider joining us graduate students cleaned up at better than this: In the fall semester, in this innovative way of sharing a number of competitive venues: we will run the first experimental your reading and viewing experi- Greg Laing (PhD student) received section of ENGLISH 2000, a two- ences with the many others who the only full-year WMU Disserta- hour team-taught class designed to enjoy critical intellectual exchange. tion Completion Fellowship, Lisa match students up with professors You can findWMR at: www.wmich. Horton (PhD student) and Meghann in their areas of interest so that they edu/english. Meeusen (MA student) received the can develop stronger scholarly, cre- As always, if you’re in the All University Graduate Student ative, and professional agendas. vicinity, drop by and please consider Award for Teaching Effectiveness, During some sessions of coming to any department events. and Adam Clay (PhD student) and ENGLISH 2000, the entire class We’d love to welcome you back. Kris Peterson (MFA student) the All will work with a team of profes- University Graduate Research and sors to debate an idea in a recently Regards, Creative Scholar Award. published essay or to explore how Richard Utz, Chair Our undergraduate students, technology has revolutionized the led by the active local chapter of teaching of English. At other ses- Sigma Tau Delta, continue to orga- sions, interested seniors might take nize the annual departmental Eng- part in a graduate school applica- lish Studies Conference, participate tion workshop, while other students in Career Day, gain practical experi- might meet with a visiting writer or ence through internships and edito- learn about the way that folklore is rial work with various publications, taught across the disciplines. including our own Comparative You get the idea: The goal is Drama, New Issues Press, Third a holistic view of the field of English Coast Magazine, and The Laureate, studies so that our students will be and successfully apply for positions able to make informed choices as and graduate school. they move forward on their various And our faculty and staff academic and non-academic profes- received the Dean’s Staff and Fac sional paths. 2 ulty Appreciation Award (Jona- A second exciting project Student2009 Presidential Scholar- PhilipNews Taylor The 2009 Presidential Scholar in English is Philip poetry and prose within the 2009 edition of The Laureate. M. Taylor who is in his fourth year at Western Michigan Philip has also been awarded with the Dean’s Scholar Grant University working towards a double major in English and the Academic Medallion Scholarship. Literature as well as Women and Gender Studies with a Initially arriving at Western Michigan University minor in Art History. Currently, he is focusing his academic to major in Musical Theatre Performance, Philip quickly interests on the application of Queer and Feminist theory transferred to the English Department and would like this to literary analyses and linguistics. Working with Dr. Ilana opportunity to thank all of those who have encouraged and Nash of the English Department, Philip is using Judith But- supported him during his academic career. ler’s theories of gender performance to create an analysis of American literature written between 1950 and 1970. This exploration of masculinity and gender performance is an attempt to dismantle the convoluted divisions of gender that exist within contemporary American culture. Anticipating his degree, Philip is planning on at- tending graduate school to further his interest in academic studies. Planning on focusing upon American Literature and Cultural Studies, Philip is determined to achieve higher education and would like to work within the scholarly community. By continuing his education, Philip hopes to become an instructor at a university where he can continu- ally develop and hone his academic skills. Along with being the Presidential Scholar of both From left. Dr. Lisa Minnick ,Presidential Scholar the English Department and the Women and Gender Stud- Philip Taylor and Dr. Richard Utz ies Department, Philip is anticipating the publication of his “Star-crossed Majors: From Science to English”

In my the Science/English gap without her. second semester Many contemporary scientists don’t make it out of at WMU, I took their area of expertise, and this makes communication across Shakespeare topic borders very difficult. The Footnotes internship, along (with Dr. Meg with my other English classes, has given me these valuable Dupuis) and skills and has helped to set me apart from other applicants Literary Inter- to graduate school. During my interviews, I was asked a pretation (with common question, “Do you have any writing or communica- Isle Schwietzer). tion experience,” and my answer was simply, “Yes, I’m an The fusion of English major.” I can’t stress enough how much my experi- these two classes ence within the English Department has made it possible for inspired me to me to pursue my dreams in the Science field. declare English as my second major, after biomedical sci- Following graduation, I will be entering the D.O./ ence, and has had indescribable influence on my life. Ph.D. (medical school and graduate school) program at Following that semester, I was recruited by the Michigan State University in May and will graduate in 2016. Footnotes committee as their intern. I worked with Beth My Ph.D. concentration is Pharmacology & Toxicology Amidon from June-January putting together this fall’s edi- and the D.O. is Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, I have not tion of Footnotes. Her encouragement and the experience declared my medical specialty yet. This is one of the most that I gained from working on this newsletter have been es- competitive programs in the state, and I have been awarded sential to my writing career, and have helped me immensely a graduate assistanship with reduced tuition and a stipend. 3 in my quest for graduate school. I could not have bridged See “Star-Crossed” page 6..... Alumni News A Dozen Years of Teacher Leadership

Since I began teaching in 1995, I have expe- across the National Writing Project network who approach rienced the “next great thing” make its way across the each new challenge and change as the opportunity to do educational landscape several times, impacting the more good work. Reform is not something that happens to profession and requiring me to continuously assess and a writing project teacher; reform is something that writing adapt my classroom practices. Multiple intelligences, project teachers welcome, and often initiate and lead in their brain-based teaching and learning, differentiated instruc- classrooms and schools. It is the National Writing Project tion, technology integration, IDEA for students with way, and the reason the Third Coast Writing Project has been special needs, curriculum reform in Michigan, and the so powerful for me and my colleagues for more than a dozen large-scale national reform of No Child Left Behind, years. among others, have required that I approach teaching as -Corey L. Harbaugh, Gobles Middle/High work in progress, and that I am always a student of my School profession. This on-the-job-training has never been a prob- lem for me. In 1996 I was a fellow in the Third Coast Writing Project at Western Michigan University, and 2009 Third Coast Writing that experience gave me the training I needed to adopt Project Programs a continuous-improvement approach to teaching, and - 2009 Invitational Summer Institute it connected me to a network of the most creative and (June 22-July 17) Our flagship program fea- committed educators in Southwest Michigan with whom tures a strong professional development com- I would share ideas and learn to think big about our own munity for teachers at all levels and in all con- contributions to improvement in the profession. tent areas. It includes a tuition grant of more What began in 1996 with four weeks of intense than a $1,000 for each participant. Interviews study of writing pedagogy and the spirited sharing of will occur in April. Early application advised! best practice at WMU has became more than a decade - Writing 2.0 Workshop: Teaching Writ- of really good work. In 1997 I joined seven other TCWP ing in the Digital Age (June 15-19) Partici- fellows and forty teachers from across the country for the pants will explore ways to teach writing using Rural Voices, Country Schools project, a three-year study today’s tools for tomorrow’s world—digital of the best teaching practices in America’s small-town stories, blogs, wikis, podcasts and vodcasts, and rural schools, and then later turned that experience photo-editing, and more. into the Digital Storytelling Project, a three-year effort - Teacher as Writer Workshops: Work- to share a powerful technology integration practice with shop I – Teaching Writing through the Lens of teachers and professors in Southwest Michigan. I have Poetry (June 22-July 3) Workshop II – Teaching Writing through the presented my work with TCWP locally, across Michigan, Lens of Narrative (July 6-17) and across the country. I have worked with other TCWP - Workshop for Thinking and Compre- fellows to publish an anthology of writing, a half-hour hension (June 15-19) Teachers of all grade public radio broadcast, professional articles, personal levels and in all content areas learn practical, writing, and multiple other publications, projects, presen- research-based strategies that will help their tations, and professional gatherings of teachers. TCWP students become stronger writers, readers, and has kept me busy, but it has always been fun, challeng- thinkers. ing, meaningful work, and work that I’ve shared with the - Connecting with English Language best teachers anywhere. Learners in the Classroom (July 6-8) I know that my profession will continue to Join our ELL teacher team as they provide change, and I know there are challenges to come and effective strategies being used in southwest problems to solve as classroom teachers. But the orienta- Michigan classrooms to support students for tion I bring to my work, thanks to Third Coast Writing whom English is a second language. Project, means I will remain on top of school and teach- http://www.wmich.edu/thirdcoastwp. ing improvement efforts, I will take a best practices approach to everything I do, and I will remain connected 4 to a network of teachers in Southwest Michigan and Alumni Book Reviews The English Department makes it home on furlough after fascinating in that it’s almost a con- has launched the Western Michigan the bombing. Since the news of his tinuation of that paper. The subjects Review, an opportunity for alumni, brother Rudy’s death, Alex had been of the book are Paul Cezanne and students, friends, faculty and staff to “whittled away.” “Crucified Christ,” Virginia Woolf, among oters. publish scholarly reviews of their cur- he said, “if only I’d let Rudy go to Lehrer says that Cezanne’s rent readings. Visit our blog at www. that school. “You save someone.You paintings are criticisms of painting. wmich.edu/english for submission kill them. How was he supposed to Everything has been bent to fit the information. know? canvas. What we see has been bent “The only thing he truly did to fit our canvas which is the brain. A To start us off, our distin- know was that he’d have done any- painting of green apples is what gives guished alumnus, Robert Bradley, has thing on Himmel Street that night so us to experience. Here, Lehrer seems a sent a few reviews for us. that Rudy survived rather than him- bit labored. Could not the statements self. That was something he told Lie- that he makes apply to a genre stiff life The Book Thief, Markus Zu- sel on the steps of 8 Grande Strasse, by Chardin, or one by a contemporary sak, Knopf, when he rushed up there after hearing artist William Bailey? 2007. ISBN of her [Liesel’s] survival. That day, We come to Virginia Woolf. 0375842209 on the steps, Alex Steiner was sawn She said in 1920 that the popular apart.” novelists of the time – Wells, Bennett Death is the nar- History is contingency. “For and Galsworthy—ignored the mind’s rator of this book. want of a nail….” It was randomness interior. What did she propose as an Set in Germany in the outside world no less than in alternative? Two of her novels, Mrs. during World War the death camps. And all this brings Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, were II, its themes in- the reader to the final sentence of the the alternative. In the former, she pres- clude one’s desire book, spoken by death after it has ents a single day, rendered intensely, for words, words found in books that narrated the entire story of Liesel: that becomes a window into a psychol- might make the world more under- ogy shown by the main character’s standable, and how rewards can come I am haunted by humans. fragility. To the Lighthouse is full of from the most unlikely people. Lie- what Woolf terms “falling thoughts.” sel, the heroine, learns to read from Proust Was A Neuroscientist, Jonah The characters overflow with im- her foster father who is himself semi- Lehrer, Houghton permanent impressions and inchoate literate. Similarly, she finds that her Mifflin, 2007. feelings. Woolf simply believed that foster mother who always addresses ISBN science must surrender its claims of her with crude, hostile language, 0618620109 absolute knowledge. For her, experi- shows tenderness toward her at a criti- ence trumps the experiment. cal time. And the wealthy woman on Long ago in a Lehrer’s book is an enor- the Grande Strasse from whom Liesel not-too-far away mously suggestive one, with its treat- thinks she is stealing books, reveals galaxy, this ments of Walt Whitman, George Eliot, herself as having been fully aware of reviewer wrote Auguste Escoffier and Igor Stravinsky, the “thefts.” a paper connect- in addition to the people presented The narrator speculates on the ing what William Wordsworth called above. The great strength of the book characters, including those in an air “spots of time” in his The Prelude in addition to its suggestiveness is its raid shelter during an Allied air raid. with the “intermittances of the heart” treatment of artists in the culinary arts Death takes note of these people seek- in Marcel Proust’s Remembrance and music as well as in literature. ing refuge: “How many had actively of Things Past. What the paper did persecuted others, high on the scent of was to show how the two writers Hitler’s gaze, repeating his sentences, described a created awareness or per- More his paragraphs, his opus? Did they all ception of that which the conscious Reviews on deserve to die?” intellect cannot bring to us. Pg. 11.... 5 Irony abounds. Alex Steiner The book reviewed here is Memories of Diether Haenicke When Diether Haenicke came to WMU in 1985, ment for trailing spouses. He oversaw departmental change things changed all at once. We’d been through a really in a kindly and avuncular way. painful strike in 1984, which left everyone--faculty and And he read the work we produced. If he liked it, he staff and administrators alike--upset, angry, and distrust- sent you a bottle of Roederer. He corrected your footnotes. ful. Enrollments were steady after years of fluctuation, but He sent you tickets to events at Miller Auditorium. He some- the campus looked threadbare and colorless, and there had times called you on the phone to be sure you were keeping been no hires for so long that we were sick of looking at office hours. each other. The old Then Diether. He had visited the English Depart- place popped ment pretty much as soon as he’d got here, and hadn’t when Diether been completely pleased with what he’d found. He wrote Haenicke was a letter to the chair which said, in effect, that he felt that an President, and English Department was the heart of any successful univer- we’re still sity, but that our department wasn’t doing so well, and until involved in the we could show him increased scholarly activities, increased work of becom- graduate enrollments, a revivified campus presence in ing what he’d Faculty Senate, Senate Councils, teaching awards, etc., he imagined we wasn’t very interested in supporting us. could be. We’ll The effect of this letter was galvanizing. It’s like miss a wonder- we’d been shaken awake. It was fun; we regained group ful man, a de- focus, we polished up our research bona fides. Shirley voted scholar, a Scott became the Chair. We began work on the PhD pro- gifted university gram; we revised the undergraduate majors and curricula administrator. from top to bottom; we began to hire many new faculty -Tom Bailey members. and Diether was involved in and helped us with these Katherine hires. He called candidates. He worked to find employ- Joslin Student News Continued...

“Star-Crossed” I have no doubt that over the next seven years, my Sigma Tau Delta English education will be imperative in my professional Fall 2008 Inductees were: Meghan Dykema, Rodger development. I have no doubt that without my English Swan, Sasha Boersma, Crystal Kelly, Kalyn Golland, education, I would not be in the position that I am today. Madeline Baker, Tyler Evans, Kimberly Knopf, Thank you, WMU English Department! Andrew Weissenborn, Scott Benzenberg,Sarah -Lauren Azevedo Ashley McFee, Julia Valentine,Randi Easley, Me- Lauren will Graduate in April 2009 with a gan Runyan,Courtney De Smit, Josephine Tucker, Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences with Caitlin Popa, Eric Szubinski a minor in Chemisrty and a Bachelor of the Arts in English Practical Writing. Spring 2009 Inductees are: Peter Cullen Bryan, Thera Card, Sarah Clawson, Carly Fricano, Diane Hall, Tiffany Lynn Lunk, Katrina Murphy, Nathan Norton,Patric Nuttall, Kathryn O’Brien, Kenneth John Odle, James Roberts,Virginia Shedd, Jeff Spisak, Ashleigh Verdier, Aubrey Watson, Samantha Wigent, Helena Witzke,Katherine York 6 Alumni News Ashley Dempsky (class of ‘08) American Life in Poetry. She lives and (2008); Inclined to Speak: An Anthology “AmeriCorps, which is often called writes in San Francisco, where she is of Contemporary Arab American Poetry the ‘domestic Peace Corps,’ is a multi- very very happy. ed. Hayan Charara (2008); “Even the faceted government volunteer program Rose Swartz (BFA 2006) is in Sun has its Dark Side,” “Milkweed,” wherein members can serve in different her second year at Arizona State. She’s “Tea at Chez Paul’s” ways. I work in the education area of currently the poetry editor of Hayden’s She had stories published by AmeriCorps for a program called Kern- Ferry Review, and just won Hot Metal Rockhurst Review “The Fisherman” Corps AmeriCorps, named after Press chapbook contest for mss entitled (2008); PeripheryOnline “Flight” Kern County in California. Due to the “Things I’ve Left Between.” She’s (2008); Mizna Literary Journal: socioeconomic challenges many people been awarded a fellowship to Prague “Green Figs and Cherries” (2008) and in the poorer areas of Kern County face for this summer and also an artistic Dinarzad’s Children: An Anthology of (gang activity, poverty, unstable family residency to collaborate with another Arab American Fiction 2nd ed. “Dis- life, etc) their education often suffers. artist from someplace in the world for a tances” and “Mariam” (2009) http:// I work at what is called a ‘community month in Tabor, Czech Republic. www.hedyhabra.com high school’ where students who have Mark Derks, an undergrad CW Matt Mullins has been of- been expelled from the public school major who graduated a year or two ago, fered the tenure track position teaching system attend until their expulsion has been accepted with full funding screenplay/scriptwriting and poetry at period is over. The two areas in which into the MFA program at Virginia Tech, Ball State University. He credits Arnie these students struggle the most with are institutional home of Nikki Giovanni. Johnston, emeritus, much for his sup- Reading and Math; many of them Todd Kuchta says that although he port throughout this and his other ap- are below fourth-grade standards. I has never read any of Mark’s creative plications. He states that Dr. Johnston’s work with about 20 students a week, work, he taught him in two classes, and help during grad school and beyond tutoring them and helping them prepare thought Mark was among the smartest has really meant a great deal. Mullins for their high school exit exams which students and best writers he’s taught writes: “It’s an amazing opportunity. A they need to pass in order to receive a anywhere. 3/3 teaching load--all creative writing diploma. AmeriCorps’ state and local Hedy Habra (MA 1984) and including screenwriting courses I will programs require a one year commit- (MFA 1989) Her latest publications develop at the grad level. They’re al- ment, so I will be busy with this until include poems in English, French and ready making feature/indie films down next summer! It’s challenging but Spanish in the following journals: The there at the telecom dept and an institute rewarding at the same time.” New York Quarterly “They Believed they’ve set up downtown. They have Kristen Tracey, (PhD 2005) Everything I Said” (2008). The New brand new state of the art equipment Kristen Tracy’s first teen novel, Lost York Quarterly “Once Upon the Time, and production facilities (here’s a link to It, was published last year by Simon & in Prague, a Word” (2009); Encore the site featuring the film they’re about Schuster. It received a starred review “Bricolage” (2008); Explicación de to release: http://www.mynameisjerry. in Publishers Weekly, was selected by Textos Literarios “Érase una vez en com/). I’m still in a state of disbelief, the New York Public Library as one of Praga, una palabra,” “Trazos” (2008); but I’m eager to take this on.” their “Books for the Teen Age,” and is Cider Press Review “From ‘The Infi- Darrin Doyle, who got his already in its third printing. Her second nite, an Anise Seed and I’” Translated MFA from us, then went onto the U. of teen novel, Crimes of the Sarahs, was from Andrés Avelino “De “Lo Cincinnati for his PhD, just was hired also published by Simon & Schuster and infinito, un grano de anís y yo” (2009); by Central Michigan University as an came out this spring (It’s set in Kala- Her poems appear in the fol- assistant professor, tenure-track, in mazoo). Her first middle-grade novel, lowing anthologies: Poetic Voices With- the Dept. of English. His first novel, Camille Mcphee Fell Under the Bus, out Borders Vol 2 Gival Press, Robert Revenge of the Teacher’s Pet, has just will be published this year by Random Giron, ed. (2009): “El sol también tiene appeared from Louisiana State U. House with a second novel to follow in su lado oscuro,” “Contrapunto” and Press, and he has a second novel under 2010. Her poems have recently ap- “Adagio por una viola d’amore olvi- contract to Simon & Schuster. He’ll be peared or are forthcoming in Threepen- dada,” “Mapas” “Niagara,” “Filles du reading at WMU (with Michael Davis) ny Review, Prairie Schooner, TriQuar- feu,” “Aquarelle,” “La vieille femme,” on April 9th. terly, New York Quarterly, Puerto del “Délire,” “Chute libre,” “Le café turc”; Sol, and AGNI. She recently found out Come Together: Imagine Peace, ed. by that Ted Kooser has selected her poem Philip Metres, Ann Smith and Larry 7 “Rain at the Zoo” to be reprinted in Smith, Bottom Dog Press “Blue Heron” Faculty News Richard Utz, Chair, is pleased sions of transatlanticism, mythologies concerning the wilder- to announce that Eve Salisbury and Wil-Puritanism, and print ness and Indian warfare, drawing liam Olsen have received the Chair’s culture, panelists on connections to American foreign Distinguished Faculty Award for their “Sally Wood and Early policy and terrorism in the wake work with the English Deptartment’s Republican Culture” of the September 11th attacks. En- publications: Comparative Drama and delivered intellectually gaging conversations ensued dur- New Issues Press. invigorating presenta- ing the excellent Q and A sessions William Olsen: New poems tions on this little known for both panels. and essays will appear in Triquarterly, but crucial novelist of ASTRA Award Winners: West Branch, Gettysburg Review, New the early republic. The Jonathan Bush, Charie Thralls, Ohio Review, panel’s paper topics included: “Women Writ- Karen Vocke, and Allen Webb have The Rose Metal ers and Women’s Rights in the Correspon- all been awarded ASTRAs for their Press Field dence of Judith Sargent Murray and Sally projects. Guide to the Wood” (by Karen A. Weyler, University of CAS Faculty Achieve- Prose Poem North Carolina at Greensboro), “The Specu- ment Awards: Daneen Wardrop and Mentor and lation of Dorval” (by Scott Ellis, University has been se- Muse: Essays of Southern Connecticut), “Gothic Anxiety lected to receive from Poets to and the Illuminati in Sally Wood’s Julia and a CAS Faculty Poets (Southern Charles Brockden Brown’s Ormond “ (by Achievement Illinois Press). Michael Cody, East Tennessee State Univer- Award in “The Changing Other,” an extended sity), and “Sally Wood’s Complex Portrait of Research and essay on John Berryman’s Homage to Europe” (by Scott Slawinski, Western Michi- Creative Mistress Bradstreet, appears in Words gan University). The panel was organized by Activity. Overflown By Stars, a collection of es- Scott Slawinski as a method of raising Wood’s says by writers (Writers’ Digest Books). profile in the field of Early American studies, Jonathan Bush has been selected His poetry is discussed in the most introducing her to new audiences, and demon- to receive a recent issue of American Poetry Re- strating the depth and richness of her work. CAS Faculty view, in “On Capaciousness,” an essay In addition, Slawinski chaired a panel Achievement by David Wojahn. He read his poetry titled “Angry Americans: The Development Award in Teach- for the inaugural Court Green Liter- of National Rhetorics of Violence.” Consist- ing. ary Magazine of the MFA Program in ing of three very fine up-and-coming scholars, These awards Columbia College in Chicago, and this Sara Crosby, Heidi Oberholtzer Lee, and Mar- recognize facul- spring he will read at Westminster Col- garet Abruzzo, the panel’s goal was to contin- ty contributions to the research and lege in Utah. ue a conversation begun on the early Ameri- teaching goals of the College and Slawinski Delivers Paper on can listserv about Susan Faludi’s controversial include a $500 research account Vickery’s Admirers: On a wonder- article in the New York Times wherein she to be used for research, creative fully warm Halloween, Scott Slaw- discussions King Philip’s War and American activity, teaching, or professional inski presented “Of Public Epistles and Personas: Sukey Vickery and her Della Cruscan Admirers” at the annual conference of the Northeastern Ameri- What are you up to? can Society for Eighteenth Century Studies. The conference was held in Please tell us where you are and what you’re doing. We’d Finger Lakes town of Geneva, NY, with like to have an alumni update section in our newsletter and the hotel situated right on the shore of include you. Please include the year and degree with which beautiful Seneca Lake. you graduated, as well as something interesting that you’ve Then Scott Spends Spring done since your time as a Bronco. Break in Bermuda, or Sally Wood Lives! At the Society of Early Ameri- Please email us at: [email protected] canists binannual conference in Ham 8 ilton, Bermuda, amidst lively discus- Faculty News development. Recipients were honored the life of Scottish poet Robert Burns English there). in March during a recognition dinner at from 1785 to 1788, when he rose from In addition to directing the the Black Swan. poverty and obscurity as an Ayrshire academic portion of the annual Rus- Arnie Johnston and Deborah farmer to nationwide acclaim and sian Festival (which included her own Ann Percy Duets: Love is Strange is lionization by the aristocracy of Edin- lecture on “Legends of the Missing an evening of six one-act plays that ex- burgh, Scotland’s capital and a bastion Amber Room”), Rypma lectured on plore the relationship between men and of the European Enlightenment. Using “Therapeutic Uses of Amber in Baltic women, one couple at a time. By turns a lively array of historical characters, Folklore” at Bronson Hospital and led a funny, explosive, tragic, and thoughtful, the action captures the flavor of Burns’ WMU Alumni Association Book Club Duets can be a tour de force evening work, his rich social and romantic life, discussion on Steve Berry’s suspense for two fine actors, providing a view his struggles to escape poverty, his novel, The Amber Room. of the human heart in the tender war of frustration with a class system that set love. more store by ancestry than ability, and Staff News And also his bitterly comic encounters with mor- Bethlynn Sanders is the recipi- just reprinted by al and religious hypocrisy. The play is ent of the Dean’s Staff and Faculty Ap- Arnie: The Witching further enhanced by a liberal selection preciation Award. The award recognizes Voice: A Novel from of Burns’ finest songs and poems. “the great work done over the past year the life of Robert And more news from by exemplary staff and faculty” who Burns, with a re- Arnie…. have “performed well beyond the call view from our own “I just heard from Phi Kappa of duty.” Stu Dybek. Phi Forum (newsletter of the national Here is literary his- honor society)--I won their summer tory served up in a poetry competition with a piece called surge of life, humor, poetry, and song. “What’s Underneath,” and it’ll appear Johnston gives us a life of Burns that in the Summer 2009 issue. Debby and is at once unsentimental and yet deeply I have a reading at KPL in early May, felt. He convincingly conveys Burns as followed by a mini-reading/signing a man of his time, while opening up the tour for the novel in Texas. And two Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest lyrical beauty and energy of his work in productions of Lonesome Losers (the academic honor society in the Brel show) are scheduled for July, one a way wholly accessible to a contempo- country (1776--), has invited rary reader. in Chicago, one in Cincinnati. Things the following English majors to – Stuart Dybek, recipient of a are hopping. We’re looking forward to MacArthur Fellowship; author of I a few days’ down time!” join: Sailed With Magellan Judith Rypma has new poems And the play opens: published or forthcoming in Pearl, Bannon T. Backhus Arnold Johnston’s Nexus, California Quarterly, REAL, Sara Bijani THE WITCHING VOICE and Flint Hills Review. She has done Laura J. Citino A PLAY WITH MUSIC HIGHLIGHT- two recent readings of her work, Marie K. Kutz-Marks ING THE LIFE AND LOVES OF including “A Poet’s Victoria L. Mansberger SCOTS POET ROBERT BURNS Tribute to Russia” Maureen E. Murphy Opens March 27 through April 25 at Portage District April M. Porter Library and one on WMU Professor Arnold Johnston’s Viola K. Riddle play had its world premiere at The New campus centering Elizabeth S. Scramlin Vic in 1973 and returns, (with Nate around “rock and Melvin in the role of Robert Burns), to mineral” poems. Rodger J. Swan celebrate the publication of Johnston’s Her 4-act play, Vasilissa, Baba Yaga, Philip M. Taylor novel, (The Witching Voice: A Novel and the Golden Thread, was performed Daniel W. Brian from the Life of Robert Burns), and in in November by students of the Mar- Hannah C. Markel celebration of the 250th birthday of shall Academy (under the direction of Micealya Moses Scotland’s greatest poet. English Ed alumna Leslie DeBacker- Chelsea Thorpe 9 This biographical play covers Katz, who now teaches high school Prague Summer Program Prague Summer Program Welcomes Alumni and Faculty The culmination of more than a decade of cooper- ation with Prague’s Charles University, the Prague Sum- mer Program offers writers, photographers and students Frostic Travel Grants were Recieved by the Following of culture from a variety of backgrounds the opportunity TA’s for PSP to be mentored by some of the biggest names in contem- porary English-language literature and world photogra- Christopher Carter phy, as well as by luminaries of Central European culture. Andrea England Joseph Gross All alumni of WMU’s Department of English are Marcus Johnson guaranteed a John Woods Scholarship of $750 to $1,000 Robert Kirkbride as a tuition reduction toward a four-week enrollment James Miranda (two-week option also available, scholarships halved). Isle Schweitzer Additionally, the PSP welcomes alumni and current and Chad Sweeney former department faculty to visit the program if they are Karen Wurl in the region while it is underway. James Pray

The eager novice and the seasoned professional alike are mentored with equal seriousness and respect. For the month of July, participants will be members of a unique and vital community of artists and students of art and culture. Unmarked by the wars and brutal occupa- tions it has suffered, Prague is considered by many the most beautiful European city. If indeed Prague has been “the Left Bank of the ‘90s,” as has been asserted in the world media, the Prague Summer Program has contrib- uted significantly to that lofty designation.

The PSP offers morning creative writing work- shops in four genres and three culture and social studies courses in the afternoon: Czech Literature, American Lit- erature from European Perspectives, and Jewish Studies. Additionally, the PSP photography offerings reflect the PSP philosophy that strong arts pedagogy dovetailed with culture studies results in a deeply enriching experience. Scenery of Prague To learn more about the program, contact PSP Faculty Director Richard Katrovas or PSP Coordinator Margaret von Steinen by calling (269) 387-2594, or write [email protected]. Footnotes Commitee Beth Amidon, Chair Comprehensive program information is accessible Meg Dupuis online at: www.praguesummer.com JD Dolan Karen Vocke Alyssa Worden, Intern

10 Book Reviews Continued Hay’s career began as a secretary to Lincoln The Five of Hearts: An Intimate Portrait of Henry and went on to include the ambassadorship to Great Adams and His Friends, 1880-1918, Patricia O’Toole, Britain and the cabinet position of Secretary of State. Simon & Schuster, 2006. ISBN 0743288238 Appointed by McKinley, the position turned to ashes The Five of Hearts was the name for him when given by its members, all five of whom Theodore Roosevelt became President and became es- were friends of long standing: Henry sentially his own Secretary of State. and Clover Adams, John and Clara Hay, Henry Adams is the main subject of O’Toole’s and Clarence King. Adams was the work. Put simply, Adams was a mixture of a mandarin historian of the quintet and had probably and one’s benevolent uncle. One sees in his marriage the deepest intellect. Unlike Adams, the to Clover a relationship similar to that of Soames ultimate figure of the New England/Har- Forsyte and his Irene, the main characters in Gals- vard culture, John Hay was very much worthy’s saga. The difference is that Adams was not of the Middle West. Clarence King was an outstanding cruel to Clover, but rather that his intellect smothered geologist. any attempt of Clover to engage in any exercise of her Of the wives, Clover Adams was of great background as a sensitive, well read, and insightful intelligence and was consequently all too aware of the person. restrictions placed on women in general and of intellec- Adams the art connoisseur and Adams the his- tual women in particular. In contrast, Clara Hay was a torian are the personae who are the most interesting. woman of her time, not an intellectual or even one who The Education of Henry Adams remains one of the questioned in any way “the way things are.” two greatest American autobiographies. More than an It was Clarence King whom I found the most autobiography, that work is a reflection on the age of interesting of the group since I was unaware of the loss multiplicity, a contrast to his Mont-Saint-Michel and of his father early on in Clarence’s life and that his Chartres which had been a study of an age of unity. mother later married a man who was not sympathetic to Scholarship, effective use of sources, and a the young boy. What was fatally lacking was a busi- smooth style make this a great read. ness sense; the resulting series of financial reverses and the pressure of a clandestine marriage to a black lady -Bob Bradley marked him as a total failure in his own eyes and in the eyes of others.

Camps for Young Writers Our nationally recognized Camps for Young Writers serve young writers ages 8-17 with three concurrent programs led by Third Coast Writing Project teacher consultants. Each program nurtures a love for writing. Activities include field trips, campus writing sessions, and more. The summer 2009 TCWP Camps for Young Writers take place during June 15-26 (Monday-Friday) The camps are designed to give talented and enthusiastic elementary and middle school writers a chance to develop their writing in a supportive and collegial environment. For 2009, we will have two simultaneously occurring camps: • Oh, my Odes! (ages 8-10) Have you ever wondered what it is about a beautifully written picture book that seems to capture you? Writers will explore their ideas from new perspectives, play with grammar, language and wording, all while writing and illustrating their own picture book. • Grammar Schmammar (ages 11 - 13) Come explore grammar in the context of writing as we identify some elements of grammar in its natural habitat, and then experiment with grammar in our own writing. • The Writer’s Choices (ages 14 - 17) A camp for future professional writers to explore the rhetorical ways writing is used to achieve a specific goal. Campers will work with the kinds of decisions professional writers make 11 and then compose their own work. For more information contact [email protected] Become a friend of the Department of English! I support the Department of English with the following gift:

Alumni gifts make possible the extra mar- _$1,000 _$500 _$250 _$100 _$50 _$25 gin of excellence. Your donations help us attract and keep top faculty, recruit the best graduate students, _ I would like to become a special donor to the Department support undergraduates with scholarships and of English with a gift of $______prizes, and play a leading role on the national scene with conferences, lecture, and symposia. You can My gift is to be paid via: be a special part of the Department of English’s 500 ____ Check (payable to WMU Foundation) Friends. ____ Credit Card (check one) For a contribution of $100, you can be ____Mastercard _____Visa among the special group of supporters of the Account #______programs that make our department special. Your Expiration Date:______name will be inscribed on a plaque displayed in the Signature (required):______department’s central office on the 6th floor of Sprau 3-digit security code:______Tower. ____ Electronic Funds Transfer (instructions will follow) If you would like to make a donation, ____ Please contact me about my giving plans please make your check out to Western Michigan Name:______University Foundation, Department of English and Phone Number: (___)______send it to WMU gift processing, 1903 W. Michigan Credit card information will be shredded after transaction. Ave, Kalamazoo MI 49008-5403, or visit www. Please Mail this completed form, along with your gift to: wmich.edu/foundation/gift/index.html and select Western Michigan University “English.” WMU Foundation Office 1903 W. Michigan Avenue Give Online at: Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5403

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Address Correction Requested Correction Address

fax (269) 387-2562 387-2562 (269) fax

(269) 387 2570 387 (269)

Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5331 MI Kalamazoo,

1903 W. Michigan Avenue Michigan W. 1903

Western Michigan University University Michigan Western Department of English English of Department