The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Friday, September 9, 2011 - 7A The MihgnDiy-m iadiyomFiaSpebr9 01-7 BOOKWORMS UNITbE Kerrytown booked Searching for 'home' during the college years Annual festival showcases book- making process By LAUREN CASERTA DailyArts Writer Michigan makes and exports hundreds of thousands of them every year. Each intricate stage of their produc- tion is entrust- The 9th ed to local Annual companies with decades KeItOWN of prestigious Booked history behind their work. Sunday at Whether 11 a.m. they're recent Kerrytown makes or old Farmer's Market favorites, Free there's sure to be something for every buyer's taste. But these buyers aren't choos- ing between pickups and sedans - they're sizing up hardcovers and paperbacks. The annual Kerrytown Book- Fest celebrates the often over- looked yet thriving literary community nestled within the heart of the Great Lakes State. The celebration is famous for its focus on Michigan's wealth of local talent as well as its inclu- sion of techniques from every stage in the book-making pro- cess. "It's not just about authors and publishers," said Gene Allo- way, BookFest Board President and owner of local bookstore Motte & Bailey. "We include papermakers, book artists, bind- ers, printers, letterpress artists, poster makers - you name it. It's having all of those people all in one spot which makes us pretty unique." More than just a place to buy and sell books, the festival is entertainingly educational. Exhibits and demonstrations allow attendees a rare glimpse into the conceptual and tangible halves of the creative process behind books and other print items. "We have writer talks, there are craftspeople working, there are activities for children, there are authors signing their books and there's usually a storyteller," Alloway said. "Used and new booksellers and some publish- ers do have stuff to buy, but you could go for the whole day with- out spending any money." This year's festival theme, "Michigan Voices," puts aspecial emphasis on creative minds from the surrounding region. Speak- ers include Robin Agnew, owner of Aunt Agatha's mystery book- shop, Caldecott Award-winning children's authors Erin and Phil- ip Stead and NPR reporter Kate Davidson, along with nearly 50 additional guests ranging from authors and producers to illus- trators and photographers. The theme also shines a much- deserved spotlighton localbook- based businesses. Despite the fact that several famous printers and publishers live in the area, most people are unaware of the sheer size of Michigan's contri- bution to the literary world. "One of the long traditions in our area is printing," Alloway said. "For example, the best- selling autobiography of Mark Twain that came out was print- ed by Thomson Shore in Dexter, Michigan, and they just got an order to print their 175,000th copy. There's still more books physically made between the suburbs of Detroit and Manches- ter than anywhere else in the world." The Kerrytown BookFest has become a local tradition, now celebrating its ninth year. Although people of all ages are encouraged to attend, Alloway said that the festival planners would enjoy seeing more Univer- sity students in its crowds. "One - of the issues we get with University students is that everything west of Division Street seems to be terra incog- nito," Alloway said. "As we grow we're trying to reach out. It's hard right now because every- one's moving in and getting settled." The event's swelling atten- dance continues to fuel public interest in the art of the written word. Ultimately, it's the all-in- one package that Michigan's lit- erary community provides that makes its part in the industry - and the festival - such a success. "We're lucky to have a lot of great authors, but we also enjoy showing all of the steps and the people that get a book from author to reader," Alloway said. "You don't have to go to New York City to find a printer, to find an agent, to find a publisher, to find a bookstore. That's one of the things that makes us great." By LEAH BURGIN Senior Arts Editor Before becoming a student at the University three years ago, I had lived in Cincinnati for my entire life. Even more than that, my parents had grown up in "The Queen City," and their parents were also raised there. Need- less to say, I had been deeply gnmeshed in "Cincinnatian" culture for 18 years - the bloody battle between chili-serving fast food chains Goldstar and Sky- line, the family of bovines that chilled on my "suburban" neigh- borhood's farm and the glorious oeaven-on-earth deliciousness that is Graeter's ice cream. I had lived and breathed Cincinnati and, though I loved my home- town, I was ready for a change after high school. So I was sur- prised when I decided to attend the University; after all, it was located only one midwestern state north from Ohio. How dif- ferent could Michigan really be? As it turns out, Michigan was quite different. I remem- ber sitting up late with my new hallmates during Welcome Week and being utterly per- plexed at the Michigan hand locater everyone used to dem- onstrate where they were from. When people asked where my hometown was, I would have to explain that Cincinnati is not Columbus nor Cleveland, and is located at the south end of Ohio, which I would sadly try to dem- onstrate by making a modified "Hang10" hand symbol to mimic Ohio's shape. But the hand locater wasn't the only difference. For weeks, I Nothing says "home" like an imposing classical facade had no and mi cool h- pus. Ic Lakesi that Mi underst goingu or wha Metro never s ] w] idea what the "UP" was, ful five weeks in Florence, Italy, stakenly assumed it as a I spent my first summer in Ann angout location on cam- Arbor. I was here to experience couldn't list the five Great the infamous summer Art Fair in the rapid-fire manner and the unpredictable weather. ichiganders could. I didn't I went "up north" twice with tand the phenomenon of friends - once to Glen Lake on up north for the summer, the pinky (where I went to my t it meant to be from the first Cherry Republic) and once to Detroit area. And I had Pointe aux Barques on the thumb een so many Blackberries (where I tried Mackinac Island Fudge ice cream for the first time) - and interned at the Detroit wut itvait Institute of Arts. These experi- But wences, especially being involved here are the at the DIA, made me feel, finally, like a true Michigander. CowS? Ohio will always be where I'm from, but I can now appre- ciate and feel part of Michigan culture. The Great Lakes State ings or North Face coats has some beautiful natural land- ife. I'm sure many out-of- scapes and impressive cultural had the same minor cul- institutions. I couldn't explain ock and, like me, adapted the gorgeousness of northern to the new environment. I Michigan to my sister or express o love Ann Arbor and con- how sublime it was to wander my home away from home. from gallery to gallery in the forward to thisapast sum- DIA, pausing to appreciate its Lfter spending a wonder- See HOME, Page $A AL BUPM RlEsVeI EtWe Chili Peppers lose the heat or legg in my l staters ture sh quickly came t sider it Fast mer. ,A By When of a ban pers ar bled to with and n parts - tially platypu the roc kingdot Their musicia letter na be the ness. Th ognizab voice an a very Will Fe the fun always b ciante, from th sive voi formula cal ELLIOT ALPERN guitarist. DailyArts Writer Everywhere you look on I'm With You, there are missed n it comes to the anatomy opportunities and instances of d, the Red Hot Chili Pep- failed potential. However, the 'e cob- album could've been extremely ogether **'* * successful under different cir- strange cumstances - the emotion and random Red Hot Chili talent are present, but the execu- essen- tion is lacking. "Brendan's Death the Song" brings authentic sorrow in s Of I'm WithYoU the wake of the passing of long- 'k'n'roll time friend Brendan Mullen, . arerBras. and almost deserves to sit in the best band's trophy case with "Under n is a bassist with a four- the Bridge" and "Californica- ame who may or may not tion" - but not quite, since a fair- most skilled in the busi- ly withdrawn guitar and a sedate ey've got an instantly rec- opening could lead many a listen- le singer with an average er to skip it over. "Dance, Dance, ad a drummer who bears Dance" rounds out I'm With You uncanny resemblance to appropriately - the chemistry is rrell. But the oil that kept palpably off, and the resultcomes nk machine rolling had off as jumbled. been guitarist John Frus- Longtime fans of the Chili whose recent departure Peppers may find comfort in the e band has left an exten- evolution of the band's sound. In d in what had come to be a a couple rare cases, such a pro- for perfection. gression pays off. "Even You, Brutus?" throws a smoky guitar under singer Anthony Kiedis's eall agitation, transforming it into a fresh composite of funk and COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. chagrin. On "Goodbye Hoo- ray," Klinghoffer rips off a few impressive, raw licks - even if the track itself fails to match the excitement. When you look at the Red Hot Chili Peppers' extensive discog- raphy, a pattern emerges: Their best work arises when Kiedis, Flea, Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith are the band's core. Each of the five albums recorded by the power quartet has gone platinum and serves as the foun- dation for most of the band's major hits. It should then come as no surprise that when one of those integral cogs is removed, the machine doesn't function at full capacity. ifornicated out. Raise your hand if you partic- ipated in the collective sigh that sprang from the deliverance of the album's first single, "The Adventures of Rain Dance Mag- gie." Such a release might make for an adequate deep track on an earlier record, but when it's billed as a teaser for new mate- rial, the red flags should start to go up. Unfortunately, the catchy-but-tame song stands as the best on I'm With You. Frusciante's absence is obvi- ous on the majority of the hour-long effort. Flea opens up "Ethiopia" with the grooving backbone of a bassline that fans have come to expect. However, new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer doesn't pack the same punch as his predecessor, and leaves the track a bit too empty. "Factory of Faith" gives the impression that the Chili Peppers would rather rely on their mainstays and give Klinghoffer a support- ing role - a strategy that can't work for a band that relies on the added spice from a seasoned Did somebody say ROAD THIPIIMM We're headed your way! See you at the grad fair on your campus.