Author Archives: ubu507

About ubu507

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Mitch the Bitch: Decoding Albom

Posted on March 11, 2008 by ubu507

I guess everybody knows who Mitch Albom is. People around here, however, still remember him as a sportswriter for the Free Press, and in fact he still acts in that capacity from times to time, as well as contributing an … Continue reading →

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History of Mystery: Gallows Literature

Posted on March 8, 2008 by ubu507

People like to argue as to when crime fiction first started. To me the mystery is not a fairly recent off shoot of "real" literature, but a mighty redwood in and of itself, and one whose roots anchor it … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | 1 Comment

Caleb Williams by William Godwin: Proto Noir

Posted on March 7, 2008 by ubu507

While I was polishing up the old History of Mystery lecture – and we killed in Canton last night, thank you very much – I ran across a book I’d left out of the precursor group, a great read called … Continue reading →

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Sideshow Bill: Bye Bye Buckley

Posted on March 5, 2008 by ubu507

Thanks to the recent death of William F. Buckley, we’ve been treated to a number of panegyrics from George Will and others who’d like to assume the moth eaten mantel of chief conservative highbrow, all of them informing us of … Continue reading →

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Quote Bag: Reparation

Posted on March 4, 2008 by ubu507

The function of man differs from that of other physical beings, for it is the reparation of the disorders in the universe. – Louis Claude de Saint-Martin But the art of pure contemplation, of creative metaphysics, is difficult, … Continue reading →

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Fave Rave: Ellroy, Nunn and O’Connell

Posted on March 1, 2008 by ubu507

People are always asking me who my favorite writer is. I usually tell them something safe like Josephine Tey, Raymond Chandler or James Lee Burke. And I do love those writers and think them great, but they’re just not … Continue reading →

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2/29

Posted on February 29, 2008 by ubu507

February 29 – you’ve got to dig it for the novelty factor if nothing else. It seems sort of like a day out of time – you don’t really think of scheduling something on February 29 and I know that … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 1 Comment

The Hundred Year War

Posted on February 27, 2008 by ubu507

The other question that came to me while watching the conservative opinion channels is this – why are right wingers so turned on by war? What is it about destroying property, sacrificing young men and incinerating civilians that makes war … Continue reading →

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Global Hot Air

Posted on February 26, 2008 by ubu507

I returned from a trip to Mount Pleasant, Michigan (O.K., I get the pleasant part, but there was nothing remotely resembling a mountain) pretty tired, and my favorite pastime in that condition is surfing – channel surfing that is. And … Continue reading →

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Onward and Upward with the Arts in Ypsilanti

Posted on February 23, 2008 by ubu507

READ TO LOGAN THE LIBRARY DOG 6:30-8 p.m. (Sign up for a 10-minute slot), Ypsilanti District Library, 229 W. Michigan Ave. Kids may read aloud to a trained Therapaws dog. Free. Registration required.