Types
Aardema, Verna
June 6, 1911—May 11, 2000
Place of Birth: New Era, MI
Place of Principal Residence: Muskegon, MI and Fort Myers, FL
Biography
Verna Aardema was born to Dora and Alfred Norberg on June 6, 1911. Aardema grew up as one of nine children in New Era, MI, a small West Michigan town. In 1934 she graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. in journalism. After earning her degree, Aardema pursued teaching and worked as a staff correspondent for the Muskegon Chronicle. Aardema began writing at a young age, encouraged by her mother. In her senior year at Michigan State, she won three writing contests, which encouraged her to pursue her childhood dream of writing. Aardema first considered writing for children when her daughter refused to eat until told a story by her mother, whose stories revolved around African folktales. Aardema died on May 11, 2000 and was survived by her husband, Joel, and her two children, Austin and Paula.
Selected Works
- Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears (1975)
- Who’s in Rabbit’s House? (1977)
- Oh Kojo, How Could You! (1984)
Awards
- 1976 Caldecott Medal for Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears
- 1977 Brooklyn Art Books for Children Award for Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears
- 1977 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year for Who’s in the Rabbit’s House?
- 1978 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award for Who’s in the Rabbit’s House?
- 1984 Parents’ Choice Award for Literature for Oh Kojo, How Could You!
- 1981 Children’s Reading Round Table Award
Critical Reception
Verna Aardema is widely known as the premier re-teller of African folk tales, and these heroic tales provide moral lessons on human relationships and the mysteries of the natural world. Her book, Traveling to Tondo, was described by the School Library Journal as “the kind of story children love…perfect for reading aloud.”
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work
Aardema began her career as a writer at age 11, when her mother would allow her to skip chores and go for walks to a nearby wetland swamp to think and write. Aardema said, “I got to be a writer by default-the fault being that I was a born bookworm in a household that desperately needed mothers little helpers.”
Abbott, Dr. O. Lawrence
July 19 1900—November, 1978
Place of Birth: Conesville, IA
Place of Principal Residence: East Lansing, MI
Biography
Orville Lawrence Abbott was born to I.S. and Nan Abbott in Conesville, IA on July 19, 1900. He attended the University of Northern Iowa where he earned his Bachelors Degree in 1923. Abbot went on to get his Masters at the University of Iowa in 1928 and worked as a high school teacher before going back to school. In 1953 he earned his PhD from Michigan State University and was hired there as an associate professor of foreign languages. Both Abbott and his wife, Margaret, enjoyed writing poetry, publishing their work in newspapers and magazines. Yet it was not until Abbott reached his sixties that the couple co-authored two books. In addition to their writing they had three children: Helen, Jane, and John. Abbott passed away in November of 1978.
Selected Works
- Matched Pair (1963)
- Beyond Now (1968)
Awards
- 1964 Michigan Poets Award following the poem “Matched Pair”
- Listed in Michigan Authors, 2nd ed. in 1980
Anderson, William
February 5, 1952—
Place of Birth: Flint, MI
Place of Principal Residence: Lapeer, MI
Biography
William Anderson was born to Wilma and Thomas Anderson in Flint, MI on February 5, 1952. His interest in history and writing struck early when in third grade his teacher read to the class Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Anderson was hooked. After that experience, he contacted her surviving relatives for first-hand accounts of Laura’s life and visited family sites of the Ingalls. Anderson’s parents encouraged his interest and made sure to stop at these sites for his benefit. At 15 years of age, he published a booklet called The Story of the Ingalls. The booklet was for the benefit of the museum at the Wilder home in Mansfield. Anderson earned his B.A. at Albion College in 1974 and a M.A. from South Dakota State University in 1982. During graduate school Anderson began writing for magazines, which fostered his love for research and writing. He has served as a consultant for Harper Collins Publishers and for Arts and Entertainment Network, and has been interviewed extensively, including by C-span ‘Book Notes.’ Today Anderson is a teacher, historian, speaker, and freelance writer and resides in Lapeer, MI.
Selected Works
- River Boy: The Story of Mark Twain
- Pioneer Girl
- The World of Louisa May Alcott
- Laura Ingalls Wilder
- The World of the Trapp Family
Awards
- Western History Association’s Billington Award
- National Endowment for Humanities scholar 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987
- Hoover Presidential Library Scholar 1986, 1987
- Best Article of the Year Award from the Herbert Hoover Library Association 1985
Critical Reception
Anderson is a well-known historian. But, also of note, the people whom he writes about appreciate and support the work he has done. The Ingalls family remains in contact and the Trapp family went to book signings. He is an accepted author and historian by both subjects and readers.
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work
Not only did Anderson visit the places he wrote about as a child, he continues to do so today. Before writing the book, Anderson visits the place where the action occurred. From Ingalls to vonTrapp, Anderson makes sure to explore a place before completing a project. After compiling his research, Anderson works extensively at his home studio. In addition to writing, Anderson is sure to pass on his dedication and knowledge through local teaching.
Barr, Nancy
1972—
Place of Birth: Springfield, IL
Place of Principal Residence: Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan.
Biography
Nancy Barr is the only child of a working class couple. Her father, Harry, has always been supportive or her and encourages her to dream big. Her mother, Patricia, died when she was nine. After her mother’s death, Barr and her father moved to the Michigan Upper Peninsula. There they lived in the small town of Rapid River, which is at the top of Little Bay de Noc. As a child, Barr dreamed of being many things—such as a doctor, a police officer, and a fighter pilot—but writing never crossed her mind. She didn’t consider it until her freshman year of college. Following the path of journalism, Barr obtained an associates degree with honors from Bay de Noc Community College. She went on to graduate cum laude from Lake Superior State University, with a bachelor’s degree. She began a career as a newspaper journalist, covering police, courts, schools, and local governments for the Daily Press in Escanaba, Michigan. Later, Barr became the news editor for the Daily Mining Gazette in Houghton, Michigan. After working for three years there she took a job at Michigan Technological University, where she currently works. Nancy Barr is engaged to be married and has three cats.
Selected Works
- Page One: Hit and Run (2006)
- Page One: Vanished (2007)
Critical Reception
Nancy Barr is new to the world of fiction. She has written two mystery novels, which have received very positive reviews from newspapers. Major review publications (such as Publishers Weekly and Library Journal) generally don’t review books put out by small publishers, so that has been a problem since reviews by such publications are necessary for strong nationwide sales.
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work
Nancy Barr writes about what she knows. “The U.P. is a character in my books.” She says, “I made a point to use real towns as settings because this is a special area…It takes a certain kind of person to really embrace the U.P….I love the lifestyle.” Her work also stems form her experience as a journalist and the people she has encountered over the years.
Baxter, Charles
May 19,1947—
Place of Birth: Minneapolis, MN
Place of Principal Residence: Ann Arbor, MI
Biography
Charles Baxter was born to John and Mary Baxter in Minneapolis, MN on May 19, 1947. His Father died when he was a baby and his mother remarried a wealthy attorney, on whose posh home Baxter spent much of his childhood in isolation. Baxter earned his BA at Macalester College and his PhD in 1974 at University of Buffalo. During his years as a student, Baxter experimented with poetry before moving on to fiction. It took several years for Baxter to adjust himself to the customary literary criticism. Baxter temporarily gave up fiction for academic writing when editors and readers spurned his first three books. But after working for a time with short stories, he slowly built up an impressive repertoire of novels. Baxter was a Professor of Writing at the University of Minnesota from 1974 – 1988, and is now the Creative Writing director at University of Michigan. He currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI with his wife Martha, and has one son, Daniel.
Selected Works
Novels:
- First Light (1987)
- Shadow Play (1993)
- Feast of Love (2000)
- Saul and Patsy (2003)
Poems:
- “Imaginary Paintings” (1999)
- “The South Dakota Guidebook” (1974)
- “Chameleon” (1970)
Short Story/Essay Collections:
- Harmony of the World (1984)
- Through the Safety Net (1985)
- Gryphon (1985)
- A Relative Stranger (1990)
- Believers (1997)
- Burning Down the House: Essays on Fiction (1997)
Awards
- 1982 Lawrence Foundation Award
- 1983 National Endowment for the Arts Grant
- 1984 Michigan Council for the Arts Grant
- 1985-86 Guggenheim Fellowship
- 1991 Lawrence Foundation Award
- 1991 Arts Foundation of Michigan Award
- 1992-95 Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Foundation Fellowship
- 1993 Michigan Author of the Year Award
- The 1994 Cohen Award for the best essay published in Ploughshares
- The 1994 Daniel A. Pollack-Harvard Review award to Shadow Play
- The 1994 Gettysburg Review nonfiction prose award for
- 1995 Ohio University Spring Literary Festival Honoree
- The 1997 Award in Literature, American Academy of Arts and Letters
- 2000 National Book Award (Finalist) for The Feast of Love
Critical Reception
For Saul and Patsy
“Much like the episodic nature of his other works, including Feast of Love, Baxter weaves much more of a philosophical tale than a plot-driven one. But it is a tale worth telling, and well worth reading. As an author, Baxter possesses a unique gift of making real life rather interesting without sensationalizing it. Therein lies Saul and Patsy’s success, as a book with an indelible culminating effect - providing a genuine revelation for both the characters within and, quite likely, for the reader as well.”
- MostlyFiction
For The Soul Thief
“The final twist to the tale is anticlimactic. Yes, writers are the most unrepentant soul thieves of all. They lift details from the lives of others with light-fingered ease. But when the story is well-told, no one notices or cares. It’s only when the theft is clumsy and the story misshapen that people can spot the crime. In this case, Baxter has been caught red-handed.
- New York Daily News
“Pros: Baxter’s ethereal writing and witty mockery of academic intelligentsia reinforce his decidedly creepy story of identity theft. This novel strongly recalls Patricia Highsmith’s sordid tales about the sociopathic Tom Ripley.
Cons: An unconvincing confrontation in the book’s final half belies the emotional depth charges of the first act, and a last-minute twist undermines the book’s cohesion.
Final word: An intriguing opening act and a pair of deeply flawed characters heighten this fractured cautionary tale about the dangers of becoming persona non grata.”
- Rocky Mountain News
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work
Although Baxter’s received his PhD from University of Buffalo and currently resides in Minneapolis, his writing reflects his native Midwest, often in the semi-rural, imaginary town of Five Oaks, Michigan. Baxter has created tales about the mostly small-town, small-time lives of teachers, salesmen, students, dropouts, and even an astrophysicist.