The Words: April 2022
Talking Thunderbodies with Lucy McNees ’25
Patrick Coy-Bjork ’23 and Birdie Keller ’25
Macalester’s mainstage theater production this spring is Thunderbodies, a dark comedy written by Kate Tarker. Through absurdist satire, the play explores themes of war, climate change, and government power. English department workers Patrick Coy-Bjork and Birdie Keller (that’s us!) are serving as the assistant director and assistant stage manager, respectively. Read more about the production and Lucy McNees here…
Emma Törzs’ Book Deal, In Her Own Words
Chloë Moore ’24
Professor Emma Törzs is many things: a Creative Writing Professor, a poet, and without a doubt the most fashionable person in Old Main. Soon, she’ll add another title to her resumé: published novelist! I emailed with Prof. Törzs about the process of writing and publishing her upcoming debut novel, Ink Blood Mirror Magic, which will be released in spring 2023. Read more about her incredible work here…
A Classical Philologist, Two X-Files Podcast Hosts, and a Flight Paramedic: Four English Majors’ Post-Macalester Journeys
Alice Asch ’22
I had the recent pleasure of speaking with four alumni: Amy Vandervelde ‘21, Amanda Zimmerman ‘16, Ella Brakob ‘16, and Josh Weiner ‘16. They’ve taken fascinating routes since graduating—and they’ve all found ways to apply their English major skills to their various occupations. Read more about our fantastic alums here…
Michael Prior Enjoys Cullman Fellowship
Zoë Roos Scheuerman ’24
This academic year, award-winning author and Creative Writing Professor Michael Prior has been in New York City as a fellow at the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers. There, he is working on a new poetry collection which, as described on the New York Public Library’s webpage about the fellowship, “explores intergenerational memory and the incarceration of Japanese Canadians and Japanese Americans during the Second World War.” The Words reached out to Professor Prior about his experience with the fellowship so far. Read his letter here…
Macalester’s Bookstagrammers!
Kira Schukar ’22
The English department is full of multi-talented students, from writers and artists to podcasters and now, bookstagrammers! Bookstagrammers are influencers who post beautiful photos of the books they read on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms. This month, The Words reached out to three of Macalester’s very own bookstagrammers, Alex Ang ‘22, Chloë Moore ‘24, and Charley Eatchel ‘24. Read more about the department’s bookstagrammers here…
The Words Presents: April Fools!
This April, the editors at The Words decided to have a little fun with our articles! Please enjoy this year’s round of satire, fake headlines, and ~very real~ astrology signs.
English Majors Are Doing Just Great
Alice Asch ’22
English majors are doing just great. So great! So, so great. We are well-adjusted, level-headed, and responsible. No one should be concerned about us at all. In an effort to dispel some of the common misconceptions about English majors (we don’t do any real work, we’re getting a useless degree, we’re no fun at parties, etc), The Words spoke to two English students about their academic lives. Elliot Ellers and Sam Sealing filled us in on their totally normal and regular experiences at Macalester. Read more about Elliot and Sam (not real people) here…
Faculty Breaking News!
The Words Editors
Graphics by Chloë Moore ’24
As a show of appreciation for our faculty, we’ve gathered headlines that highlight a few of their accomplishments, interests, and demands. Enjoy these headlines here…
Your Newsletter Editors’ ~Very Real~ Astrology Charts
The Words Editors
Graphics by Kira Schukar ’22
To foster a closer relationship with you, dear readers, your editors at The Words want to share our astrology charts. Enjoy perusing our new staff photos and astrological signs here…