The premieres of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” July 21 have brought audiences back to the movie theater in record numbers, with many seeing both films on the same day. 

In what is being called “Barbenheimer,” the double-feature of these two films spans genre and theme, yet both films critique the United States’ past and turn an eye toward the future. 

“Oppenheimer”

Directed by Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer” tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist hired by the United States government to lead the creation of the atomic bomb during World War II. 

The movie, based on the book “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer,” covers Oppenheimer’s schooling, all of his time constructing the atomic bomb and a hearing with the U.S. government which later stripped him of his job title. 

Appointed by Lt. Leslie Groves to run the Manhattan Project, Oppenheimer and Groves selected the best scientists they could find to move to Los Alamos, New Mexico for the construction of the bomb. 

It is three hours long and a marathon of a film. However, it never dragged on. Flashing back and forth, the movie carefully revealed more details from different phases of his life. 

Cillian Murphy gave an incredible performance, perfectly portraying the complicated decisions of a haunted man. He rides the line between womanizer, communist sympathizer and curious scientist extremely well. 

One stand-out element of this movie is the editing. Throughout the film, chilling images and sounds were spliced alongside the excitement of the American people at the use of the first atomic bomb, portraying the significance of the act. 

At one point in the film, after the atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima, Oppenheimer gives a speech to the families at Los Alamos, the site of the bomb’s construction. 

All at once during his speech, no sound emanated from the screen. The wide-mouth smiles of the flag-waving crowd, the clapping and the cheering went silent. Oppenheimer, haunted by his actions, is seen stepping inside the disintegrating corpse of a victim of the bomb. Another woman’s face in the audience appeared to flake off as she cheered. 

Due to his past communist affiliations, after World War II ended and the Cold War began, Oppenheimer lost his security clearance and therefore his job with the U.S. government. 

The movie ended with a grim look toward the future. A notion that although the bomb did not immediately ignite the atmosphere and end life as we know it –– as some feared it would –– the bomb and its creators may still have brought the end of civilization. 

“Barbie”

Directed by Greta Gerwig, “Barbie” follows the story of a stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) and her Ken (Ryan Gosling) as they venture into the real world and discover it is not as perfect as they thought. 

Based on the brand Mattel’s Barbie, the story plays out like a little girl playing with dolls. The Barbies float down to the street from their houses as if imaginary hands were in control. The shower in the Barbie mansion rains imaginary water and, every morning, Barbie drinks imaginary coffee. 

This movie is a love letter to little girls and the inner-child women often abandon as they grow up. Whether it’s the government, the doctor’s office or the beach volleyball courts, in Barbieland, women run things. 

As Barbie and Ken venture into the real world, one they believe to have been made completely similar to Barbieland, they meet a rude awakening. While Barbie experiences sexual assault and a pointed confrontation about her negative impact on women’s body image from a teenage girl, Ken enjoys the newfound respect he didn’t have in Barbieland. 

The movie addresses both men’s and women’s fights for power and how new information can snap someone out of their preconceived notions. 

With a PG-13 rating for suggestive references and brief language, the movie is kid-friendly. At many moments, the story is told how a child playing with dolls would tell a story, glossing over the business-like serious words and inserting a massive dance number. 

The most important thing to know about “Barbie” is that it is hilarious. The jokes just kept on coming. If you ever played with Barbies as a child or if you never got the chance, this movie is 114 minutes of child-like joy. 

Ending in a feel-good dance number and a reunion of the Barbies and the Kens, the future of Barbieland remains unknown. However, it appears the Kens will work towards gaining all of the rights women have in the real world. 

Recap

Both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” deserve the attention they have received in theaters. This weekend, two drastically different movies achieved cinematic excellence in their own ways. 

Barbenheimer weekend brought people to theaters, becoming the fourth biggest domestic box office weekend in the United States by grossing $311 million, according to The New York Times. 

Cillian Murphy said it best in an interview with IGN Entertainment when describing the Barbenheimer premier: 

“I think it’s just great for the industry and for audiences that we have two amazing films by amazing filmmakers coming out on the same day. You can spend the whole day in the cinema, what’s better than that?” Murphy said. 

“The Bear” was nominated for 13 Emmy’s this past Wednesday shortly after the premier of their second season on Hulu June 22.

“The Bear” is about a chef named Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) and his efforts to reinvent his brother Micheal’s restaurant after his suicide. Season two further develops the relationships between Carmy’s family and friends as they build up the restaurant. 

With just 10 episodes around 30 minutes each, some may feel the urge to speed through the engaging story as fast as possible. However, the set, performances, shots and music demand the full attention of the audience. 

While season one provided a window for the viewer into a terrifyingly hectic restaurant kitchen, season two shifts to a more optimistic perspective.

However, season two does continue to provide the same anxiety-inducing screaming matches and time crunches seen in season one. Although you may have to pause the TV to pace around the living room and take a deep breath, you may also find yourselves smiling at the incredibly human performances and conversations. 

There is not one stand-out performance in “The Bear,” there are too many to count. Look no further than the Emmy nominations list for proof.

Nominations for the cast include Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Jeremy Allen White), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Ayo Edebiri), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and two nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (Jon Bernthal and Oliver Platt). 

Those not nominated still did an outstanding job as well at giving their characters depth and life within their roles. 

In episode four of season two, titled “Honeydew,” a baker at the restaurant, Marcus (Lionel Boyce), travels to Copenhagen to learn new baking techniques but struggles leaving Chicago and his ill mother. Boyce’s performance conveyed all of the naivety and guilt that comes with new experiences and leaving home. 

In addition to the cast’s nominations, “The Bear” was nominated for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation. The soundtrack to this show is perfectly selected, whether it is incorporated into the plot or background noise. 

In the third episode of the season, titled “Sundae,” Richie, Carmy’s cousin and coworker at the restaurant, drops his daughter, Eva, off at her mother’s house. As she exits the car he says, “And Eva? I love Taylor Swift, too. I just needed a break.” 

After several bad decisions made by Richie in the following episodes, he is sent to study in a different restaurant kitchen. There he meets experts in hospitality. In episode seven titled “Forks,” Richie drives home after work, singing “Love Story” by Taylor Swift. This perfectly illustrates the kid-like wonder Richie feels in the episode at rediscovering his passion for people while reincorporating an earlier throwaway comment. 

When it is not Taylor Swift, “The Bear’s” classic Midwest dad-rock soundtrack fits incredibly into the episodes, featuring artists including Wilco, The Smashing Pumpkins and The Replacements.

Although “The Bear” has not been officially renewed for a season three, season two left several questions unanswered, such as the unread messages and voicemails Marcus received from his mother’s caretaker in the final episode. With a 98 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and the Emmys approaching in September, there is a demand for more of these characters and this heartfelt story.

Correction: This article initially misstated award of Emmy nominations. The nominations were for its first season.

With a variety of genres and experience levels, the bands at First Avenue’s Rock Lottery delivered impressive and light-hearted performances. 

After 25 local artists were drafted into five bands at the Depot Tavern on July 5, the newly formed groups were given 48 hours to write a set before performing on First Avenue’s mainroom stage. 

The first band to perform, Andy Holmass, opened with a melodic violin tune played by Jillian Rae. Soon, however, Sam Bramble came in on the drums and the rest of the band followed for a well-received mix of small-scale orchestral rock. 

Andy Holmass featured Jillian Rae, Sam Bramble (FènixDion), Kai Brewster (Lupin, Dark Bunny, General B and the Wiz), Student 1 and Nate Walker.

The crowd for the Rock Lottery grew steadily throughout the night. For band one, there was a modest but lively crowd. 

“This is nuts, are you kidding me?” Kai Brewster said to the audience during their set. The audience responded with cheers. 

Band number two of the night went by the name Another Language.

With only 48 hours to write their set, Another Language got topical. Their opening song featured the line, “Smoke coming down from Canada, whatcha gonna do when it comes for you?”

The crowd roared in response and by the end of their first song, people were singing along. 

Mary Cutrufello’s raspy and steady voice made every lyric feel important, especially when singing about the air pollution in Minneapolis. 

Featuring L.A. Buckner, Mary Cutrufello, Kevin Gamble (Goon Tribune, Ty Pow and The Holy North), Leo Lerner (Odd Prospect) and Eric Carranza (Lady Midnight, Molly Brandt, PRINTS), Another Language gave a lively and instrumentally driven performance over the course of their set, including one entirely instrumental track and several guitar solos. 

Band three began their set with a theme song that went, “We’re the crew that knows just what to do, we’re the Up n’ Up band.” 

Calling themselves The Up n’ Ups, band number three followed through on their name, performing an all-around entertaining and upbeat set. 

In a collaboration between Landon Conrath, Kerry Alexander (Bad Bad Hats), Chelsea Oxborough (The Von Tramps, The Bloodies), Seth Duin (Too Short to be Stormtroopers, Faith Boblett, General B and the Wiz) and Beck Schacht (Room3, Rawtwhylah), The Up n’ Ups blended a harder rock beat with Kerry Alexander’s sweet and subtle vocal melodies. 

Band four, Five Below FKA Wheat Trick, blended genres in a collaborative performance. 

Featuring Jon Lindquist (Denim Matriarch, Palm Friends, The Happy Children), Cindy Lawson (The Clams), Julia Eubanks (Creeping Charlie), Reiki Hall and Hilary James (bathtub cig, We Are the Willows), Five Below FKA Wheat Trick debuted their original songs to a lively audience. 

Jon Lindquist has played drums on the indie singer-songwriter album “Honey” by Samia, while Reiki Hall performs R&B and Punk music. Overall, band four was able to blend their styles and deliver a solid performance, meeting somewhere at the intersection of punk rock and melodic pop. 

The fifth and final band of the night, Speaker, performed to an engaged late-night crowd. 

Speaker’s band members included Dave Power (bathtub cig, TABAH, Cult Vibes), Molly Dean (Dusty Heart), Jake Hanson (HALEY, The Cactus Blossoms, Mason Jennings), Crystal Myslajek (IE, Brute Heart) and Cecilia Erholtz (Tabah). 

“In a lot of ways I think it was freeing to jump into something fresh unhinged by expectations,” Crystal Myslajek said on social media after their performance. 

All five bands at the Rock Lottery gave impressive performances given the time constraints. However, watching the collective creativity of every performer was the real draw of First Avenue’s Rock Lottery.

With a variety of genres and experience levels, the bands at First Avenue’s Rock Lottery delivered impressive and light-hearted performances. 

After 25 local artists were drafted into five bands at the Depot Tavern on July 5, the newly formed groups were given 48 hours to write a set before performing on First Avenue’s mainroom stage. 

The first band to perform, Andy Holmass, opened with a melodic violin tune played by Jillian Rae. Soon, however, Sam Bramble came in on the drums and the rest of the band followed for a well-received mix of small-scale orchestral rock. 

Andy Holmass featured Jillian Rae, Sam Bramble (FènixDion), Kai Brewster (Lupin, Dark Bunny, General B and the Wiz), Student 1 and Nate Walker.

The crowd for the Rock Lottery grew steadily throughout the night. For band one, there was a modest but lively crowd. 

“This is nuts, are you kidding me?” Kai Brewster said to the audience during their set. The audience responded with cheers. 

Band number two of the night went by the name Another Language.

With only 48 hours to write their set, Another Language got topical. Their opening song featured the line, “Smoke coming down from Canada, whatcha gonna do when it comes for you?”

The crowd roared in response and by the end of their first song, people were singing along. 

Mary Cutrufello’s raspy and steady voice made every lyric feel important, especially when singing about the air pollution in Minneapolis. 

Featuring L.A. Buckner, Mary Cutrufello, Kevin Gamble (Goon Tribune, Ty Pow and The Holy North), Leo Lerner (Odd Prospect) and Eric Carranza (Lady Midnight, Molly Brandt, PRINTS), Another Language gave a lively and instrumentally driven performance over the course of their set, including one entirely instrumental track and several guitar solos. 

Band three began their set with a theme song that went, “We’re the crew that knows just what to do, we’re the Up n’ Up band.” 

Calling themselves The Up n’ Ups, band number three followed through on their name, performing an all-around entertaining and upbeat set. 

In a collaboration between Landon Conrath, Kerry Alexander (Bad Bad Hats), Chelsea Oxborough (The Von Tramps, The Bloodies), Seth Duin (Too Short to be Stormtroopers, Faith Boblett, General B and the Wiz) and Beck Schacht (Room3, Rawtwhylah), The Up n’ Ups blended a harder rock beat with Kerry Alexander’s sweet and subtle vocal melodies. 

Band four, Five Below FKA Wheat Trick, blended genres in a collaborative performance. 

Featuring Jon Lindquist (Denim Matriarch, Palm Friends, The Happy Children), Cindy Lawson (The Clams), Julia Eubanks (Creeping Charlie), Reiki Hall and Hilary James (bathtub cig, We Are the Willows), Five Below FKA Wheat Trick debuted their original songs to a lively audience. 

Jon Lindquist has played drums on the indie singer-songwriter album “Honey” by Samia, while Reiki Hall performs R&B and Punk music. Overall, band four was able to blend their styles and deliver a solid performance, meeting somewhere at the intersection of punk rock and melodic pop. 

The fifth and final band of the night, Speaker, performed to an engaged late-night crowd. 

Speaker’s band members included Dave Power (bathtub cig, TABAH, Cult Vibes), Molly Dean (Dusty Heart), Jake Hanson (HALEY, The Cactus Blossoms, Mason Jennings), Crystal Myslajek (IE, Brute Heart) and Cecilia Erholtz (Tabah). 

“In a lot of ways I think it was freeing to jump into something fresh unhinged by expectations,” Crystal Myslajek said on social media after their performance. 

All five bands at the Rock Lottery gave impressive performances given the time constraints. However, watching the collective creativity of every performer was the real draw of First Avenue’s Rock Lottery.

With June behind us and two months until September, students have been enjoying the green spaces on campus at the University of Minnesota. While going up and talking to some of these people, they gave their picks for the song of the summer. 

No one agreed on a song – they were all different. 

“Moving” by The Happy Fits

Released in 2020, “Moving” is the third track on the album, “What Could Be Better,” by The Happy Fits.

Picked by Ciara Nyberg, a third-year student at the University, she normally listens to “Alternative, emo and punk kind of things. Also mix in Japanese rock and visual K styles.”

“Look What You’ve Done” by Drake

Released in 2011 off the album “Take Care,” “Look What You’ve Done” is University student Presley Sommers’ pick. 

“I’m into R&B mainly, Drake is probably my number one artist,” Sommers said. “I’m actually going to see him in Chicago next week so I’m really excited.” 

When it comes to summer music, “If you can dance and bob your head to it it’s obviously something good,” Sommers said. 

“Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac

“Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac was released in 1988 on the album “Tango in the Night,” and was picked for this list by Ruby Bolton. 

Bolton is a third-year student at the University. She typically listens to folk, pop and indie-rock, naming artists such as Wilco, Boygenius and Big Thief. 

When she is listening to summer songs, however, she goes for something “Upbeat, probably happier,” Bolton said. “None of the artists I said were very upbeat or happy.”

“Slide” by Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos

Picked by Martina Kochnitcharska, “Slide” was released in 2017 as the debut collaboration between Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean and Migos. 

In a review of the song by Pitchfork, an online music magazine, Ryan Dombal said, “If this isn’t a big radio record, the radio as it currently exists should probably cease to be.” 

Kochnitcharska listens to music “all over the map.” Kochnitcharska included Caamp, Lumineers, Hippo Campus and DaBaby in her list of artists currently in her listening rotation.

“Don’t Blame Me” by Taylor Swift

Released in 2017, “Don’t Blame Me” is the fourth track on the album “Reputation” by Taylor Swift.

“It’s always going to be a top song,” Mia McAleer, a third-year University student, said. McAleer regularly listens to Metro Boomin, Drake and Country music.

“Roses” by Outkast

Released in 2003 and picked for this list by Morgen Bauer, another University student, “Roses” reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2004. 

Bauer likes a wide variety of music including pop, R&B and country. When it comes to the song of the summer, “It’s nice to have one that a lot of people know,” she said. 

“The Spins” by Mac Miller

Picked by Vivian Kinny, she typically likes a summer song that is “fun, lighthearted and kind of fast,” she said. 

“The Spins” by Mac Miller was released in 2010 off the album “K.I.D.S.” in the genre Hip-Hop/Rap. It is Mac Miller’s third most streamed song of all time, with over 400 million streams.

“Sober” by Childish Gambino

Released in 2014, “Sober” was the first track released off of the “Kauai” EP and can be classified as neo-soul. 

Picked by Abby Endres, she typically likes music that is “vibey and chill,” she said. 

“Lucky Buddha pt. II” by Hedonistas

“To be honest, I’ve never really thought of music in terms of seasons,” Nathan Runk, a part-time student at the University, said. “For me, anything can be a summer song.” 

“Lucky Buddha pt. II” was released in 2018 off the album “The Way Things Were” by Hedonistas.

With music spanning the last four decades and a variety of genres, there may not be just one song of the summer for 2023. At least, according to these nine University students, there is not.

Minnesota-native Amy Suiter Clarke is set to release her newest book, “Lay Your Body Down,” on June 27. 

The thriller follows Delilah Walker, a young woman struggling to find her way in life, as she works to uncover the truth about who killed her ex-boyfriend, Lars. After returning to her hometown of Bower, Minnesota, Delilah must confront her religious trauma, her family, Lars’ widow and Pastor Rick Franklin.

Clarke’s debut novel “Girl, 11,” was called, “an adroit exploration of the ethical quandaries of true-crime storytelling” by the New York Times Book reviewer, Sarah Weinman. However, “Lay Your Body Down” is based closer to home.

“‘Lay Your Body Down,’ while it’s definitely fiction, contains a lot more of my personal experience growing up in a really conservative church and, kind of, the effects of that on people and their lives long-term,” Clarke said. “I don’t have the trauma, the very specific traumas that Delilah has about her assault.”

Delilah’s outlook on life is very similar to her own as a mid-20-year-old, said Clarke, who just like her character, comes from a very religious background.

 “I feel a lot of empathy for Delilah’s, just, anger at everything,” Clarke said. “Her just being like, ‘I wasn’t taught how to make a life because I was only taught how to be a wife.’” 

The idea of the perfect wife is consistent throughout “Lay Your Body Down.” In the book there are passages from a blog written by Lars’ widow, Eve, when she was a young girl, stating “We each have it within us to be a Noble Wife.”

Clarke’s familiarity with Minnesota culture is apparent in the book and, at one point, Delilah reacts to the very midwestern dishes at an after-church potluck. 

“As I walk down the line with my plate, I see Angela Culpepper’s caramel rolls, Celia Brown’s taco hotdish, Barb Smith’s loaded potato skins, and Jessie Nichol’s seven-layer salad, which for some terrible reason has both mayonnaise and marshmallows in it,” Clarke writes. 

The cultural inserts were not intentional, and instead came naturally.

“I just feel like growing up in a place gives you a perspective on that place like nothing else can,” Clarke said. 

Since living in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Clarke has studied theater in the Twin Cities, earned her master’s degree in writing in London and currently lives in Melbourne, Australia. 

“Even though I’ve lived in Melbourne for almost a decade I still feel the most comfortable writing about where I’m from,” Clarke said. 

Even when writing about home, the process has not always been smooth.

“‘For Girl, 11’ and ‘Lay Your Body Down’ it has involved completely rewriting the book after basically finishing or almost finishing, which I don’t recommend,” Clarke said. “I always worry that the idea I’m working on is going to be my last idea ever.”  

Currently working on her third novel,  Clarke said for her story ideas usually start with a “what if” question. 

With a 4.03 out of 5 stars on GoodReads just before the book’s publication, “Lay Your Body Down” has already received glowing reviews.

As summer approaches, the University of Minnesota’s libraries continue to offer resources for students as their reading habits turn from academic to recreational.

Reading challenges, virtual accommodations and a diverse array of books are just some of what the libraries will offer this summer. The University library staff members said they feel confident they can help students with all their reading needs, academic or otherwise.

Campus libraries will host a reading challenge this summer called reading-opoly. Inspired by the game Monopoly, the challenge will give students tasks in a variety of reading genres and a chance to win prizes.

The libraries have provided summer reading challenges since 2015. Last year, the summer reading program was quest-themed. For example, one challenge was titled “travel the haunted woods… read five mystery books,” and touted a dragon goblet as the prize.

In addition to their summer reading challenge, University library staff will continue to offer personalized reading recommendations through the matchmakers form on their website.

“We have a huge spreadsheet of all the books we’ve recommended in the past,” said Lacie McMillian, a University library assistant.

They use online resources such as GoodReads and NoveList to give their recommendations.
Now students can read books from the University’s libraries through Libby, an app that offers users access to ebooks and audiobooks virtually when connected with a library.

“It’s super easy. You can do it from your phone. You can use your Kindle,” said McMillian.

With the app’s interlibrary loan services, which connect libraries around the world, University libraries are able to acquire books that students might struggle to obtain.

“If you can’t find it, we can try to get it for you,” said Ashley Kes, a library assistant.

Kes said she hopes the University community will realize that University libraries are for more than just studying.

“I think we are slowly challenging the stereotype that an academic library, you know, doesn’t have any fun books,” Kes said.

The library staff pointed to several new additions to their collection including Prince Harry’s blockbuster tell-all, “Spare,” as well as a collection of romance, dark academia and graphic novels. Currently, Wilson Library has a DIY display featuring books on crochet, sustainable gardening and more.

University libraries will also continue to offer hours for public and student use. Walter Library will begin their 24-hour access for finals on Friday until May 10.

“It’s really a pleasure to see how well used our spaces are and how important it is to students’ academic success.” said Julie Dinger, a University library access and information services manager.

Once summer starts, the library’s hours will be reduced greatly.

“It’s really always a shock to us because our traffic falls so drastically and we go from being really really busy, particularly from finals to, ‘everybody left,’” Dinger said. “If anyone’s still around, remember Walter — and now we have air conditioning.”

In addition to the above resources, University library staff members provided a few summer book recommendations.

“True Biz” by Sara Novic

Recommended by Dinger, the novel “True Biz” follows the lives of several students at a residential school for the Deaf.

“I learned so much about the Deaf community and its history,” Dinger said.

“Butts: A Backstory” by Heather Radke

Recommended by McMillian, this nonfiction book follows the author as she learns the history behind the female posterior.

“It’s just one of those super quirky micro-histories,” McMillian said.

“Hell Bent” by Leigh Bardugo

Recommended by Kes, this fantasy novel is the sequel to “Ninth House” and follows the adventures of Alex Stern, a member of Yale’s freshman class. Bardugo, a Yale alum herself, is known for “Shadow and Bone” and “Six of Crows,” two books set in the same fictional universe that were adapted into a Netflix series.

“The Sense of Wonder” by Matthew Salesses

Recommended by Dinger, the novel is about an Asian-American basketball player named Won Lee and how he navigates his newfound stardom along with those around him.

N.K. Jemisin, a Hugo Award-winning and New York Times-best-selling author, visited Coffman Union on April 18 for a special lecture supported by the Department of English.

The event was the 42nd Esther Freier Endowed Lecture in Literature, which honors Freier, who spent her entire four decade-long academic and working career with the University. This year, the lecture reached capacity and was moved to the great hall in Coffman Union to accommodate the high demand.

N.K Jemisin is the first and only author to win the Hugo Award for best novel three years in a row with her “Broken Earth” trilogy. The Hugo Award is considered the premier award in science fiction literature.

Jemisin visited Coffman Union in promotion of her most recent book, November’s “The World We Make,” which completed her “Great Cities” duology. The urban fantasy duology is about New York City as it becomes sentient and the humans who must face an otherworldly enemy to protect it. However, “The World We Make” took on a tone that Jemisin had not envisioned for the series.

“‘The World We Make’ is a darker book than I wanted it to be,” Jemisin said at the lecture.

Writing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the author struggled to complete the series, deciding to make it a duology instead of the original trilogy.

“I decided to kind of cut my losses,” Jemisin said in a November Rolling Stone interview.

The expedited ending was noticeable to some critics.

“Several interesting developments — revelations about Manhattan’s family history, Brooklyn’s bid for mayor — feel marched to conclusion instead of being explored,” wrote Canadian poet Amal El-Mohtar in her November New York Times review.

However, the lecture highlighted the overwhelmingly positive reception to Jemisin’s works, especially her earlier books.

“If you are new to her work and eager to be devastated, you should start with ‘The Broken Earth trilogy,’” Megan Giddings, the moderator of the event, said. During her introduction, the audience broke out into cheers at the recognition of the trilogy.

Jemisin started the event with a reading titled “Give Me Cornbread or Give Me Death.” Originally published in 2019, the story describes dragon attacks, attempts to control the public and the importance of collard greens.

“It is an absurd story, it’s okay to laugh,” Jemisin said to the crowd before she began.

After the reading, Jemisin answered questions from Giddings and the audience.

The author was asked about her creative process, specifically how she developed the human avatars that represented New York’s different boroughs in her “Great Cities” duology.

Jemisin said she usually starts with the most recognizable aspect of the place she’s writing about. She asked the crowd for descriptors of Minneapolis and received several shouts of “Minnesota Nice!” in response.

Jemisin said if she were to write about Minneapolis, she would then start her avatar-development with Minnesota Nice. Using that foundation, Jemisin said she would then try to bring in more aspects of the city to avoid stereotypes and to give the character depth.

Jemisin also said she has sold the rights to all her books for television and movie adaptations.

After “Black Panther” came out in 2018, Jemisin said she experienced a dramatic increase in interest for Black science fiction stories. She sold the rights to some of her books two or three times over. However, none have reached fruition.

Her most recent deal with Sony’s TriStar Pictures is for “The Broken Earth” trilogy, which she will be adapting herself. At the lecture, Jemisin discussed writing her first script for the screen.

You can buy N.K. Jemisin’s “The World We Make” at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and more.

The University of Minnesota’s annual Spring Jam will be held on Saturday, featuring live music and more.

In addition to the music, Spring Jam will feature several attractions such as food trucks and student-group-hosted activities. The event is “really a celebration of the UMN campus,” said Luke Geister-Jones, a lead planner for Spring Jam this year.

The ideation for the event mainly comes from the three lead planners of Spring Jam, all of whom are students, Geister-Jones said. This includes themes for the event and musical performers.

However, a variety of student criticisms regarding the food and music dampened last year’s celebration.

Working with that harsh input in mind, Geister-Jones said he feels this year’s Spring Jam will help revive the festival’s reputation. For the most part, student critiques have already softened.

“I think Barstool Gophers, they kinda roasted us a little bit,” Geister-Jones said, referring to a popular Instagram account. “They weren’t super creative though because they used the same meme as last year.”

This year’s musical performers

“It feels like Spring Jam is the moment,” said Kailee Morgue, an artist performing her dark-pop style at the event. Morgue said she prefers festival performances because of the more casual vibe.

Durry, a brother-sister duo, will also perform what band member Austin Durry calls “nostalgic indie rock.”

Austin has been playing music for more than a decade and, just recently, his sister Taryn joined him. Originally from Minnesota, Durry got its start during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My sister was around and I kind of started bouncing ideas off of her,” Austin said. “We have very similar minds and similar upbringing and so our ideas flow really well together and work really well together.”

Other Spring Jam performers include hip-hop artist Eem Triplin, Nashville-based Latin country duo Kat & Alex and electronic music producer Dot.

An increase in food trucks

Spring Jam food trucks this year will include Fro Yo Soul, Thai Thai Street Food, Pharaoh’s Gyros and Russell’s Traveling Kitchen.

In part due to poor weather conditions, a few of the food trucks scheduled for last year’s Spring Jam never showed up.

“Some people were really bummed out by the lack of vegetarian options,” Geister-Jones said.

This year, the planning team looked for vendors that could support the dietary restrictions of a diverse student body.

The Spring Jam team is working to increase the variety of food options and is currently trying to add a taco truck for the event, Geister-Jones said.

Challenges

Ashley Kaser, the University programs manager for student events and entertainment, has worked at Student Union Activities since her undergraduate at the University, more than a decade ago. She said working with Spring Jam requires constant pivoting, a positive attitude and a high tolerance for ambiguity.

“There are wrenches thrown in the system kind of all the time,” Kaser said.

The biggest factors when determining performers are scheduling and budgeting restraints, Kaser said.

“The Taylor Swifts of the world are not going to be accommodating down to our budget,” Kaser said. Many students complained about the musical artists that performed at last year’s event and wanted more well-known artists to perform.

However, the announcement went well this year, Kaser said.

Kaser emphasized the important role student input has on the event, hoping the campus community will come together and enjoy the festival.

Northrop hosted The Joffrey Ballet this weekend after COVID-19 and a parapet wall failure postponed the original performance.

The Joffrey Ballet is an internationally renowned Chicago-based dance company and training institution. On Saturday and Sunday, the ballet performed three pieces, “Serenade,” “Of Mice and Men” and “The Times are Racing.”

“They say that the third time’s the charm and that certainly holds true this weekend,” Northrop’s Executive Director Kari Schloner said in a statement regarding the performance.

The Joffrey Ballet was originally scheduled to perform as part of the 2020-21 season but was postponed due to COVID-19. After a parapet wall collapsed inside Northrop on Jan. 11, it was postponed a second time.

The wall failure left the Carlson Family Stage, where the ballet performed, undamaged.

The Joffrey Ballet had not performed at Northrop since 2019. With the rescheduled performances, they showcased new pieces accompanied by Northrop’s Ballet Orchestra.

Their opening performance, “Serenade,” originally choreographed by 20th Century ballet icon George Balanchine, “is a milestone in the history of dance,” according to the New York City Ballet’s website.

Balanchine originally developed the piece to teach technique and incorporated unexpected events, such as a dancer’s late arrival.

“Serenade” opened with a closed curtain and the sound of pointe shoes on the wood stage. As the curtain rose, it revealed dancers, poised and in perfect rows. The piece has no direct story but features themes of drama and serenity throughout. The Joffrey Ballet premiered their version of the piece in their 2021-22 season.

The second piece, “Of Mice and Men,” was co-sponsored by the Northrop Centennial Commissions, a program created to support companies throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Schloner.

Originally a classic novella by American writer John Steinbeck, “Of Mice and Men” follows the relationship between two ranch workers, George and Lenny, their dreams for the future and the murder of a young woman. The ballet version, choreographed by English ballet director Cathy Marston, premiered in April 2022.

The piece featured complex set design, with dancers periodically rearranging benches and blankets on stage while large fences were raised and lowered from the ceiling.

“I really ask the dancers to pay attention to what everybody else is doing in the space,” Marston said in a video for The Joffrey Ballet. “‘Of Mice and Men’ is such a nuanced story, so I really do have to get all those details just right.”

Their final piece, “The Times are Racing,” opens with what may come as a shock to traditional ballet enthusiasts. The dancers were not wearing leotards or pointe shoes, but street clothes including jackets, sneakers and jean shorts. Some wore shirts with bold text such as “PROTEST” and “SHOUT.”

Before the piece began, the instrumentalists from Northrop’s Ballet Orchestra exited the pit. The final piece was instead accompanied by a contemporary experimental music track.

“The Times are Racing,” choreographed by the Tony Award-winning dancer Justin Peck, is a sneaker ballet, a fitting name for a piece in which the squeaks of the dancers’ sneakers replaced the thump of pointe shoes.

The Joffrey Ballet’s performance was met with cheers and a standing ovation Sunday night, a warm response after years of delays.