UMich Retirees Podcast
This podcast helps University of Michigan retirees stay connected with the UMRA community and the broader university. It features seminars and learning sessions delivered by prominent faculty and community leaders, as well as discussions from interest groups like UMRA Reads and UMRA Travels. Episodes are designed to fit conveniently into daily routines.
Episodes
UMRA Reads: Culpability by Bruce Holsinger
UMRA Reads : Discussion of the Book Theo of Golden
UMRA Mindfulness Wherever You Go
UMRA Reads: The Lovely One: a Memoir by Ketanji Brown Jackson
"With this unflinching account, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson invites readers into her life and world, tracing her family’s ascent from segregation to her confirmation on America’s highest court within the span of one generation."
"Justice Jackson pulls back the curtain, marrying the public record of her life with what is less known. She reveals what it takes to advance in the legal profession whe
UMRA Mindfulness: How to Best Practice Your Mindfulness
UMRA Movie Reviews - Song Sung Blue
Based on a true story, two down-on-their-luck musicians (Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson) form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band, proving it's never too late to find love and follow your dreams.
UMRA Reads: Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
"Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath".
"They are trained by the centaur
UMRA Reads: James by Percival Everett
"A brilliant reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—both harrowing and satirical—told from the enslaved Jim's point of view."
"When Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American litera
UMRA Mindfulness: What is Mindfulness?
Discussion of the book: "Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life" by Jon Kabat-Zinn
"The author maps out a simple path for cultivating mindfulness in one's own life. It speaks both to those coming to meditation for the first time and to longtime practitioners, anyone who cares deeply about reclaiming the richness of his or her moments."
UMRA Reads: In Ascension by Martin Macinnes
"An astonishing novel about a young microbiologist investigating an unfathomable deep vent in the ocean floor, leading her on a journey that will encompass the full trajectory of the cosmos and the passage of a single human life."
"Exploring the natural world with the wonder and reverence we usually reserve for the stars, In Ascension is a compassionate, deeply inquisitive epic that reaches outwar
The Power of Singing, the Power of Song with guitarist Matt Watroba
The Power of Singing, the Power of Song
Matt Watroba
Folk Singer
Join us and enjoy a demonstration of the healing and unifying power of community singing. Inspired by the work of Pete Seeger, Watroba will use a variety of song genres and techniques to create an experience that is as entertaining as it is uplifting and healing. Many know Matt Watroba as the voice of folk music in Michigan for his w
UMRA Reads: Books You Were Supposed to Read But Probably Didn't by John Atkinson
Abridged Classics: Brief Summaries of Books You Were Supposed to Read But Probably Didn't by John Atkinson is a humorous, cartoon-illustrated book that offers ultra-short, witty synopses of famous literary works, making classic novels accessible and funny for those who missed reading them, featuring irreverent summaries like "Old ladies convince a guy to ruin Scotland" for Macbeth.
UMRA Reads: The Tennis Partner by Abraham Partner
"When Abraham Verghese, a physician whose marriage is unraveling, relocates to El Paso, Texas, he hopes to make a fresh start as a staff member at the county hospital. There he meets David Smith, a medical student recovering from drug addiction, and the two men begin a tennis ritual that allows them to shed their inhibitions and find security in the sport they love and with each other. This friend
UMRA Reads: The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ta-Nehisi Coates began The Message intending to write about writing, but it evolved into a meditation on how stories and myths shape—and distort—our realities.
In three linked essays, Coates journeys from Dakar to South Carolina to Palestine, each revealing a struggle between myth and truth. In Dakar, he confronts the romantic Afrocentric visions of his youth against the tangible legacy of slavery
UMRA Reads - The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson
"When Jennifer Doudna was in sixth grade, she came home one day to find that her dad had left a paperback titled The Double Helix on her bed. As she sped through the pages, she became enthralled by the intense drama behind the competition to discover the code of life. Even though her high school counselor told her girls didn’t become scientists, she decided she would."
"Driven by a passion to und
UMRA Reads: An Elephant in the Kitchen by Francoise Malby-Anthony
"A heart-warming sequel to the international bestseller The Elephant Whisperer, by Lawrence Anthony's wife Françoise Malby-Anthony."
"A blonde, chic Parisienne, Françoise never expected to find herself living on a South African game reserve. But when she fell in love with renowned conservationist Lawrence Anthony her life took an unexpected turn. Lawrence died in 2012 and Françoise was left t
UMRA Reads: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
"The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchan
UMRA Reads: We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
"Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now."
"Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay stil
UMRA Reads: Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the Word by Anne Applebaum
"All of us have in our minds a cartoon image of what an autocratic state looks like, with a bad man at the top. But in the 21st century, that cartoon bears little resemblance to reality. Nowadays, autocracies are run not by one bad guy, but by sophisticated networks composed of kleptocratic financial structures, security services and professional propagandists. The members of these networks are co
ChatGPT Unveiled: Exploring the Power of AI Conversations
ChatGPT Unveiled: Exploring the Power of AI Conversations
Edward Adams
Former Chief Technology Officer
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
Ever wonder what it would be like to have an intelligent conversation with a computer? A conversation exploring history, science and the arts; taking deep dives into philosophy, physics, medicine, and economics; discussing current books, movies and theater; en
UMRA Reads: Tom Lake by Ann Patchette
"In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, an
UMRA Reads: The Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
"Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon, a novel of large beauty and power, creates a magical world out of four generations of black life in America, a world we enter on the day of the birth of Macon Dead, Jr. (known as Milkman), son of the richest black family in a mid-western town; the day on which the lonely insurance man, Robert Smith, poised in blue silk wings, attempts to fly from a steeple of the
Why Incompetence Fails to Recognize Itself with Professor David Dunning
Why Incompetence Fails to
Recognize Itself
David Dunning
Professor of Psychology in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
Faculty Associate in the Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research
Professor Dunning discusses the psychology underlying the notorious "Dunning-Kruger Effect," where people remain unaware of their incompetence and ignorance, thus le
UMRA Reads: The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn is a book about three female code breakers -- Osla, Mab and Beth -- at Bletchley Park during WWII. The women form a friendship (and a book club) over the years, but a betrayal and traitor among their colleagues lands one of them in locked up in an asylum in the years after the war. But through a letter carefully smuggled out, she's able to issue a cry for help from her
UMRA Reads: The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family
"Happy Days, The Andy Griffith Show, Gentle Ben—these shows captivated millions of TV viewers in the ’60s and ’70s. Join award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard and audience-favorite actor Clint Howard as they frankly and fondly share their unusual family story of navigating and surviving life as sibling child actors."
"With the perspective of time and success—Ron as a filmmaker, producer, and Hollywoo
Tax Follies & Wisdom: Odd to Horrific Episodes from Ancient to Present
Tax Follies & Wisdom: Odd to Horrific
Episodes from Ancient to Present
Joel Slemrod
Paul W. McCracken Professor of Business Economics and Public policy and
Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy in the
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
Professor of Economics in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
Professor Slemrod, an authority on tax policy design, is k
UMRA Reads: The Toledo War: The First Michigan Ohio Rivalry by Don Faber
Most are familiar with the Michigan-Ohio football rivalry, an intense but usually good-natured contest that stretches back over one hundred years. Yet far fewer may know that in the early nineteenth century Michigan and Ohio were locked in a different kind of battle---one that began before Michigan became a state. The conflict started with a long-simmering dispute over a narrow wedge of land calle
Attack from Within with Barbara McQuade
Attack from Within
Barbara McQuade
Professor from practice at Michigan Law
Professor McQuade will discuss observations and recommendations from her recent book, Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America (Seven Stories Press, 2024). The book defines disinformation as "the deliberate use of lies to manipulate people, whether to extract profit or to advance a political agen
Estate Planning, Elder Law, Probate
Legacy Law Center: Estate Planning,
Elder Law, Probate
Terrance (Terry) Bertram
President of the Legacy Law Center
Terry Bertram is a U-M alum, who has been providing estate and elder law planning services in the greater Washtenaw County area for over 30 years. His talk will focus on the importance of keeping estate plans updated and the steps to assure solid planning for elder life, as well
UMRA Reads: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
"Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But when he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to
UMRA Reads: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
Considered to be one of Agatha Christie's greatest, and also most controversial mysteries, 'The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd' breaks the rules of traditional mystery.
The peaceful English village of King’s Abbot is stunned. The widow Ferrars dies from an overdose of Veronal. Not twenty-four hours later, Roger Ackroyd—the man she had planned to marry—is murdered. It is a baffling case involving blackma
UMRA Reads: Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom by Carl Bernstein
"Carl Bernstein, the Pulitzer Prize-winning coauthor of All the President’s Men and pioneer of investigative journalism, recalls his beginnings as an audacious teenage newspaper reporter in the nation’s capital―a winning tale of scrapes, gumshoeing, and American bedlam."
"In Chasing History, Bernstein recalls the origins of his storied journalistic career as he chronicles the Kennedy era, the swel
UMRA Reads: Profiles in Ignorance: How America's Politicians Got Dumb and Dumber
"Andy Borowitz argues that over the past fifty years, American politicians have grown increasingly allergic to knowledge, and mass media have encouraged the election of ignoramuses by elevating candidates who are better at performing than thinking. Starting with Ronald Reagan’s first campaign for governor of California in 1966 and culminating with the election of Donald J. Trump to the White House
UMRA Reads: Into the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
From Goodreads: "The serene and maternal Mrs. Ramsay, the tragic yet absurd Mr. Ramsay, and their children and assorted guests are on holiday on the Isle of Skye. From the seemingly trivial postponement of a visit to a nearby lighthouse, Woolf constructs a remarkable, moving examination of the complex tensions and allegiances of family life and the conflict between men and women. As time winds its
UMRA Reads: Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America by Barbara McQuade
In Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America, University of Michigan Law professor, legal scholar and analyst Barbara McQuade, shows us how to identify the ways disinformation is seeping into all facets of our society and how we can fight against it. The book breaks down the ways disinformation has become a tool to drive voters to extremes, disempower our legal structures, and c
UMRA Reads: Says Who? A Kinder, Funner, Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares About Words by Anne Curzan
"A kinder, funner usage guide to the ever-changing English language and a useful tool for both the grammar stickler and the more colloquial user of English, from linguist and veteran U-M Professor Anne Curzan."
"Our use of language naturally evolves and is a living, breathing thing that reflects who we are. Says Who? offers clear, nuanced guidance that goes beyond “right” and “wrong” to empower u
UMRA Reads: The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina
The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World is a poetic novel about a real telephone booth in Otsuchi, Japan, a rural town decimated by the 2011 tsunami. Known as the “Wind Phone,” the disconnected rotary telephone allows grieving family members to speak, in a way, to loved ones who have passed on.
The Health and National Security Risks of Drug Shortages
Andrew G. Shuman, MD, FACS, HEC-C
Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Chief of the Clinical Ethics Service in the Center for the Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine (CBSSM)
Dr. Shuman is a cancer surgeon and bioethicist at the University of Michigan and the VA Ann Arbor Health System. He is internationally recognized as a thought leader in ethical
UMRA Reads: Lost Horizon by James Hilton
The story follows four Europeans stranded at a Tibetan lamasery for several months after their plane is hijacked and flown into the Himalayas. With time, they learn that not everything is as it seems at this Utopian lamasery.
Hilton's magnum opus was a timely novel, written in the wake of WWI and amidst the Depression. It was a much needed escape for all sorts of readers. But more than just an esc
Education Disruption and Transformation
Dr. Elizabeth Birr Moje, Dean of the U-M Marsal Family School of Education, George Herbert Mead Collegiate Professor of Education, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor in the School of Education, and Faculty Associate, Institute of Social Research Faculty Affiliate in Latin/a Studies, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
Dr. Moje will discuss the challenges facing education, their implications (the
UMRA Reads: West with Giraffes
West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge takes you back to 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe and the world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes, who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic.
Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the
The Impact of Slavery and Systemic Racism: The Grace of Repair
Dr. Earl Lewis, founding Director of the University of Michigan Center for Social Solutions and the Thomas C. Holt Distinguished University Professor of History, Afro American and African Studies, and Public Policy. Recipient of the National Humanities Medal in 2023 awarded by President Biden.
This talk centers on a handful of moments in world history that invite us to think about our own journey
UMRA Reads: Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichi
"Ruth Reichl, world-renowned food critic and former editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, knows a thing or two about food. In Garlic and Sapphires, Reichl reveals the comic absurdity, artifice, and excellence to be found in the sumptuously appointed stages of the epicurean world and gives us - along with some of her favorite recipes and reviews - her remarkable reflections on how one’s outer appear
Progress in Developing Clean, Cheap and Sustainable Energy through Solar Power
Dr. Zetian Mi's is a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan who is focused on the investigation of semiconductor nanostructures and their application in electronic, photonic, clean energy, and quantum devices and systems.
A new kind of solar panel, developed at the U-M, has achieved 9% efficiency in converting water into hydrogen an
Adventures in Bee Keeping
Beekeeping basics with novices Patty and Steve Bebee and experienced beekeepers Amy and Beau LaFleur. They provide a short overview of getting started as a hobbyist beekeeper and share our experiences getting started, hive components, life inside the colony, the different jobs of honeybees, and a year in the life of a beekeeper. Equipment, clothing, costs, time, and what about getting stung? If ti
Preserving the Legacy of Song: The University of Michigan’s Gershwin Initiative
Dr. Mark Clague -- Associate Dean for Collaborations and Partnerships, Professor of Music and Director of the U-M Gershwin Initiative and Co-Editor-in-Chief MUSA -- talks about the University of Michigan Gershwin Initiative is an ongoing scholarly examination of the Gershwins' music, in which U-M scholars in collaboration with peers from across the nation and globe, document and analyze—note-by-no
UMRA Reads: My Planet: Finding Humor in the Oddest Places by Mary Roach
New York Times best-selling author Mary Roach was a hit columnist in the Reader's Digest magazine, and this book features the articles she wrote in that time. The quirky, brilliant author takes a magnifying glass to everyday life, exposing moments of hilarity in the mundane. Insightful and hilarious, Mary explores the ins and outs of the modern world: marriage, friends, family, food, technology, c
UMRA Reads: Dawn of Detroit by Tiya Miles
Tiya Miles is the recipient of a 2011 MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" and is a professor at the University of Michigan in the departments of American culture, Afro-American and African studies, history, women's studies, and in the Native American Studies Program. She lives in Ann Arbor.
"Extracting seemingly lost lives from sparse records to recover the humanity of people regarded as property,
Complexities of China-U.S. Relations
Professor Mary Gallagher is the Amy and Alan Lowenstein Professor of Democracy, Democratization, and Human Rights, Professor of Political Science and Director of the International Institute in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts at the University of Michigan. She is also a Research Associate Professor at the Center for Political Studies for the Institute for Social Research also at U-M
UMRA Reads: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
The Thursday Murder Club is an intelligent mystery about a group of senior citizens who find themselves in the center of a murder investigation.
Learn & Grow: Preparing Your Gardens for Winter
Janet Macunovich, owner, author, and landscape architect at Gardens A - Z in White Lake, Michigan, talks about the best techniques, and timing, as well as the do's and don'ts, as you begin your fall gardening chores. You will also learn how to protect your plantings, and at the same time create fall/winter landscapes that are visually enjoyable until new growth appears in the spring.
UMRA Reads: The End of Miracles by Monica Starkman
The End of Miracles is a twisting, haunting story about the drastic consequences of a frustrated obsession. This emotionally gripping novel is a suspenseful journey across the blurred boundaries between sanity and madness, depression and healing.
UMRA Reads: The Journey of Crazy Horse by Joseph M. Marshall III
In this fascinating biography, Marshall, himself a Lakota Indian, creates a vibrant portrait of Crazy Horse, his time and his legacy.
Seminar: U-M Government Relations
Chris Kolb is the Vice President of Government Relations at the University of Michigan. Prior to accepting this position, Kolb served as Governor Whitmer's State Budget Director. Vice President Kolb led the Michigan Environmental Council for ten years. He is a former member of the Michigan House of Representatives serving from 2001–2006 and he served over six years on the Ann Arbor City Council, a
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