Ann Arbor man punched during literary argument
A 34-year-old Ann Arbor man was sent to the hospital with a head injury after another man punched him on Saturday during a literary argument, according to police.
Ann Arbor police Lt. Renee Bush said the man went to a party at a home in the 100 block of North Ingalls Street at about 2 p.m. on Saturday. Bush said the man was sitting on the porch with some people he had just met, talking about books and authors.
The 34-year-old man was then approached by another party guest, who started speaking to him in a condescending manner. An argument ensued and the man was suddenly struck in the side of the head, suffering a cut to his left ear, Bush said.
The man’s glasses went flying off of his head and fell to the ground, with one of the lenses popping out of the frames, Bush said.
Police were notified of the incident at 10 a.m. Sunday when they responded to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Ann Arbor in the 500 block of North Maple Road. The man was being treated for his injuries there, she said.
The incident occurred at about 9 p.m. and the men had been drinking for several hours, Bush said.
The incident still is under investigation.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Flagstaff
Wed, Apr 11, 2012 : 3:50 p.m.
Why no names? I need to contact these guys. Our own discussion group could used a little bit more action, and they might be just the ticket.
Tom Haig
Wed, Mar 21, 2012 : 5:42 p.m.
Let me just say that if somebody comes up to my porch and starts talkin' trash - telling me Hemmingway was better than Kesey or Vonnegut... We'll we're just gonna have to do sumthin' 'bout that. Get my drift homie! I'm just sayin'....
genetracy
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 11:12 p.m.
Ann Arbor's idea of a tough man contest.
Dave
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 3:18 p.m.
I saw this guy at Urgent Care on Sunday when the police were there. He looked really roughed up. He was in a wheelchair, too.
rusty shackelford
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 3:02 p.m.
Different field, equally nerdy, this reminds me of one of the greatest moments in TV history http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyZ7oU0tUR8
Brad
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 1:45 p.m.
C'mon, it was St. Pat's. I think it went something like this: "Great taste!" "Less filling!!" (sound of fisticuffs)
Mumbambu, Esq.
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 12:39 p.m.
Was he really talking about books for seven hours (2pm to 9pm)? I can imagine how that could get annoying.
just a voice
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 11:17 a.m.
typical awful ann arbor.com coverage, no mention of that the argument was about
M.
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 1:08 p.m.
I think it's both hilarious and frightening to see the lack of critical thinking amongst a lot of people who comment on this news site. Perhaps most of them are just always looking for something to complain about, but at least some of them fail to even think about the job of a journalist for a2. Do you think they sit up at night with a police scanner and fly in their car to the scene of a crime to get the scoop? How do you propose they would find out what the argument was about? They were not present and probably did not receive word of the fight until Sunday or Monday; it also doesn't look like names were released (not that it would be very professional for a2.com to call one of these guys and ask "Hey what were ya fightin' about?" This is not a gossip site, it's a news site. If you find yourself saying "Typical awful coverage" then maybe you should click your mouse a few times, type a few letters, and find a new news site instead of being rude!
UlyssesWrong1
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 8:02 a.m.
I feel very unsafe in Ann Arbor after reading this. Those police cuts are tearing this city apart! Just kidding, this is probably the worst type of crime we get. I wonder if my comment will be pre-moderated since this is a crime story?
Psudolus
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 4:54 a.m.
File this under "Things not likely to happen in Columbus"
Unusual Suspect
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 3:17 a.m.
There is no hospital on North Maple Road.
Unusual Suspect
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 1:16 p.m.
There is an urgent care center, but there is no hospital.
Psudolus
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 4:55 a.m.
Yes, there is an Urgent Care, next to the foot clinic, accross from Ahmos.
Bonsai
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 2:52 a.m.
Oh Kyle -- it would have been a much much MUCH better police brief if you had found out at least what book and/or author they were fighting over. I think it probably went down like this with an alternate ending: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnZ0Y4rvz6E
Wendy
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 2:35 a.m.
I see words failed both parties.
Tom Teague
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 9:08 p.m.
This is why I pack a hardback copy of "War and Peace" in my backpack when I discuss literature. And I'm not afraid to wield it when things get dicey. Just sayin'.
treetowncartel
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 9:03 p.m.
People fight over literature all the time, you have the bible, quran and torah for starters.
nickcarraweigh
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 8:57 p.m.
Ernest Hemingway & Norman Mailer were neck and neck turning into the stretch, with John Updike lugging badly and Joyce Carol Oates trailing the field. Elmore Leonard was disqualified. The field, of course, was muddy.
Ryan
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 8:46 p.m.
feud of foes over fiction finds finality in fisticuffs
Robert Northrup
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 8:45 p.m.
Please, please, can we get a witness to identify specifically what the argument was about?
seldon
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 2:44 p.m.
What was the substance of the argument? Use of Christian imagery? Believability of near-immortal elves vs. talking lions?
grimmk
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 2:44 p.m.
I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. Scratch that I'm doing both. Please don't tell me it was about which movie was better or closer to the books.
Chase Ingersoll
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 2:09 p.m.
CS and JR would be so proud.
cbvi
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 4:17 a.m.
Seriously... I wasn't joking. I was there. It was an argument over Lewis and Tolkien.
Dcam
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 10:50 p.m.
"But what they fought each other for I could not well make out. But everybody said," quoth he, "That 'twas a famous victory." - After Blenheim, Southey
cbvi
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 9:19 p.m.
It was J.R.R. Tolkien vs. C.S. Lewis.
SMC
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 8:40 p.m.
This obsession with the "Twilight" series has clearly gone too far...
Arborcomment
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 8:25 p.m.
All eight comments a thumbs up and still laughing - great job folks, making Monday a better day.
monroe c
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 8:23 p.m.
I never knew it was so dangerous to be a bookworm.
Ricardo Queso
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 8:12 p.m.
Even our crime is intellectual. Pure Ann Arbor.
Ernie
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 7:52 p.m.
I keep reading that as "Poor Ann Arbor"
justcurious
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 1:15 p.m.
Good one. I was going to say this is So Ann Arbor.
drut_ferguson
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 7:57 p.m.
I, for one, think the solution is clear: all books must be banned before they lead to more violence. It's worked in the past with the video games and the rap music.
Homeland Conspiracy
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 8:59 p.m.
I agree "Think Of The Children"
UncleMao
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 7:49 p.m.
Hester Prynne: noble feminist icon or selfish, no good whore? Discuss.
northside
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 9:56 p.m.
We know how Rush Limbaugh would answer that question.
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 7:55 p.m.
I don't know nothen about no Hester Prynne but i guarantee Moby Dick was at least 200 pages too long.
smokeblwr
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 7:37 p.m.
This is why I don't read books. People who read tend to be anti-social and violent as we see here. Plus aren't all great writers drunks? Probably rubs off on their fanbases.
Tihomira Andri? Milosavljevi?
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 9:43 p.m.
yes, and we can see that you don't read or pay attention to what you read either, because if you did, you would have read that the man that was talking about books was the one attacked, not the other way around!!! but I'm still hoping you were speaking in irony!
klhp
Tue, Mar 20, 2012 : 12:44 p.m.
HAHAHAHA!
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 7:46 p.m.
I got 5 bucks says somebody is going to "correct" you. ...;)
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 7:33 p.m.
its good to know somebody is till passionate about reading.