M. Earl Smith Libri

When Stonington's four founding fathers first laid eyes on the bucolic shoreline inhabited by the Pequot tribe, it was impossible for them to predict that the future state of Connecticut would produce nearly four centuries of American history. What became their sleepy coastal borough flourished from a "stony town" into what is now known as Stonington. Fishermen, whalers, and sealers would lead a boom in the 1800s, shaping a lifestyle that still persists as a testament to the area's heritage. Stonington survived major wars, an economic depression, and catastrophic hurricanes to thrive as an intimate yet welcoming community that harbored major motion pictures such as Mystic Pizza, Amistad, and Hope Springs. The town became a haven for Pulitzer Prize poet James Merrill and sustained a 1990s tourism revitalization that transformed it into one of New England's most precious hidden gems. Today, delectable seafood restaurants, charming shops, an abundantly rich historical heritage, and a picturesque seaside ambience put Stonington and its history at the quintessential forefront of every excursion to southeastern Connecticut.

Webber, Rose, Howard, Jackson, King. Five names. Five players who epitomize the greatness of Michigan basketball. Five players who helped set a game on its head, and who revolutionized how players dressed, talked, played, and competed. Yet, aside from a photo archive and some stored banners, one would be hard-pressed to find any information on the Michigan Fab Five. Through painstaking research, two turbulent years of NCAA basketball come to life, told through the lens of perhaps the greatest recruiting class to ever suit up for one college basketball program: the Michigan Fab 5. The crown jewel of Steve Fisher's long and storied coaching career, the five talents came from Michigan, Texas, and Illinois. As they converged on Ann Arbor, their undeniable talent ushered in a new era of college basketball. The images--a combination of press materials, memorabilia, and photographs from the Bentley Library archives at the University of Michigan--work in concert with the written words of historians Hannah Harshe and M. Earl Smith to provide a glimpse into the heart and soul of basketball's first modern revolution.