Fritz Swanson

Fritz Swanson is a Lecturer in the English Language and Literature Department at the University of Michigan's College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He teaches creative writing, letterpress printing, and book history. Swanson co-founded The Printing Stewards, a nonprofit preserving metal type printing traditions, and The Index, a quarterly letterpress poetry publication. His work bridges literary nonfiction, typography, and historical preservation.

Education & Roles:

• Director of Wolverine Press (Helen Zell Writers Program)

Research Interests: Swanson's research focuses on book arts, typography's cultural role, and historical printing techniques. He has written extensively on letterpress, decimal notation history, and the intersection of technology and creative practice.

Publications & Media: His works include The Last Man for the Job (2017 audiobook), essays in McSweeney's, The Believer, and True Story. He authored Decimal Notation (2020) exploring Stevin's notation system evolution.

Collaborations: Collaborated with Jason Polan on art-literary projects and annotated Susan Sontag's On Photography.