The Ugly Iowan takes its name from a now-defunct arts and lit publication at the University of Iowa in the early 1960s.

This contemporary incarnation maintains the spirit of the original with a greater emphasis on the dichotomy of the individual Midwestern experience – the isolation that breeds camaraderie and the distant neighborliness between strangers – and the curious culture it fuels. There’s also a lot more swearing and post-postmodern deconstructivism.

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For more information about writer M. N. Hanson, view this informal portfolio.