Top 5 Literary Series
Reading Under the Influence
Neutron Bomb
Write Club
Quickies
P. Fanatics
—John Wawrzaszek

Top 5 Nonfiction Books
“Rin Tin Tin” by Susan Orlean
“Plastic: A Toxic Love Story” by Susan Freinkel
“Moonwalking with Einstein” by Joshua Foer
“The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Popularity, Quirk Theory and Why Outsiders Thrive After High School” by Alexandra Robbins
“Sex on the Moon: The Amazing Story Behind the Most Audacious Heist in History” by Ben Mezrich
—Kelly Roark Read the rest of this entry »

Top 5 Chicago Literary Cameos (and supporting roles)
“The Instructions,” Adam Levin (McSweeney’s)
“Saul Bellow: Letters,” Ed. Benjamin Taylor (Penguin Classics)
“Wilson,” Daniel Clowes (Drawn and Quarterly)
“The November Criminals,” Sam Munson (Doubleday)
“Slut Lullabies,” Gina Frangello (Emergency Press)
—Rachel Sugar

Top 5 Film Books
“Goodbye Cinema, Hello Cinephilia: Film Culture in Transition,” Jonathan Rosenbaum
“Conquest of the Useless: Reflections from the Making of Fitzcarraldo,” Werner Herzog
“The Foreign Film Renaissance on American Screens, 1946-1973,” Tino Balio
“Another Fine Mess: A History Of American Film Comedy,” Saul Austerlitz
“The New Biographical Dictionary Of Film,” David Thomson
—Ray Pride

Top 5 Books
“Chronic City,” Jonathan Lethem (Doubleday)
“War Dances,” Sherman Alexie (Grove Press)
“Generosity: An Enhancement,” Richard Powers (Farrar, Strauss & Giroux)
“Ruins,” Achy Obejas (Akashic Books)
“Inherent Vice,” Thomas Pynchon (Penguin Press)
—Tom Lynch

Top 5 Local Books
“Ruins,” Achy Obejas (Akashic Books)
“Her Fearful Symmetry,” Audrey Niffenegger (Scribner)
“How to Hold a Woman,” Billy Lombardo (OV Books)
“The Way Through Doors,” Jesse Ball (Vintage)
“The Adventures of Cancer Bitch,” S.L. Wisenberg (University of Iowa Press)
—Tom Lynch Read the rest of this entry »

Top 5 Books

“Palestinian Walks: Forays into a Vanishing Landscape,” Raja Shehadeh (Scribner)

“Netherland: A Novel,” Joseph O’Neill (Pantheon)

“Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, The End of Civilization,” Nicholson Baker (Simon & Schuster)

“Sleeping it Off in Rapid City: Poems, New & Selected,” August Kleinzahler (FSG)

“A Better Angel: Stories,” Chris Adrian (FSG)

-John Freeman

Top 5 Books

“The Lazarus Project,” Aleksandar Hemon (Riverhead Books)

“Indignation,” Philip Roth (Houghton Mifflin)

“Lush Life,” Richard Price (Farrar, Strauss & Giroux)

“When You are Engulfed in Flames,” David Sedaris (Little Brown and Company)

“Crime,” Irvine Welsh (WW Norton & Company)

-Tom Lynch

Read the rest of this entry »

Top 5 Books
“Palestinian Walks: Forays into a Vanishing Landscape,” Raja Shehadeh (Scribner)
“Netherland: A Novel,” Joseph O’Neill (Pantheon)
“Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, The End of Civilization,” Nicholson Baker (Simon & Schuster)
“Sleeping it Off in Rapid City: Poems, New & Selected,” August Kleinzahler (FSG)
“A Better Angel: Stories,” Chris Adrian (FSG)
—John Freeman

Top 5 Books
“The Lazarus Project,” Aleksandar Hemon (Riverhead Books)
“Indignation,” Philip Roth (Houghton Mifflin)
“Lush Life,” Richard Price (Farrar, Strauss & Giroux)
“When You are Engulfed in Flames,” David Sedaris (Little Brown and Company)
“Crime,” Irvine Welsh (WW Norton & Company)
—Tom Lynch

Top 5 Cookbooks Featuring Chicago Chefs
“From Our Hearts to Your Table: Favorite Recipes From a Greek American Family,” Dorothy Bezemes (N/A)
“Cooking with Les Dames d’ Escoffier: At Home with the Women Who Shape the Way We Eat and Drink,” Les Dames d’ Escoffier (Sasquatch Books)
“The Parthenon Cookbook: Great Mediterranean Recipes from the Heart of Chicago,” Camille Stagg (Agate Surrey)
“Alinea,” Grant Achatz (Ten Speed Press)
“Market-Fresh Mixology: Cocktails for Every Season,” Bridget Albert with Mary Barranco (Agate Surrey)
—Veronica Hinke

Top 5 New Recurring Reading Series
Windy City Story Slam, windycitystoryslam.com
Quickies, quickieschicago.blogspot.com
The Parlor Reads, theparlorreads.com
Sappho’s Salon, womenandchildrenfirst.com
Lovable Losers Literary Revue, lovablelosersliteraryrevue.com/blog
—Robert Duffer