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By Martin Northway

A longtime resident, Shirley Baugher writes of the “Hidden History of Old Town” with deep affection, in an accessible, conversational style that is at turns humorous, matter-of-fact and even reverential toward that significant piece of North Side real estate roughly bounded by North, Clark and old Ogden Avenue. She grounds us thoroughly in pertinent history such as the relocation of the old City Cemetery from Lincoln Park, the Great Chicago Fire and the reclamation of St. Michael Church before interrogating the myths—and even “ghosts”—of Old Town.

Some myths are bound to endure, such as the story that Richard Bellinger saved his home at 2121 North Hudson from the flames of the Great Fire through the diligent application of apple cider. The truth seems to have been nominally close but the tale is simply too romantic to die.  Read the rest of this entry »

Edwidge Danticat

Reclaiming its full span of traditional streetside real estate this year, tThe Printers Row Lit Fest marks its twenty-seventh outing with more than 200 authors and 150 booksellers.

There’s probably something for every taste. Here’s our likely itinerary:

Saturday, June 4

MSNBC junkies will want to catch frequent guest Jonathan Alter, author of “The Promise: President Obama, Year One” being chatted up by the Trib’s Rick Kogan. 10am, Trib Nation Stage

Want to get real insight into Haiti? Listen to this year’s Harold Washington Literary Award-winner Edwidge Danticat in a ticketed event. 11:30am, Harold Washington Library Center/Cindy Pritzker Auditorium

Listen to two of our nation’s preeminent African American literary figures chat it up, when Ishmael Reed sits in conversation with Haki Madhubuti in a ticketed event. Noon, Harold Washington Library Center/Multipurpose Room Read the rest of this entry »

JenniferEgan/Photo: Pieter M. van Hattem

“Class Acts” is the theme of this year’s Story Week Festival of Writers in more ways than one. The fifteenth anniversary edition of Columbia College’s seminal literary event explores how the notion of class comes into play in fiction, and it features some big literary stars, including Jennifer Egan and Irvine Welsh. Other highlights include a panel on the future of publishing chaired by, among others, Chicago-based writer Joe Meno and Rahm Emanuel Twitter impersonator Dan Sinker. Also in the lineup: a playwriting class with Goodman Theater’s Regina Taylor, 2nd Story Storytelling at Martyrs’, and readings by Columbia College undergrads and faculty. Story Week concludes with Chicago Classics, a series of readings hosted by the Chicago Tribune’s Rick Kogan, in which twenty “guests from Chicago’s literary community”—including Newcity’s editor and publisher Brian Hieggelke—read works by their favorite Chicago authors. All events are free and open to the public. In its fifteen-year history, Story Week has evolved from a small junket for students to rub elbows with great writers to a smorgasbord of events from intimate readings and conversations to high-energy events at venues all over the city. “This is certainly the most jam-packed schedule we’ve ever attempted,” says artistic director Sam Weller. “There’s something for everyone.” (Benjamin Rossi)

Visit the Story Week website for complete details.

In a way, all art is site-specific. And a writer’s site, whether it be hometown, adopted home, or holiday retreat, speaks loudly, however subtly expressed, in his works. Tonight, Chicago will honor its literary masters as the Chicago Writers Association inducts its inaugural class to the city’s own Literary Hall of Fame.

“When you tell people about a literary event, most think it will be like watching the book channel,” says Donald Evans, the Hall’s executive producer and Chicago author. “That’s the blessing and the curse of being a writer. How many people would recognize Stephen King walking down Michigan Avenue?”

The 2010 inductees—Nelson Algren, Saul Bellow, Gwendolyn Brooks, Lorraine Hansberry, Studs Terkel and Richard Wright—will be represented by dozens of their family members, who will accept their writer relatives’ posthumous awards, at tonight’s event at Northeastern Illinois University.

After establishing the Hall of Fame in the spring of 2009, board members assembled a nominating committee that seeded through decades of Chicago-related literature to settle on twenty-seven candidates. A separate selection committee whittled the list down to six. Read the rest of this entry »

Illustration: Pamela Wishbow

A strange and unpleasant wind blows through the literary land. Our obsession with technocultural toys, whether iPhones, iPads or Kindles, makes the foundation of thought almost since thought was recorded, that is ink on paper, seem increasingly destined to be twittered into obsolescence. And it’s not just mere media frenzy, either. Massive upheaval among major publishers these last few years has left some of Chicago’s finest writers stranded in a strange land: that is, the work is finished, but no one is around to put it out. Who knows, maybe in two years when this version of Lit 50 returns, some, if not all, of our authors will be publishing mostly, if not entirely, in the digital realm. If that’s the case, let’s enjoy an old-fashioned book or two while we can. Read the rest of this entry »

RECOMMENDED

The 2010 edition of Columbia College’s week-long festival kicks off Sunday and through the next seven days offers an array of readings and discussions with highly acclaimed authors, local and beyond.  At Martyrs’ on Sunday night, Randy Albers, Kim Morris, Sam Weller and more read as part of “2nd Story.” On Monday, literary legend Joyce Carol Oates examines her work as part of two separate discussions at the Harold Washington Library. Later that night, Sheffield’s Beer Garden hosts the “Down and Dirty Grad Reading,” with Jeff Jacobsen, J. Adams Oaks and Alexis Pride. On Tuesday evening at the Harold Washington Library, authors Achy Obejas and Alexandar Hemon discuss “Genres from Afar,” with John Dale and host Patricia Ann McNair. Wednesday afternoon at Harold Washington Library, Joe Meno hosts “Genre Bending—The Faces of Fiction” with Mort Castle, Maggie Estep, David Morrell and Kevin Nance; later that evening at 6pm Sam Weller hosts a similar discussion at the same location. Events continue through Friday, with appearances by Marcus Sakey, Rick Kogan, Sean Chercover, Stephanie Kuehnert and more. More details can be found on Newcity’s lit events page. (Tom Lynch)

Columbia College’s Story Week runs March 14-19 at various venues. The festival’s official website can be found at colum.edu/storyweek.

Saturday, June 6

Dave Eggers [pictured] will be one of the first authors of the day, discussing his book “What Is the What” at the Harold Washington Library Center at 10am…Thomas O’Gorman will moderate a discussion with authors Frank Delaney, Mike Houlihan and Mary Pat Kelly at 10:30am at the Hotel Blake Burnham Room…Kim Bob, author of “Wage Theft in America” and Jon Jeter will hold a discussion moderated by Thomas Geoghegan at the University Center Lake Room…in the same location at noon C. Todd White, author of “Pre-Gay LA” and Karen Graves, author of “And They Were Wonderful Teachers” will discuss their works with Brian Bouldrey…at 1pm Newcity’s Tom Lynch will hold a discussion with Gerald Gems and Steven Riess, co-editors of “The Chicago Sports Reader,” in the Hotel Blake Burnham Room…Elizabeth Taylor will speak with Aleksandar Hemon and Joseph O’Neill at 2:30pm at the Harold Washington Library Center Read the rest of this entry »

“Whenever you try to do a big project, you have high hopes of how good it can be and it’s never that good. But, this time, it came pretty
close,” says Donald G. Evans of his new anthology “Cubbie Blues: 100 Years of Waiting Until Next Year.” “The book explores what it means to be a Cubs’ fan, especially in light of the fact that they are perpetual losers,” Evans explains. “We wanted it to be entertaining but also a chance to talk about the Cubs on a more sophisticated, intellectual plane—really talented, thoughtful people contributed to the book.” Contributors include local literary legend Sara Paretsky, Randy Richardson, Jonathan Eig and Rick Kogan. The anthology grew out of a monthly reading series, Don’s Lovable Losers Literary Revue, which was held just blocks south of Wrigley Field at restaurant El Jardin. “Right away, I thought there was some really good stuff here, thought it all might add up to more,” says Evans of the series. “I thought maybe it was the perfect farm system for a good book.” Order your limited edition copy of “Cubbie Blues” at cantmisspress.com and get it signed the December 29 at Ralph’s Cigars on Taylor.

The annual Printers Row Book Fair offers a its usual plethora of must-see readings, panel discussions and presentations, not to mention all those book for sale. Here’s a rundown of some highlights—for the full schedule visit printersrowbookfair.org.
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