On the Web Thu Sep 02 2010

Inside The Bricklayer

Retired FBI agent Paul Lindsay has written a debut novel (under the pen name Noah Boyd), The Bricklayer, is about a (surprise) former FBI agent working as a bricklayer who gets called back into the force to work on a case. Click on the link for a peek at the first 73 pages.

Browse Inside this book Get this for your site

— Ruthie Kott / Comments (0)

Feature Wed Sep 01 2010

What We're Reading: Life on the Mississippi

What We're Reading is a weekly column that asks Chicagoans about the books they're currently enjoying (or not).

Preston

64
Retired investment banker
Lives in Evanston

What are you reading?
Life on the Mississippi, by Mark Twain

What's it about (in 20 words or less)?
Coming-of-age novel about Twain's penchant for the river and its characters.

What drew you to this book?
I've read Twain since my boyhood years and decided to revisit this classic.

What kind of person would you recommend it to?
It is suitable and highly recommended for anyone of either sex and at any age!

Who's your favorite author right now?
Mark Twain, since that's who I'm reading. However, that changes with each new book that I read.

What's your favorite place to read in Chicago or its environs?
I have just purchased a Kindle electronic reader, and I think it's the best thing since sliced bread. I read whenever and wherever I want and can obtain a new book in about 30 seconds. Other than that, at home in my favorite leather reading chair with a good light.

— Ruthie Kott / Comments (0)

Miscellaneous Wed Sep 01 2010

SHARKFORUM

No, this blog is not about Jaws and his buddies. In Sharkforum, The Sharkpack covers everything from art and film to humor and politics. Check out the literature section, where Simone Muench does "Poetry of the Week."

— Emily Wong / Comments (0)

Events Wed Sep 01 2010

RUI @ Sheffield's

Next edition of RUI: Reading Under the Influence is at Sheffield's tonight, September 1. Featured readers include JD Adamski, Brandon Will, John Flaherty and RUI's most frequent guest reader, Darwyn Jones. An evening of original short stories and trivia questions with prizes for you! Food menu available as well as drinks. This month's theme is "Sloth." So overcome your inertia and head on out to RUI at Sheffield's, 3258 N. Sheffield Ave, 7pm, $3 cover.

— Rebecca Hyland / Comments (0)

Miscellaneous Tue Aug 31 2010

They Sell Music, Too

At least when it comes to Superchunk: on September 14, Challengers Comics will have the new Superchunk LP, "Majesty Shredding", available for purchase alongside the latest Astro City and Deadpool.

— Rose Lannin / Comments (0)

Events Tue Aug 31 2010

Samosas and Self-Publishing

Eastern cuisine is not a new territory for local food writer Colleen Taylor Sen: in Curry, put out by University of Chicago press, she explores the history and culture of the often misunderstood dish. Her new book, Pakoras, Paneer, Pappadums: A Guide to Indian Restaurant Menus (available on Amazon and at Patel Brothers Handicrafts at 2600 W. Devon), helps diners expand their knowledge of Indian food and the culture behind it.

Find out more about this and how to get published on Saturday, September 18, when Sen presents at the Chicago Foodways Roundtable. 10am-12pm, Kendall College, 900 N. Branch. $3, free to Kendall students and faculty with ID.

— Rose Lannin / Comments (0)

On the Web Mon Aug 30 2010

I Write Like Vladimir Nabokov

It's true. At least that's what this program told me when I submitted this entry. Of course, it also said Margaret Atwood writes like Stephen King. Who do you write like? Click here and claim your spurious literary bragging rights.

— Rebecca Hyland / Comments (0)

Feature Fri Aug 27 2010

Bookmarks

• The Next Objectivists have a summer program involving poems and dreams. Check out their workshops and lose yourself in the "outsidereal."
• Congrats to Chicago poet Tony Trigilio for being featured in Mid-American Review's 30th anniversary issue with a special section of sixteen poems from his newest forthcoming collection, Historic Diary, from BlazeVOX.
• Get your poetry moving with Highland Park's Poetry That Moves Contest.
• Chicago-born Stephen Elliot, author of The Adderall Diaries, shares fives websites he frequents on the Utne Reader's Alt Wire blog.
• The Book Cellar receives a Time Out Chicago Reader's Choice Shopping Award, for Best Bookstore.
• Deb Olin Unferth shares a bizarre experience that happened to her at a book reading -- and gets corrected on her memory of the event.
• The Mission Amy K.R. blog asks readers to share their F*ck It lists.
• Soul dance party to benefit Chicago Underground Library.
• Animal photographer Steve Grubman reads from Orangutans Are Ticklish.
• Lakota culture and storytelling in Evanston.

— Rose Lannin / Comments (0)

On the Web Thu Aug 26 2010

Misleading Book Cover?

Jonathan Franzen's new book, Freedom -- "a masterpiece of American fiction," according to the New York Times -- may or may not be about genetically engineered songbirds. (Thanks, Utne Reader.)

— Ruthie Kott / Comments (0)

On the Web Thu Aug 26 2010

On a F*cking Mission

On Monday, writer Amy Krouse Rosenthal started a new mission for the readers of her blog, Mission Amy K.R (hosted by vocalo.org/WBEZ): the F*ck It list. She invites people to share a list of activities that they wouldn't ever want to do again -- basically, the opposite of a bucket list.

I think commenter Pam Wolff (aka Evil Ferret) and I would get along really well, based on her list:

• F*ck political correctness. Just say what you mean. Like we can't tell anyway.
• F*ck not being able to write f*ck in a blog for adults. Seriously.
• F*ck idiots who don't know the difference between their, there, and they're. Ditto for the morons who can't keep its and it's straight. Most of all, f*uck the brainless wonders who think it is acceptable to use an apostrophe + s to make a word plural.
• F*ck Fox News.
• F*ch people who think that, because they dislike something, it is bad or wrong.
• F*ck people who let their kids scream in stores and don't say anything.
• F*ck people who take up 3-5 seats on the bus/train with their non-folding strollers or shopping carts.
• F*ck wearing a bra.

Although, I must say I can't abide by the last one.

The blog also includes a few special-guest F*ck It lists, including ones from Amy Dickinson and Torey Malatia (who, when we asked him what he thinks about women's summer wardrobes, he said, "F*ck wearing a bra").

— Ruthie Kott / Comments (0)

Events Thu Aug 26 2010

Poem as Dream @ Mess Hall

Lose yourself in the "outsidereal" with The Next Objectivists at Mess Hall (6932 North Glenwood) in Rogers Park. Starting at 7pm, you'll talk about your dreams, poems about dreams, and do a bit of writing together. The workshop is free and open to the public.

— Emily Wong / Comments (0)

Reviews Thu Aug 26 2010

Diana of the Dunes

Newcity reviews Diana of the Dunes: The True Story of Alice Gray, a historically accurate account of U of C-trained mathematician, Chicagoan, and at-times enigma Alice Gray, the woman behind the ghostly lady of the Indiana Dunes.

— Rose Lannin / Comments (0)

Events Wed Aug 25 2010

Daddy's Book Release Party @ Hideout

featherproof books and Lindsay Hunter of Quickies! are having a party for the release of her book, Daddy's. Described as "sweet as pie, but she's got one mean dirty mouth", Lindsay's presentation includes featherproofers Blake Butler and Amelia Gray, Lindsey's Dad, and more. $10 gets you admission and your very own copy of Daddy's -- find out what's going down at 1354 West Wabansia, August 30th, 7:30pm.

— Rose Lannin / Comments (0)

Feature Wed Aug 25 2010

What We're Reading: Tor! The Story of German Football

What We're Reading is a weekly column that asks Chicagoans about the books they're currently enjoying (or not).

Asher

20
Student
Lives in Hyde Park

What are you reading?
Tor! The Story of German Football, by Ulrich Hesse-Lichtenberger

What's it about (in 20 words or less)?
How soccer got its many different starts in Germany and what's so great about it now.

What drew you to this book?
I picked it up because my dad recommended it, but I'm still reading because sports don't mean this much or have such an crazy history in America. The Cubs never had to finagle their team back into existence against uninterested, occupying governments.

What kind of person would you recommend it to?
Someone with a serious World Cup hangover.

Who's your favorite author right now?
Er, um, does Hamilton Nolan count? I'm ashamed to say I never miss his recessionomics column, The Way We Live Now.

What's your favorite place to read in Chicago or its environs?
It's actually a lot of fun to read on the river walk, despite the noise and smells and lots of people.

— Ruthie Kott / Comments (0)

News Wed Aug 25 2010

The Book Cellar Wins 2010 TOC Reader's Choice Award

The home of the GB Book Club, the Book Cellar, won a 2010 Reader's Choice Shopping Award from Time Out Chicago. Announced in TOC's Aug 19-25 issue, the Reader's Choice award winners also include the MCA Store (for Best Museum Gift Store), the Pleasure Chest (for Best Sex Shop), and Neil Patrick Harris the Cat, of Doggy Style Pet Shop (for Best Store Mascot).

— Ruthie Kott / Comments (0)