Chicago's
American Writers Museum is launching two new program series this fall among their range of public programming relating to all forms of American writing. Tuesday First Books highlights the first books of promising, emerging and established writers. The Surprise Bookshelf series celebrates journalism, poetry, history, biography, graphic novels and all forms of American writing. The authors will be present to read and discuss at each event.
The first October Surprise Bookshelf event at 5pm on Thursday, October 5, will feature Marie Benedict’s
The Other Einstein about Mitza Maric, Einstein’s wife, who was a brilliant physicist in her own right. Her light was lost in the enormous shadow of Albert Einstein. The author will be present to read and sign books. RSVP
here.
The second October Surprise Bookshelf event will feature
The Hidden Light of Northern Fires by Daren Wang, a longtime organizer of the Decatur Book Festival. It’s a novel based on the Civil War story of the only secessionist town north of the Mason-Dixon line. The event will be 5:30-7pm on Thursday, October 26. RSVP
here.
The Tuesday First Books event will be 5:30-7pm on Tuesday, October 24. The book to be highlighted is
The Mothers by Brit Bennett, set in a contemporary black community in southern California. It’s Bennett’s first novel. RSVP
here.
These events will all be held in Readers Hall at the museum. Free with museum admission or a suggested $5 donation.
The American Writers Museum at 180 N. Michigan Ave. is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10am to 5pm and to 8pm on Thursdays. Admission is $12 and $8 for students and seniors. Children under 12 are free. See the complete
events calendar.