“It’s almost a cruel question”: An Interview with Camille Bordas by Jennifer Solheim
I didn’t know who Camille Bordas was until last summer, when her novel How To Behave in a Crowd was published. I learned she was a Chicago resident, and friends […]
Preview: Watch Sandburg’s “Skyscraper,” Streaming on PBS’ “Poetry in America”
The 12-part PBS series, “Poetry in America,” features one significant work of poetry in each segment. “Skyscraper” by Chicago poet Carl Sandburg was the star of episode 5 and is […]
Review: Happy Campers Are All Alike
Journalists love looking for America, and Dave Hoekstra—WGN radio host and author of The Camper Book: A Celebration of a Moveable American Dream—is as smitten as the rest. For the […]
Gilded Age White People Problems: Henry Blake Fuller’s The Cliff-Dwellers: Book Review
Whatever happened to melodrama? A hero, a villain, a damsel in distress—a histrionic trinity entangled over late rent payments, potentially besmirched honor, and the inevitable train track bondage scene. Well, […]
Anna and Her Sister: An Interview with The Window Author Amelia Brunskill
In her debut novel The Window, Amelia Brunskill tells the story of Jess Cutter, a Montanan girl whose twin sister Anna is found dead below her bedroom window. Jess—as thoughtful, […]
Craving Mu Shu Pork? Secrets to Delicious Recipes Revealed in Chinese Soul Food
Eating at my favorite Chinese restaurant always leaves me with a craving to create those delectable dishes myself. I’ve played around with stir-fries and sticky rice over the years—to varying […]
Folk(tale) Hero: An Interview with Author Edward McClelland
I wish I could describe Edward McClelland in legendary terms—it would be so damned apropos. I’d tell you he’s as tall as a redwood, as strong as a herd […]
Chicago Zine Fest Recap: A Cross-Town Tribute to a Miniature Medium
By Liz Mason Chicago Zine Fest is one of my favorite yearly events: a major gathering of people into what I’m into—zines. Don’t know what a zine is? Don’t worry […]
A Poet Spreads the Love: Poetry in a Bubble Gum Machine
Yvonne Zipter, poet and Portage Park resident, is spreading her love for poetry in a creative way. She has placed “poetry machines” in two neighborhood venues. Customers can drop 50 […]
Interview: Third Coast Talks Secret Chicago with Jessica Mlinaric
From the moment I saw the bright pink cover of Secret Chicago by Jessica Mlinaric I was excited. Visions of the kinds of things I loved to see so much on […]
Fooditor 99 Perfect for Hungry Chicago Stomachs and Adventurous Spirits
Michael Gebert doesn’t write about food. He writes about the people behind it as the editor-in-chief and main contributor of Fooditor, a tribute to those starry-eyed entrepreneurs who smile through […]
Review: Lock & Load: Armed Fiction, Guns and the American Imagination
Guest reviewer June Skinner Sawyers is a writer and editor; she has published many books on music and travel, including works on Bob Dylan, the Beatles and Bruce Springsteen. She is the […]