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Bringing Writers And Publishers Together
The inaugural Chicago Writers Conference will take place September 14-16, 2012 at the historic Tribune Tower, conference founder Mare Swallow has announced.
To help with initial start-up costs, the conference is running a Kickstarter campaign until April 24.
Posted on April 9, 2012
By The Society of Midland Authors
The Society of Midland Authors presents a screening of the new documentary “Poets and Profs: Looking at The Iliad,” followed by a discussion with the film’s directors, Mark Eleveld and Ronald Maruszak, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 10, at Theater Wit.
The 66-minute film features poets, including Robert Pinksy, Edward Hirsch and Marc Smith, performing sections of The Iliad, as well as scholars scholars Elizabeth Samet, Nick Rudall, James Redfield and Herman Sinaiko discussing the multitude of themes within Homer’s ancient epic.
The trailer:
Posted on April 5, 2012
By Steve Rhodes
Local poet and author Kevin Coval has been performing a one-man show at Victory Gardens scheduled to run through April 14th based on his L-VIS LIVES! and while I haven’t seen the show, I can highly recommend it if it’s anything like the book.
I admit I was skeptical at first – another bunch of obvious observations on race dressed up as insight in the form of “racemusic” poems! I was wrong, and it didn’t take Coval long to win me over. It happened on the second poem describing the journey of Coval’s white suburban rapper. That poem is called “the crossover.” Here’s a taste.
Posted on April 4, 2012
Quaint Film Division’s Quaint Americana
Encyclopaedia Brittanica announced last month that it was ditching its print product to go all-digital. But this Monday upload to YouTube by webdev17 reminds us that EB was multimedia before that word was (probably) invented. Please enjoy Bacteria: Friend and Foe!
Posted on April 3, 2012
By Steve Rhodes
In the wake of the George Ryan scandals, Rod Blagojevich campaigned – improbably – as a reformer who would finally bring change to the state’s infamous political culture. Instead, he set out to exploit it from day one, hardly deterred an inch from the fate that befell his predecessor.
Following Blagojevich’s impeachment and removal from office, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn improbably became governor. This time, it seemed, a real reformer had accidentally risen to the state’s top office and reform might actually be at hand.
It wasn’t.
In his 2010 book Challenging The Culture Of Corruption, former federal prosecutor Patrick Collins described his efforts as the chair of the Quinn-created Illinois Reform Commission to shed some light on why not – and to continue advocating for measures he thinks most important for the state to take.
With Blagojevich entering prison last week, now is a good time to at least briefly reflect on the largely failed efforts of the reform commission and consider where we are now.
Posted on March 17, 2012
By Lizzie & Kevin/Open Books
“Lizzy connects Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy to a 16th-century conquistador. Kevin recaps and previews events in the store.”
Posted on March 14, 2012
By A.V. Club Chicago
“Comedians The Puterbaugh Sisters and Sean Flannery, along with retired Chicago Police Officer Bernie Brice on some of their drunkest experiences.”
Posted on March 13, 2012
Plus: How To Bind A Journal And World Book Night
The latest installment of Books Are Awesome from Aaron of the Fortknighthood.
Posted on March 7, 2012
Granny Was A Gangsta
“The city’s Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs and Special Events will hold more than 30 community meetings to prepare a cultural plan this year, with financial support from the Allstate Corporation, Chicago Community Trust, and the Illinois Arts Council,” Progress Illinois reported earlier this month. “The city is preparing a plan in conjunction with the private firm Lord Cultural Resources, which bills itself as ‘a global professional practice dedicated to creating cultural capital worldwide.'”
Uh-oh.
“Two things were obvious at [Feb. 15’s] jam-packed town hall meeting to gather public input on the city’s new cultural plan,” Deanna Isaacs wrote for the Reader. “First, the Chicago arts community (more than 300 of whom showed up) is aching for a new version of the 26-year-old plan – one that would have teeth. And second, the consultants are in charge.”
Now comes a response from the Young Chicago Authors @ Louder Than A Bomb.
Posted on March 1, 2012
Children Need Books And Books Need Children
“Did you know that 61% of at-risk families have no books at all in their homes for their children? Book ownership is a non-negotiable in any successful educational journey, and Bernie’s Book Bank is committed to making sure that Chicagoland’s at-risk children have the same opportunities that all other children have.
“Bernie’s Book Bank collects quality new and gently used children’s books; packages them into age-appropriate bags; and redistributes them to thousands of at-risk children in Chicagoland who have no books of their own, over and over and over again. Bernie’s Book Bank currently serves more than 35,000 children in Chicago and its suburbs.
“You can help us connect children needing books with books needing children by donating books, volunteering in our warehouse, and supporting us financially. Visit us at www.berniesbookbank.org.”
Posted on February 21, 2012
