FRIDAY! Ray's Tap reading series gets Popular (that's the theme) at Prop Thtr.
FRIDAY! The Book Cellar hosts writer and visual artist Tony Fitzpatrick for a discussion and reading of his art and new book Dime Stories.
FRIDAY! Poetry magazine RHINO Poetry hosts an open mic and reading at Brothers K Coffee house in Evanston.
SATURDAY! Poetry Foundation hosts (In)visible, a Young Chicago Artists teaching artist reading.
SUNDAY! Here, Chicago the reading series and potluck will be here, Theater Wit.
— John Wawrzaszek
Book Club is looking for new contributors to help us cover all things literary in Chicago. We're looking for general Book Club writers, but also those interested in covering specific beats, such as: poetry, live lit previews and reviews, classic Chicago book reviews, bookstore profiles, author profiles, local indie publishing and more.
If you're passionate about Chicago's lit scene, we'd love to have you join us. As a contributor to Gapers Block, you would be expected to write at least one post a week for the A/C page, plus items for the Slowdown event calendar. Please note: this is not a paid position; we're all volunteers here on Gapers Block. Send a couple writing samples (links are OK) along with a bit about what you'd like to cover to ah@gapersblock.com. Look forward to hearing from you!
— Andrew Huff
All Weekend! The Newberry Library hosts their 31st annual book fair throughout the weekend.
Friday! City Lit Books welcomes authors Christine Sneed and Leslie Parry for a a reading and conversation.
Saturday! Story Sessions holds their annual retreat at Little House of Glencoe (tickets available).
Sunday! Reading series the Marrow gets it going early at the Whistler.
Sunday! Sunday Salon Chicago has booked a solid lineup of writers for your entertainment at Riverview Tavern.
— John Wawrzaszek
Essay Tue Jul 21 2015
We call it "live lit" these days, but the practice of performing written material for an audience goes back decades in Chicago. From storytelling sessions to coffeehouse readings to the genesis of the poetry slam, it's a tradition that only continues to grow.
One of the few awards to formally honor that tradition, Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award, presented by the Guild Literary Complex, holds its 22nd annual award ceremony this Wednesday, July 22 at 7pm at the University of Chicago's Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St.
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— Andrew Huff
ALL WEEKEND! Visit the Book Fort at Pitchfork music festival including local and national publishers and presses.
SATURDAY! Neighborhood festival Learnapalooza hits Lakeview with free programming including some lit workshops including character development, self-publishing, and letterpress tutorials (various locations).
SATURDAY! The Ernest Hemingway Foundation in Oak Park celebrates the birthday of Ernest Hemingway with drinks, music and tours.
SATURDAY! University of Richmond professor Bert Ashe discusses black male identity from his work Twisted: The Dreadlock Chronicles at 57th Street Books in Hyde Park.
SATURDAY! Podcast Bad Karate welcomes guest readers as they record live at Chicago Publishers Resource Center.
SUNDAY! Magazine RHINO Poetry hosts an open mic and poetry reading at Village Tap.
— John Wawrzaszek
Friday! Loose Chicks reading series comes to Uncharted Books.
Friday! Chicago Alternative Comics Expo partners with their host for a some live comics readings at Chicago Publishers Resource Center.
Friday! Shame That Tune is back at the Hideout Inn.
Saturday! Curbside Splendor book release for Chris Bower's book Little Boy Needs Ride at the Whistler (includes a shadow puppet show of a story from the book!).
Saturday! The 2nd Story holds a pop-up reading at Pub 626 in Roger's Park.
Sunday! Reading series That's All She Wrote at Great Lakes Tattoo.
Sunday! Reading series It's All True records a live podcast at A Red Orchid Theater.
Sunday! Local artist Tony Fitzpatrick holds a book release for his work Dime Stories on Curbside Splendor at Fitzgerald's in Berwyn.
— John Wawrzaszek
Reviews Tue Jul 07 2015
In the year 2511, Chicago isn't somewhere you'd want to live anymore. "Everywhere they looked, rust dominated the landscape...Occasionally, a dim pale ray of light would sneak past the thick gray clouds, laying down an orange glaze across a surface...In the far distance over Lake Michigan, an electric storm sparked..."
"What happened to this place?" asks Elise Kim, a scientist who should have died over 400 years earlier. Her savior, James Griffin-Mars, responds, "Not just this place. Everywhere on Earth."
Chicago author Wesley Chu's new science fiction adventure novel from Tor Books, Time Salvager -- which hits bookstores today, July 7 -- is an impressive, ridiculously fun cross between Looper and Star Trek. Michael Bay, the pyromaniacal director of Transformers, has already optioned the book for a feature film.
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— Adam Morgan
