As the year winds down, I join the majority of Chicagoans who are exhausted from a year of pandemic crisis, battered by spiraling news stories and heartbreaking pictures of people struggling day-to-day. We read to escape or find places that are meaningful to us. Right now seems like a good time to take the plunge…
Anything You Dream Is Fiction: Celebrating Ray Bradbury
“Anything you dream is fiction, and anything you accomplish is science, the whole history of mankind is nothing but science fiction.”—Ray Bradbury My acquaintance with Ray Bradbury began at 12, when I and my sister wore Martian costumes for a float in the annual Gasprilla Parade in Tampa, Fla. The float theme, "The Future Belongs…
Quiz: How Well Do You Know Black Hollywood?
The contributions of African American actors, directors, cinematographers and producers began with the birth of silent film. Test your Hollywood smarts from then to now with this quiz from our bloggers. (We just scratched the surface with these 10 questions, so we're already cooking up another quiz. Stay tuned for Part 2!…
Top Picks: Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman knew from childhood that he wanted to be an actor, but his path was not an easy one. Hackman was born 90 years ago, on January 30, 1930 in San Bernardino, Calif. His family moved frequently, and his father eventually left. He ran away at 16 to enlist as a Marine and served…
Top Picks: Sci-Fi Star Sigourney Weaver
While Sigourney Weaver celebrates her 70th birthday in October, let's celebrate her career spanning four decades with a look at her most remarkable work. Weaver is best known for her role as Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley in the Alien film franchise. When I watched the first movie, Alien, as a pre-teen, both fascinated and scared…
Napoleon Bonaparte’s Life and Legacy
In honor of Napoleon Bonaparte's 250th birth anniversary, Joanna recommends books exploring his life and place in history.
Books to Celebrate National Nurses Week
Ever stay in the hospital? Or have a friend or family member in the nursing field? Then you realize how hard these people work! Whether in a rural area or a big city, nurses care for people in ways that bring comfort and save lives. They are present for people’s greatest joys and sorrows. This…
Movies to Celebrate National Library Week
Just in time for National Library Week, the Emilio Estevez film The Public is out today, taking on the important question of what role libraries play in our communities and who we serve. Librarians have a long history as heroes—did you know Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, had a doctorate and was the head of Gotham…
Romance: The Chicago Way
Joanna recommends romances set in Chicago to keep you warm on these frosty nights.
Writer Dorothy Parker: 125 Years of Humor, Intellect
Who doesn’t dream of having the perfect comeback? The witty quip? Dorothy Parker was famous for her bon mots and her celebrity in 1920s New York. In addition to being a member of the Algonquin Round Table—a group of artists that met for lunch every day for 10 years—she was the first female (and youngest…
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