A City of Neighborhoods: Fiction Set in Chicago

In his book, Chicago: A Biography, Dominic Pacyga writes: “There seems to be a different Chicago around every street corner, behind every bar, and within every apartment, two-flat, cottage, or bungalow.” Those contrasting views of the city, especially Chicago’s many neighborhoods and its residents, have been well-represented by writers. Readers have had the opportunity to…
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The Pixies’ Doolittle Turns 25

The Pixies' sophomore album, Doolittle, released on April 18, 1989, turns 25 this week. I stumbled upon this information recently and my first thought was, "I'm really old,” but then I was transported back to high school, a time when I must have played the album hundreds of times. Music has an amazing ability to induce…
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The Music of Mad Men

"When did music become so important?" Don Draper asks Megan in season five. Megan hands him a copy of the Beatles’ Revolver and tells him to start with the final track on the album. Don drops the needle, and "Tomorrow Never Knows" blasts out of the speakers. Don settles back in his chair with a drink…
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Chicago in Song

Frank Sinatra may have sung it best with “This is my kind of town, Chicago is.” But don’t limit yourself to Ol’ Blue Eyes when celebrating Chicago with song, because the Windy City has endeared herself to a number of crooners. You’ll find plenty of songs to fit whatever your mood. There’s Sufjan’s Stevens hopeful…
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Michael Lewis Wins Carl Sandburg Literary Award

The Chicago Public Library Foundation presented a Carl Sandburg Literary Award to journalist and nonfiction author Michael Lewis at this year’s annual dinner. The award is presented to an acclaimed author in recognition of outstanding contributions to the literary world and honors a significant body of work that has enhanced the public’s awareness of the…
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Place Your Bets on the Man Booker

While literary prizes and gambling seem wholly different pursuits, the two meld together nicely when English bookies take bets on the Booker winner. Yes, that’s right; you can place a bet on the Booker winner like you would a horse. From this year’s diverse shortlist, Jim Crace’s Harvest appears to have locked the frontrunner position with the…
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