Remembering Harper Lee

February 20, 2016

In this age where authors are expected to tweet, update their Facebook pages, use Instagram to promote their books, and even dabble in Pinterest/Snapchat/what-have-you, it’s really enough to make you nostalgic for an era where an author could write a book, have it be a massive success, and then generally disappear from public view if […]


Nom Nom Nom: Food Bios and Author Visits

February 19, 2016

Hungry?  You should be.  For what it’s worth the authors Daniel R. Block and Howard Rosing, the men behind the new book Chicago: A Food Biography, are coming to Evanston Public Library on Sunday, February 21st at 3:00 p.m. to the Community Meeting Room (it’s bound to be popular so please register online or call […]


The Evanston Literary Salon: Publishing Children’s Books in the 21st Century

February 16, 2016

Lots of people want to write and/or illustrate books for kids, but how do you actually go about doing so? What are some of the pitfalls and perks of the job? What should you avoid? What are the common myths? This past Saturday, attendees of Evanston’s monthly Literary Salon (an event for adults with an […]


Four Recommended Chicago/Evanston Literary Podcasts

February 12, 2016

Sometimes these blog posts feel a bit like dares. The Challenge: Locate as many literary podcasts that are based out of the Chicago area as possible. Special Bonus Points: Find one that’s recorded in Evanston, IL proper. The search was on.  By which I mean, the Google search.  The iTunes search as well.  I love […]


Covers From the Past: Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

February 10, 2016

Dig deep enough into the stacks of Evanston Public Library and you’ll find book jackets long since forgotten.  Today’s pick is that classic summer paean, Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury.  A beautiful novel and one that I return to constantly when the cold winds of February blow (like today), I thought I knew all its […]


Shakespeare Comes to Illinois!

February 8, 2016

Well . . . sorta.  Small impediment to getting Shakespeare here in the States is the somewhat unavoidable fact that he is dead.  As a proverbial doorknob.  But that doesn’t mean that pieces of him don’t go walkabout from time to time.  Case in point, the national touring exhibition First Folio! The Book that Gave Us […]


Poetry 365: Dean Young

February 5, 2016

This month for Poetry 365 we’re highlighting Dean Young’s excellent new book Shock by Shock.  Influenced by the New York School poets and Surrealists such as Andre Breton, this twelfth collection from the Pulitzer Prize finalist is his first of all-new work since undergoing a life-saving heart transplant in 2011.  Slightly more meditative while still […]


The Wild and Scenic Film Festival: A Reading Guide

February 5, 2016

A question for you today, ladies and gents.  Where might you find the nation’s largest environmental film festival?  Would that be in New York?  In Los Angeles?  In Chicago proper?  NO!  As it just so happens, the largest environmental film festival happens right here in our very own Evanston, IL.  Called The Wild and Scenic […]


Crazy Good Websites for Chicago Research

February 4, 2016

Adult services librarian Lorena discovered the following local history websites.  She says: I’ve come across a few good websites for local history questions recently, and thought I would share them here. First up is Explore Chicago Collections website, http://explore.chicagocollections.org/.  You can search by major historical events, by neighborhood, by city (including Evanston), by name, by […]


Favorite Find of the Week: Mother Earth News

February 2, 2016

I don’t ask for much out of life. The occasional Grande Iced Chai Latte from Starbucks. A small child who doesn’t wake me up before 6 a.m.  Shoes with zero holes in them. Simple stuff.  But there is one thing I do demand of my job and it is this: Consistently amusing discoveries.  I don’t […]


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