Category: Books

1993 interview with Gene Wolfe

Tor Books announced the news today that author Gene Wolfe has died at the age of 87. I interviewed Wolfe in 1993 when I was a reporter for Pioneer Press Newspapers in Chicago’s suburbs, visiting him at his home in Barrington. Here is my article, which was originally published in the Barrington Courier-Review on March… Continue reading 1993 interview with Gene Wolfe

‘Now Arriving,’ a new book on Chicago airports

William "Billy" Rose (September 6, 1899 – February 10, 1966)[1] was an American impresario, theatrical showman and lyricist. He is credited with many famous songs, notably "Me and My Shadow" (1927), "Without A Song" (1929), "It Happened in Monterey" (1930) and "It's Only a Paper Moon" (1933).[1] For decades preceding and immediately after the Second World War Billy Rose was a major force in entertainment, with shows, such as Jumbo (1935), Billy Rose's Aquacade, and Carmen Jones (1943),[1] his Diamond Horseshoe nightclub, and the Ziegfeld Theatre influencing the careers of many stars. Billy Rose was inducted as a member of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.[1] After divorcing comedian Fanny Brice, he married Olympic swimmer Eleanor Holm.

Pioneer Press, August 20, 2015 — There was a time when you could walk into airports without worrying about metal detectors. You could greet friends — or even celebrities — as they exited airplanes, coming down stairs right onto the tarmac. “It breaks my heart that that era has vanished forever,” says Christopher Lynch, who grew up near… Continue reading ‘Now Arriving,’ a new book on Chicago airports

Celebrating a Century of Midland Authors

Society of Midland Authors Books Blog, May 5, 2015 — The Society of Midland Authors celebrated its 100th birthday on May 1 and 2, 2015, in Chicago… On Saturday, May 2, the Society held a free daylong event at University Center in the South Loop, featuring speeches by noted authors, panel discussions on literary topics and short… Continue reading Celebrating a Century of Midland Authors

A History of the Society of Midland Authors, Part 2

Society of Midland Authors Books Blog, April 10, 2015 — The authors who gathered at the Auditorium Hotel in Chicago on November 28, 1914, didn’t expect a free dinner. But they were somewhat stunned when the writer who’d invited them, John M. Stahl, picked up the tab for everyone… Read my post at the Society of Midland Authors… Continue reading A History of the Society of Midland Authors, Part 2

A History of the Society of Midland Authors, Part 1

Society of Midland Authors Books Blog, April 2, 2015 — As the Society of Midland Authors celebrates its 100th birthday, we present a history of the organization, starting with this look at its origins. In 1914, Carl Sandburg called Chicago “Hog Butcher for the World.” Edgar Lee Masters, a Chicago lawyer born in Kansas, was giving voice to the common… Continue reading A History of the Society of Midland Authors, Part 1

Book review: ‘Blood Runs Green’

Chicago magazine, March 2015 — Blood Runs Green Reexamines One of the Most Notorious Crimes in Chicago. The 1889 murder of Patrick Henry Cronin is at the center of this insightful new book by Gillian O’Brien. Read my review in Chicago magazine.

Book review: ‘The Man Who Looked Books Too Much’

This review by Robert Loerzel originally appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times on October 11, 2009. The Man Who Looked Books Too Much By Allison Hoover Bartlett (Riverhead) John Gilkey is a convicted thief from California who bought stuff using other people’s credit-card numbers. There’s nothing especially dramatic or shocking about Gilkey’s crimes, although he did… Continue reading Book review: ‘The Man Who Looked Books Too Much’

Book review: ‘I Shot a Man in Reno’

This review by Robert Loerzel originally appeared in Signal to Noise magazine’s fall 2008 issue. I Shot a Man in Reno By Graeme Thomson (Continuum) A few years ago, the Mekons’ Jon Langford told me about his fascination with old-time folk and country songs about death. He lamented the dearth of death songs on today’s charts. “And… Continue reading Book review: ‘I Shot a Man in Reno’