Book Reviews

[ad_1] In Erica Waters’ debut novel, Ghost Wood Song, she brings us to the luscious, chilling woods of Florida where cicadas buzz and azaleas bloom. There, we meet Shady Grove, a young woman trying to hold her family together after her step-father is murdered and her brother,  Jesse, stands accused of the crime. The only … Read more

[ad_1] In the wildlands of the North – in Canada, on the Scottish seaboard near Fife, on the cold, metaphysical plains of the isolated soul – the poems from Karen Solie’s The Caiplie Caves live, move, and have their being.  And this being is complex, a multipartite body composed of ages medieval and post-modern, secular and spiritual, … Read more

[ad_1] In her new biography, Lady Romeo, Tana Wojczuk excavates the secret history of Charlotte Cushman, a renowned 19th century actress known for revolutionizing the role of Lady Macbeth and upending traditional gender rules in the theater and offstage. Cushman lived a rich and radical life that was somehow largely lost to history. That life … Read more

[ad_1] When Chicago Review of Books launched our online literary magazine, Arcturus, our initial call was for work oriented in place. But the theme seemed a difficult specificity, so we dropped the focus on place-based writing. Leah Hampton’s new story collection, F*ckface, nails the Appalachian region with such precision and range it could be held … Read more

[ad_1] As Chicago entered Phase 4 of its reopening, The Dial Bookshop in the South Loop opened its doors again on July 1st. Although non-essential retail was permitted to open during Phase 3, owners Heidi Zheng and Peter Hopkins decided to be cautious. As they waited, they anticipated reopening with nervous excitement. As Zheng said, … Read more

[ad_1] “The Artist’s Bookshelf” is a column about books that inspire the CHIRB staff’s favorite artists. Julian Lage has been a star of the American jazz scene for decades. A child prodigy, he’s played guitar with a range of musicians, including Punch Brother Chris Eldridge and Wilco’s Nels Cline. Lage’s most recent album, Love Hurts, … Read more

[ad_1] Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s novel Mexican Gothic deserves to be heralded as a new classic of the genre. It’s tempting to say that Moreno-Garcia brings a breath of fresh air to the Gothic novel, but as fans know, Gothics leave no room for fresh air. They’re claustrophobic and dread-filled; the walls of their crumbling, oppressive mansions … Read more

[ad_1] Summer is finally here, and in the United States, at least, many of our traditional go-to activities like barbecues and beach parties have been put on hold. We miss the get-togethers, but the bright side is having more time to read! And what a great month to be stocking up on a new books. … Read more

[ad_1] The Exchange Exchange is Todd Van Luling’s new conversation series with authors of recent economics books. Economic inequality has been a primary focus of economics over the last few years in the United States. Democratic candidates made the subject a campaign focus, newsrooms added inequality-focused desks, and multiple books on the topic found spots … Read more

[ad_1] Tana Wojczuk is the author of Lady Romeo: The Radical and Revolutionary Life of Charlotte Cushman, America’s First Celebrity, out now on Avid Reader Press. Legend has it that Shakespeare wrote King Lear while in quarantine from the plague. But the real story may be more complicated. According to The Guardian there were many … Read more