For The Book Obsessed
[ad_1] Reading Richard Lindberg’s new book Tales of Forgotten Chicago is like spending the afternoon exploring Chicago’s attic. Nestled in amongst the holiday decorations and old suitcases are people, places, and events that were once the talk of the Windy City, but have since slipped from civic memory. Richard Lindberg, an award-winning author and historian, … Read more
[ad_1] Black Midwesterners live complex lives full of love, creativity, and community; but, that’s not usually the story told in mainstream depictions of Middle America. In 2017, scholars, artists, activists, and students banded together at the University of Minnesota to form the Black Midwest Initiative to promote work that more accurately captured the truth of … Read more
[ad_1] It is said that no two people ever read the same book. Our personal history goes a long way in determining the points of references that resonate with us in a story. This is especially true for my time with Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi, since so much of what resonates with me about … Read more
[ad_1] Kirabo presses against the boundaries of tradition in her small village of Nattetta, Uganda. She does not outright reject her people’s customs, but her desire to learn where she comes from—specifically, the history of her mother—drives her to seek help along the edge of what tradition allows to find her own way into womanhood. … Read more
[ad_1] In the opening pages of Evie Wyld’s third novel, The Bass Rock, Viv notes: “Somewhere, out in the darkness, I can hear waves breaking against the Bass Rock though I cannot see it.” It is a literal reminder of the story’s setting — the east coast of Scotland, where the rock rests a mile … Read more
[ad_1] Celebrated Canadian writer Helen Humphreys’s novels almost always find their footing in historical events, often during or around war time, and they seamlessly blend meticulously researched factual detail with the elegantly understated storytelling we’ve come to expect from this author. Humphreys’s latest book, her ninth novel, is no different. Based on the true story … Read more
[ad_1] The first two-thirds of Sisters is filled with allusions to the event that lies at the crux of the story; these sprinkled tidbits of information slowly work to clear the dirt away from the truth of what happened. When you discover the details of that event, you might be shocked, like I was, or … Read more
[ad_1] The Chicago Review of Books acknowledges the unfortunate passing of Randall Kenan on August 28th, 2020. His work as a writer and educator, and contributions to the field of literature, particularly as a Black, gay writer from the South, cannot be overstated. If I Had Two Wings, Randall Kenan’s second collection of stories, immediately … Read more
[ad_1] Happy September! Fall is in the air, which means it’s time to put great new fall books on our bookshelves. Here are ten of our favorite books coming out this month, including works of sci-fi, fantasy, memoir, environmental reportage, and much, much more. City of SparrowsBy Eva Nour; Translated by Agnes BrooméMelville House “Growing … Read more
[ad_1] I’ve been lucky enough to know Megan Cummins for over a decade, ever since we did an MA in Creative Writing together at UC Davis. It’s been thrilling to see her sharp, lyrical, and hilarious stories find a final form in her debut collection, If The Body Allows It. The book centers on Marie, … Read more