Cusack, Kilmer, LaBeouf
Wrapping up C2E2.
1. Man of God from Pinwheel Press:
Posted on April 23, 2012
Neuroquirks, The Mob and America’s Last Lynching: The Year In Midwest Authors
By The Society of Midland Authors
The Society of Midland Authors will present its annual awards May 8 in Chicago, honoring its choices for the best books by Midwest authors published in 2011. (Links added.)
ADULT FICTION
WINNER: Paula McLain, The Paris Wife, Random House. (Author lives in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.)
FINALISTS: Donald Ray Pollock, The Devil All the Time, Doubleday. (Author lives in Chillicothe, Ohio.) Patricia Ann McNair, The Temple of Air, Elephant Rock Books. (Author lives in Chicago.)
Posted on April 20, 2012
Blood In, Poetry Out: Jimmy Santiago Baca’s Vida Loca
The Art Of A Runaway Chicano-Apache Ex-Con
“The Poetry Foundation is pleased to partner with the Chicago Public Library to present a reading by poet Jimmy Santiago Baca. Baca’s work is concerned with social justice and revolves around the marginalized and disenfranchised, dealing with themes of addiction, community, and the American Southwest barrios,” the foundation announced Monday.
“Born in New Mexico and of Chicano and Apache descent, Jimmy Santiago Baca was raised first by his grandmother, who later sent him to an orphanage. At 13, Baca ran away, and at 21, he was sentenced to five years in a maximum-security prison. It was there that he learned to read and began to write poetry.
“Today a prolific writer, Baca has been awarded the Pushcart Prize, the National Poetry Award, two Southwest Book Awards, and the International Hispanic Heritage Award. He has also written a memoir, a collection of stories, a novel, and a guidebook for teachers.”
Baca will appear at the Harold Washington Library Center on Saturday, April 28 at 2 p.m.
Let’s take a look at the man and his work.
Posted on April 16, 2012
One Nation Under Sex
By Steve Rhodes
A year ago I received a PR pitch for One Nation Under Sex, by famed Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and his co-author, David Eisenbach. It got stuck in my queue, so to speak, but now I’m finally bringing it to you, and I recommend it highly. First, the pitch that piqued my interest, then some choice excerpts.
The Pitch
What is the takeaway when America’s most notorious pornographer teams up with a distinguished Columbia University history professor? Well, as it turns out:
* Ben Franklin’s well-earned reputation as a ladies man aided his effort to secure France’s military assistance during the Revolutionary War.
* Dolly Madison was notorious for sleeping with three presidents, one vice president and a multitude of congressmen and diplomats.
* Thomas Jefferson exposed Alexander Hamilton’s affair with Maria Reynolds to foil his plans to modernize the banking system and industrialize the economy.
Posted on April 14, 2012
Kickstarting The Chicago Writers Conference
Bringing Writers And Publishers Together
The inaugural Chicago Writers Conference will take place September 14-16, 2012 at the historic Tribune Tower, conference founder Mare Swallow has announced.
To help with initial start-up costs, the conference is running a Kickstarter campaign until April 24.
Posted on April 9, 2012
Chicago & The Iliad
By The Society of Midland Authors
The Society of Midland Authors presents a screening of the new documentary “Poets and Profs: Looking at The Iliad,” followed by a discussion with the film’s directors, Mark Eleveld and Ronald Maruszak, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 10, at Theater Wit.
The 66-minute film features poets, including Robert Pinksy, Edward Hirsch and Marc Smith, performing sections of The Iliad, as well as scholars scholars Elizabeth Samet, Nick Rudall, James Redfield and Herman Sinaiko discussing the multitude of themes within Homer’s ancient epic.
The trailer:
Posted on April 5, 2012
L-VIS Lives
By Steve Rhodes
Local poet and author Kevin Coval has been performing a one-man show at Victory Gardens scheduled to run through April 14th based on his L-VIS LIVES! and while I haven’t seen the show, I can highly recommend it if it’s anything like the book.
I admit I was skeptical at first – another bunch of obvious observations on race dressed up as insight in the form of “racemusic” poems! I was wrong, and it didn’t take Coval long to win me over. It happened on the second poem describing the journey of Coval’s white suburban rapper. That poem is called “the crossover.” Here’s a taste.
Posted on April 4, 2012
How Encyclopaedia Brittanica Was (Sort Of) Ahead Of Its Time
Quaint Film Division’s Quaint Americana
Encyclopaedia Brittanica announced last month that it was ditching its print product to go all-digital. But this Monday upload to YouTube by webdev17 reminds us that EB was multimedia before that word was (probably) invented. Please enjoy Bacteria: Friend and Foe!
Posted on April 3, 2012