Did you know Chicago is home to absolute scads of wonderful authors? We here at The Book Cellar love supporting local, and here you can find books written by your fellow Chicagoans in addition to titles that'll teach you The Windy City has a richer history than you'd even guess!
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Chronicling the author's 10,000-mile "Great Lakes Circle Tour," this travel memoir seeks to answer a burning question: Is there a Great Lakes culture, and if so, what is it? Largely associated with the Midwest, the Great Lakes region actually has a culture that transcends the border between the United States and Canada. United by a love of encased meats, hockey, beer, snowmobiling, deer hunting, and classic-rock power ballads, the folks in Detroit have more in common with citizens in Windsor, Ontario, than those in Wichita, Kansas--while Toronto residents have more in common with Chicagoans than Montreal's population. Much more than a typical armchair travel book, this humorous cultural exploration is filled with quirky people and unusual places that prove the obscure is far more interesting than the well known.
A woman is shot as she waits for her train to work. An hour later, a second woman is gunned down as she rides an elevated train through the Loop. Two hours after that, a church becomes the target of a chemical weapons attack. The city of Chicago is under siege, and Michael Kelly, cynical cop turned private investigator, just happens to be on the scene when all hell breaks loose. Kelly is initially drawn into the case by the killers themselves, then tasked by Chicago's mayor and the FBI to hunt down the bad guys and, all things being equal, put a bullet in them. Kelly, of course, has other ideas. As he gets closer to the truth, his instincts lead him to a retired cop, a shady train company, and an unnerving link to his own past. Meanwhile, Kelly's girlfriend, Rachel Swenson, becomes a pawn in a much larger game, while a weapon that could kill millions ticks away quietly in the very belly of the city.
The Third Rail is stylish, sophisticated, edge-of-your-seat suspense from a new modern master.
The Third Rail is stylish, sophisticated, edge-of-your-seat suspense from a new modern master.
The ferocious new novel from the author of The Chicago Way (A major new voice--Michael Connelly) and The Fifth Floor finds Michael Harvey at the top of his game in an expertly plotted, impossible to put down thriller set in Chicago's public transit system.
Harvey's tough talking, Aeschylus quoting, former Irish cop turned PI, Michael Kelly, is backin a sizzling murder mystery that pits him against a merciless sniper on the loose. After witnessing a shooting on an L platform--and receiving a phone call from the killer himself--Kelly is drawn toward a murderer with an unnerving link to his own past, to a crime he witnessed as a child, and to the consequences it had on his relationship with his father, a subject Kelly would prefer to leave unexamined. But when his girlfriend--the gorgeous Chicago judge Rachel Swenson--is abducted, Kelly has no choice but to find the killer by excavating his own stormy past.
Stylish, sophisticated, edge-of-your-seat suspense from a new modern master.
Harvey's tough talking, Aeschylus quoting, former Irish cop turned PI, Michael Kelly, is backin a sizzling murder mystery that pits him against a merciless sniper on the loose. After witnessing a shooting on an L platform--and receiving a phone call from the killer himself--Kelly is drawn toward a murderer with an unnerving link to his own past, to a crime he witnessed as a child, and to the consequences it had on his relationship with his father, a subject Kelly would prefer to leave unexamined. But when his girlfriend--the gorgeous Chicago judge Rachel Swenson--is abducted, Kelly has no choice but to find the killer by excavating his own stormy past.
Stylish, sophisticated, edge-of-your-seat suspense from a new modern master.
Warning: with This Used to Be Chicago as your guide, you may never look at Chicago the same again. Every building has a past -- author Joni Hirsch Blackman finds the stories behind more than 90 Chicago buildings that used to be something else: the liquor store that used to be a speakeasy during Prohibition; the yacht club that used to be a ferry boat; the countless condominiums that used to be cracker, shoe, postcard or piano factories and, perhaps the most incongruous, the circus school that used to be a church. Imagine what your favorite buildings will house in another 100 years -- that's this book backwards! Explore your own neighborhood with a new eye, find places you remember from your youth, appreciate a new part of town you've considered only as it is now.
Kevin Guilfoile's riveting follow-up to "Cast of Shadows" ("spellbinding"--"Chicago Tribune;" "a masterpiece of intelligent plotting"--"Salon") centers on an extraordinary young woman's race to find her father's killer and to free herself from the cross fire of a centuries-old civil war in which she has unknowingly become ensnared.
In 530 B.C., a mysterious ship appeared off the rainy shores of Croton, in what is now Italy. After three days the skies finally cleared and a man disembarked to address the curious and frightened crowd that had gathered along the wet sands. He called himself Pythagoras. Exactly what he said that day is unknown, but a thousand men and women abandoned their lives and families to follow him. They became a community. A school. A cult dedicated to the search for a mathematical theory of everything. Although Pythagoras would die years later, following a bloody purge, his disciples would influence Western philosophy, science, and mathematics for all time.
Chicago, the present day. Canada Gold, a girl both gifted and burdened by uncanny mental abilities, is putting her skills to questionable use in the casinos and courthouses of Las Vegas when she finds herself drawn back to the city in which her father, the renowned composer Solomon Gold, was killed while composing his magnum opus. Beautiful, brilliant, troubled, Canada has never heard of the Thousand, a clandestine group of powerful individuals safeguarding and exploiting the secret teachings of Pythagoras. But as she struggles to understand her father's unsolved murder, she finds herself caught in the violence erupting between members of the fractured ancient cult while she is relentlessly pursued by those who want to use her, those who want to kill her, and the one person who wants to save her.
In an irresistibly ambitious novel that fuses historical fact with contemporary suspense, Kevin Guilfoile delivers an erudite, propulsively entertaining thriller that seamlessly traverses the realms of math, science, music, and philosophy. "The Thousand" is ringing confirmation of Guilfoile's enormous talent.
In 530 B.C., a mysterious ship appeared off the rainy shores of Croton, in what is now Italy. After three days the skies finally cleared and a man disembarked to address the curious and frightened crowd that had gathered along the wet sands. He called himself Pythagoras. Exactly what he said that day is unknown, but a thousand men and women abandoned their lives and families to follow him. They became a community. A school. A cult dedicated to the search for a mathematical theory of everything. Although Pythagoras would die years later, following a bloody purge, his disciples would influence Western philosophy, science, and mathematics for all time.
Chicago, the present day. Canada Gold, a girl both gifted and burdened by uncanny mental abilities, is putting her skills to questionable use in the casinos and courthouses of Las Vegas when she finds herself drawn back to the city in which her father, the renowned composer Solomon Gold, was killed while composing his magnum opus. Beautiful, brilliant, troubled, Canada has never heard of the Thousand, a clandestine group of powerful individuals safeguarding and exploiting the secret teachings of Pythagoras. But as she struggles to understand her father's unsolved murder, she finds herself caught in the violence erupting between members of the fractured ancient cult while she is relentlessly pursued by those who want to use her, those who want to kill her, and the one person who wants to save her.
In an irresistibly ambitious novel that fuses historical fact with contemporary suspense, Kevin Guilfoile delivers an erudite, propulsively entertaining thriller that seamlessly traverses the realms of math, science, music, and philosophy. "The Thousand" is ringing confirmation of Guilfoile's enormous talent.
In 1921, Ben Hecht wrote a column for the Chicago Daily News that his editor called "journalism extraordinary; journalism that invaded the realm of literature." Hecht's collection of sixty-four of these pieces, illustrated with striking pen drawings by Herman Rosse, is a timeless caricature of urban American life in the jazz age, updated with a new Introduction for the twenty-first century. From the glittering opulence of Michigan Avenue to the darkest ruminations of an escaped convict, from captains of industry to immigrant day laborers, Hecht captures 1920s Chicago in all its furor, intensity, and absurdity.
"The hardboiled audacity and wit that became Hecht's signature as Hollywood's most celebrated screen-writer are conspicuous in these vignettes. Most of them are comic and sardonic, some strike muted tragic or somber atmospheric notes. . . . The best are timeless character sketches that have taken on an added interest as shards of social history."--L. S. Klepp, Voice Literary Supplement
This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.
The pride of the midwest, Chicago has recently been named one of the top cities in the US for architecture, conventions, tourism, dining, sports and culture.The Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago, touted as the most important new cultural building in Chicago in our lifetime, is set to open in mid- May. The city has a non-stop year round schedule of festivals, from the Chicago Blues Festival to Taste of Chicago to Lollapalooza, many of which are accompanied by free events to coincide. The restaurant scene has expanded dramatically over the last decade and its reputation is stellar.
From the top of the Sears Tower to the bottom of Lake Michigan, the first edition of the Time Out Chicago Guide has the Windy City well and truly covered. Written and researched by a team of resident writers and with colour photographs throughout, it's the definitive guide to America's most underrated city.
Time Out's team of local writers gives chapter and verse on the local sights, sounds, eats, and treats of the Windy City in this new edition of Time Out Chicago. The guide offers a behind-the-scenes look at every neighborhood, as well as the full lowdown on quirky towns and lakeshore hideaways beyond the city limits, including reviews of all the major museums and attractions, and guided tours to the paths less traveled. This book also provides complete coverage of the local music scene (not just the blues, but rock, rap, jazz, funk, punk, and so much more), sports (where to watch, where to play, and where to buy the T-shirt), shopping (from the high fashion of the Magnificent Mile to Swedish bakeries, occult bookstores, and farmers' markets), and the whole gamut of restaurants (from posh nosh to foot-long subs). Color photos and maps throughout ensure easy use for any visitor to this city of architectural treasures.
Compiled by the staff of Time Out Chicago, the weekly magazine for cultural listings in the region, this comprehensive guide covers everything there is to see and do in the Windy City, from high-end shops, low-down dive bars, and soaring skyscrapers to crumbling juke joints, nonstop festivals, and superb restaurant scene. Recently been named one of the top cities in the U.S. for architecture, conventions, tourism, dining, sports, and culture, Chicago is the pride of the Midwest.
Written by knowledgeable locals, this illustrated guide covers the best Chicago has to offer for the hungry visitor or resident. Containing a whopping 1,000 restaurant reviews by candid critics, the book covers everything from hidden-gem breakfast spots to stylish pubs. The extensive index is searchable by alphabet, cuisine, genre, neighborhood, and specific criteria ranging from outdoor seating to rooms with a view. Fun sidebars explore such topics as making reservations and solo dining, while clear maps of downtown Chicago, the surrounding area, and the Chicago transit system make reaching each destination a snap.
Written by knowledgeable locals, this illustrated guide covers the best Chicago has to offer for the hungry visitor or resident. Containing more than 1,000 restaurant reviews by candid critics, this guide covers everything from hidden-gem breakfast spots to stylish pubs. With restaurants organized by cuisine and price point, the extensive index is also searchable by alphabet, cuisine, genre, neighborhood, and specific criteria ranging from outdoor seating to rooms with a view. Fun sidebars explore such topics as making reservations and solo dining, while clear maps of downtown Chicago, the surrounding areas, and the Chicago transit system make reaching each destination a snap.
In a city of architectural treasures, the building continues. A radical new project by Rem Koolhaas has sprouted up on Mies van der Rohe's ITT campus, the new Trump Tower Chicago is finally underway and the futuristic designs of the Millennium Park are nearing completion. The toddling town is striding into the 21st century with the openings of even more clubs, bars and restaurants, as well as funky new hotels from, among others, the Hard Rock group. Time Out's team of local writers give chapter and verse on the local sights, sounds, eats and treats in 320 pages of crisp prose, as well as the full low-down on quirky towns and lakeshore hideaways beyond the city limits.
The Iroquois Theater in Chicago, boasting every modern convenience, advertised itself proudly as "absolutely fireproof" when it opened in November, 1903. Mr. Bluebeard, a fairy tale musical imported from the Drury Lane Theatre in London was the opening production. And leading the troupe of nearly 400 was one of the most popular comedians of the time, Eddie Foy. None of the many socialites and journalists who flocked to the shows were aware that city building inspectors and others had been bribed to certify that the theater was in good shape. In fact, the building was without a sprinkler system or even basic fire fighting equipment; there was no backstage telephone, fire alarm box, exit signs, a real asbestos curtain or ushers trained for emergencies. A month later, at a Christmas week matinee, the theater was illegally overcrowded with a standing room only crowd of mostly women and children. During the second act, a short circuit exploded a back stage spotlight touching off a small fire which spread in minutes throughout the theater. Panic set in as people clawed at each other to get out, but they could not find the exits, which were draped. The doorways, locked against gate-crashers, were designed to open in instead of out, creating almost impossible egress. The tragedy, which claimed more than 600 lives, became a massive scandal and it remains the worst theater fire in the history of the country.
This the 100th anniversary of one of worst man-made disasters of the 20th century. When the Iroquois Theatre opened in Chicago on November 23, 1903, it was considered one of the grandest structures of its day, a monument to modern design and technology, as well as absolutely fireproof. This was a theatre that would rival any in New York or Paris. Instead it became the funeral pyre for hundreds of victims. Tony Hatch, former CBS reporter and Emmy Award winner, tells the grisly story in meticulous, riveting detail, based on more than forty years of research, including many exclusive interviews with eyewitnesses. In Tinder Box, he tells the Iroquois story as it has never been told before. In a rush to open the theatre on time, corners were cut, and the Iroquois lacked the most basic fire-fighting equipment: sprinklers, fire alarm boxes, backstage telephone, exit signs and functioning asbestos curtain. Some exists, for aesthetic reasons, were hidden behind heavy draperies, doors opened inward and exterior fire escapes were unfinished. But Chicago officials, the theatre owners and managers, the contractor, stagehands--all looked the other way. Then, on December 30, 1903, disaster struck. The theatre was packed, overcrowded with a standing-room-only audience, mostly women and children who had come to see the popular comedian Eddie Foy perform in the musical fantasy Mr. Bluebeard. A short circuit in a single backstage spotlight touched off a small fire that, in minutes, erupted into an uncontrollable blaze. More than 600 people died. Because of the magnitude of the catastrophe and the obvious corruption that allowed it to happen, building and fire laws were changed to prevent it everhappening again. Tinder Box is a riveting history of a traumatic and costly calamity.