Date: Sunday, September 29th, 2007
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: The Charleston Bar (2076 N. Hoyne)
Participants: Jennifer Harris, Elizabeth Bagby, Rudolph Delson, Adam Levin

See Adam Levin, host of the Myopic Fiction Series, emerge from his natural habitat to give this reading for the the Sunday Salon with novelists Jennifer Harris (Pink), Elizabeth Bagby (The Crazy Garden) and Rudolph Delson (Maynard and Jennica; author of the world’s most charming author bio).

Date: Saturday, September 29, 2007
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Pioneer Plaza (Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River)
Participants: Chris Crutcher, Robie Harris, Carolyn Mackler, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Peter Parnell, Sonya Sonnes, Marilyn Reynolds, Justin Richardson, Mary Dempsey, Rick Kogan, Haki R. Madhubuti, Sara Paretsky

This is so cool! Writers of banned books are going to read from their banned books. Frankly, the issue of banning books confuses and upsets the heck out of me. Reports of books being banned in the South Suburbs have been circulating recently, and I find it kind of embarrassing. Just goes to show that this issue is still pressing, which is unbelievably sad. Hats off to the American Library Association for organizing this event. Not to be pedantic, but please remember that Roe v. Wade is on the cusp of being overturned because we pro-choicers are not as vocal and organized as the opposition, which should teach everyone a lesson about constant vigilance.

From my Oprah Book Club newsletter (I signed up for thesis research purposes, I swear):

A New Book Is Coming Friday! We wanted Oprah’s Book Club members to be the first to know…the day you’ve been waiting for is here. Tune in Friday, October 5, when Oprah reveals her fall selection. What do you think the next book will be?

Let’s see, I’m going with something very high-fallootin’, like Gaddis’ The Recognitions or Chris Bojalian’s Midwives.

Anyone who guesses correctly wins a signed first-edition of Elizabeth Crane’s All This Heavenly Glory. Post your comments here or e-mail them to editors [at] literago [dot] org.

BookSwim is a new site that’s like Netflix, but for books. Users pay nearly $20 a month to get access to 150,000 titles. People, it’s called “the library.” Even those who live in remote areas have access to something called “interlibrary loans.” I think the government should seize any profits this dumb company makes and force everyone who joined to donate $20 to their local library system. I suspect it’s a libertarian scheme.

Three other aesthetic quibbles: the books they feature are dumb, putting two words together (MySpace, BookSwim, LibraryThing) is sooo played out, and the woman on the home page has a dumb tribal tattoo (as do many libertarians). Blech.

Date: Thursday, September 27th, 2007
Time: 8:00 p.m., $5
Location: Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia
Participants: Jonathan Messinger, comedian Kumail Nanjiani, shadow puppeteer Jill Summers, Partly Dave Co-Host Christopher Piatt. With music and dancing provided by
DJ Nathan Keay and His Seven Inches of Love.

It’s no big secret that Literago digs the work of Mr. J. Messinger: Nice to see that others agree. His quirk-filled and witty yet simultaneously dark and cerebral short story collection Hiding Out is Critic’s Choice in this week’s Reader, and the prestigious Booklist just gave the collection a great review. Here’s an excerpt.
Messinger’s stories are aching, not bleak, and the collection, wittily and expressively illustrated with Rob Funderburk’s line drawings, is fun, engaging, and a bit more than thought-provoking. A fresh, spot-on debut.—Mark Eleveld, Booklist

“This has been my experience with small, arty publications run by needy, manipulative cokeheads who treat you like their nanny: You think you are giving up material satisfaction in exchange for some journalistic and artistic freedom. This can be true to an extent. You get access to the world of artists. It is interesting socially. It confers status. It opens doors. But needy, manipulative cokeheads will always screw you over. It’s their nature.”
–via Salon (annoying ad-viewing required for non-members)

Hey, it’s beautiful out! Why not mosey over to the Cultural Center for some, um well, culture? Today as part of the Chicago Public Library’s One Book, One Chicago program the Lookingglass Theatre will be presenting a reading of selections from The Crucible, this falls One Book selection.
Chicago Cultural Center’s Randolph Cafe
77 East Randolph Street
Thursday, September 27th, 12:15p.m.

The following e-mail circulated on the University of Chicago’s Humanities listserv:

For the Philadelphia branch of our world-renowned rare bookstore client we are seeking a Sales Associate.The successful candidate will assist with all aspects of sales, including telephone, mail order, retail and art fair sales. Sales are primarily via telephone and through database of clients. Other duties include all aspects of client interaction and relations; data entry, correspondence and other general administrative functions; other duties as required. The ideal applicant will posses excellent correspondence, communications and computer skills. A widely-read and well-rounded liberal arts background with a BA in English or other literature-related field is essential.Previous rare book and related sales experience a plus. Salary 35K plus benefits. Please send resume, detailed cover letter, and the contact information for three references to: recruiters@artstaffing.com

What the hell? I worked in a bookstore for eight years and never saw more than $8.75/hr. In fact, I don’t think anyone working for Barbara’s Bookstore who isn’t related to the owner makes anywhere near $35k (although people at Unabridged make around that). I had no idea Philly was a magical place filled with fairy dust and rainbows, where bookstore clerks make as much money as teachers and nonprofit employees, but I suppose it is. Perchance to dream, Chicago booksellers.

Date: Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: The Hopleaf
Participants: Emily Flake, Troy Jollimore, Rebecca Barry

“Cooking Horror Stories” by Emily Flake.

Emily Flake is an illustrator. Troy Jollimore is a poet. Rebecca Barry is a fiction writer. Bookslut once again brings together a cross-disciplinary selection of authors. Rejoice!

The eighth annual Chicago Book Festival starts up next week. All month long Chicagoans will be able to see some great writers and participate in other literary to-dos at venues throughout the city. Just browsing through the schedule, I’ve already found some not to be missed programs: Karen Abbott’s reading for one. This lady’s been generating lots of buzz with her recent release on the history of Chicago’s Everleigh Club, “the most famous brothel in American History.” She’ll be at the Chicago Public Library’s Budlong Woods Branch (5630 N. Lincoln Ave.) on Tuesday, October 2nd at 7p.m. to discuss that very book, Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America’s Soul. Sounds scandalous, plus the event is free.