Date: Friday, November 30th, 2007
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Smart Bar (3730 N. Clark, next to Metro)

Marc Woodworth is the author of the book about Guided by Voices’ “Bee Thousand” for 33 1/3, a series devoted to exhaustively researched paperbacks about iconic records (note to Continuum Press: I noticed you still haven’t done “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain,” and I know a certain charming young woman who’s available). I didn’t hear about Guided by Voices until 1997, when a friend at college witheringly scolded me for owning “Viva Last Blues” and not “Bee Thousand.” Anyhoo, this event must be terrifically exciting for Mr. Woodworth, since he will be accompanied by Guided By Voices cover band Textbook Committee and followed by a set by none other than GBV frontman Robert Pollard. With the exception of Rick Moody, who has read alongside everyone from Stephin Merrit to Sufjan Stevens, few writers ever get to live out such fantasies (although, according to my friend Jenny, the presence of Rick Moody makes every rock show 30% less awesome). I won’t comment on Pollard’s solo work, but “Bee Thousand” is certainly one of the best records of the 90’s. I’ll leave you with a verse from standout track “Echoes Myron”:

Most of us are quite pleased
With the same old songs
Then all of a sudden I’m relatively sane
With everything to lose and nothing to gain
Or something like that…

Not exactly Wordsworth, but man alive, that’s a great song. Just remember, folks, Literago brings you the deep cuts.

Date: Thursday, November 29th, 2007
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Women and Children First

We had a whole lot to say about Anne Moore’s Unmarketable, and her book release party at Hideout did not disappoint. In case you missed it, you can catch her reading this week at Women and Children First.

Date: Wednesday, November 28th, 2007
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Court (731 S. Plymouth Court)
Participants: Iris Goodwin; Columbia College Chicago Fiction Writing and Poetry Students

Gracious, a new reading series! Silver Tongue is brought to you by Jill Summersand Dave Snyder. In addition to this lovely flier, the evening will feature hip-hop playwright Idris Goodwin and some Columbia writing students speaking on the theme of poverty and privilege. And, according to Summers, “There will be food.”

We’ve been alerted to the fact that MAKE magazine is looking for submissions. We love MAKE so very much. It excites us. The official announcement:

MAKE is calling for work that is experimental in nature. This is not limited to non-traditional form, i.e. non-narrative, but also includes experimental themes and/or content.

Works that put the tag “experimental” to task will also be considered.

All submissions received prior to this announcement will be equally considered. Above all, we are seeking quality work.

Submission Deadline - Feb 8th, 2008. To submit or for more information, go to MAKEmag.com or write to submissions@makemag.com

Looking for a distraction? There’s a new lit mag online. Please Don’t has launched its first issue, and what an issue. Among the nonfiction entries Jonathan Messinger proclaims, “I Could Punch a Wolf.” (I’m almost convinced.) Prefer fiction? Then check out the terrific story by Patrick Somerville, “Xylophone.” The editors, Pete Coco and Scott Stealey, show off their formidable writing chops with the first chapter of Axl Watch. There’s also an interview with Antoine Wilson author of The Interloper. So you see there’s a little something for all of your literary tastes. Go check it out!

Enjoy your tofurkey, Chicago. We’ll be back in touch next week.

Here, 2007’s most stylish and pretty and striking and elegant book covers, according to one Joseph Sullivan of Chicago’s Book Design Review, a site (etc?) that I didn’t know existed until today, and one which may give me much idle pleasure from this point foward. Which of BDR’s picks is your favorite? Note that one, or at least one, has appeared on this site before. (Tip-off from Bookslut.)

but I may have to rethink my position on e-book readers. Amazon’s Kindle will be available next week. I’ve been reading bits and pieces about this and finally decided to investigate further. Besides the obvious convenient format (10.3 ounces and size of a trade paperback) some of the features on this thing are really amazing and practical. You can use the built-in keyboard to make notes and mark passages. The search function allows you to search for a word or phrase anywhere in your Kindle library. It has a built-in dictionary and a wireless connection to Wikipedia. I love that! I constantly jot down things I want to look up and this would be so handy.

Some drawbacks are cost and content (currently includes: books, blogs, newspapers, and magazines). Not every title you want to read will be available for the Kindle, and the stuff that is can be pricey. Not to mention the cost of the Kindle, $399, yikes! Webware has a more complete overview with pros and cons.

Now, I love printed material, but this is really something. Of course, full reviews are still forthcoming, but it certainly does make me think that the future of e-book readers is something to look forward to.

I saw Beowulf over the weekend in three glorious dimensions because Roger Ebert’s review made it sound so darn appealing. This, in spite of the fact that I hate “Beowulf,” the epic poem which, by my estimation, I was forced to read at least five times in high school and undergrad.

The movie didn’t dissappoint. I mean, sure, it was pure cheese, but 3-D cheese is way better than regular cheese, kind’ve like that port wine stuff in the plastic tub compared to Velveeta. Things were clipping right along — 3-D blood and guts were spilling everywhere, naked 3-D cartoon characters were trading double-entendres — when suddenly Queen Wealthow, in a three-quarter pose, whips out a harp. This screen shot doesn’t quite do it justice, but I swear to you that it looked EXACTLY like the cover of everyone’s favorite harp record, Ys. I believe I am the first person in the blogosphere to point this out, but I could also be the only person who cares. Anyway, see for yourself how closely the animated Wealtheow (bottom) resembles Benjamin Vierling’s portrait of Joanna Newsom (top):

Coincidence? We think not.

Date: Wednesday, November 16, 2007
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Harold Washington Public Library

What’s better than an author event at the Harold Washington Library? Why, an aurhor event with Italian-American Chicago writers of literary fiction. What’s even better than an author event with Italian-American writers of literary fiction? Italian-American literary writers that are also high school English teachers! Forgive my moment of ethnic pride, but I’ll be the one in the back of the room wearing a red, white and green beanie with the Italian Flag stitched above the brim. Billy Lombardo, who teaches at Latin, is a short-story writer who has recently published a prize-winning collection called The Logic of a Rose: Chicago Stories. 25-year CPS veteran and frequent NPR contributor Tony Romano is the author of a novel called When the World Was Young.