It is not exactly a saloon, the Michigan Shores Club in Wilmette. Far from it. This elegant private club traces its history back more than a century and sits on the shore of Lake Michigan, a pleasant jolt of Gatsby-esque elegance and refinement.
Outside, a light rain fell on men energetically playing paddle tennis. Inside, club members were having dinner in a lovely dining room, and more than a few of them were sipping martinis. The magnificent pool was empty, its waters as smooth as glass.
I was at this club for the first time one night a couple of weeks ago with author/lawyer Scott Turow. We were drinking wine and talking to some of the 100 or so people gathered for a benefit for the Family Service Center, a wonderful and venerable organization (100 years old next year) that helps families and individuals in many North Shore communities cope with such troubles as depression, substance abuse and child behavioral issues.
These people had come to see and hear Turow, the best-selling author of such books as “The Burden of Proof,” “Reversible Errors,” “Ordinary Heroes” and most recently, in 2010, “Innocent,” which was a long-in-coming sequel to “Presumed Innocent,” the 1987 novel that redefined crime-courtroom writing and spent a year on The New York Times best-seller list.
This is an excerpt of a piece that ran in full in Printers Row Journal, delivered to Printers Row members with the Sunday Chicago Tribune and by digital edition via email.
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