‘Paper Trail’ and ‘Paper’ look at history, impact of invention of paper
Two new books about the history of paper — both tell the same story, right? Well, not really, and, in their differences, the books reveal much about the writing and...
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A.J. Liebling’s classic ‘Chicago: The Second City’ put Chicago in its place
A.J. Liebling, that caustic, sarcastic, witty New Yorker magazine writer, was no fan of Chicago as he made clear in his 1952 book, "Chicago: The Second City." Consider his sardonic...
‘Your Friend Forever, A. Lincoln’ details Lincoln’s best friendship
As 1840 drew to a close and during the first month of 1841, Abraham Lincoln was "crazy as a loon," according to his law partner and biographer William Herndon. For...
T.S. Hawkins’ memoir of log cabins, covered wagons makes for entertaining reading
T.S. Hawkins was enamored of the ability of some men to make a bull whip crack like a pistol and keep a team of oxen in order. Accordingly, he watched...
Andre Norton’s ‘Daybreak – 2250 A.D.’ retains the power to thrill
I wish I could say that "Daybreak – 2250 A.D." by Andre Norton has great literary merit. But it doesn't. It was one of the first novels in the aftermath...
Review: ‘The South Side’ by Natalie Y. Moore
In "The South Side," WBEZ reporter Natalie Y. Moore examines the myriad ways in which the lives of African-Americans in the Chicago region are limited, constrained, stifled and lessened by...
Sinclair Lewis’ 1935 political satire ‘It Can’t Happen Here’ feels current in 2016
On Christmas Day 1937, the family of Doremus Jessup is enjoying a festive afternoon in their Vermont home with friends, including shop-owner Louis Rotenstern, a Jewish bachelor. Suddenly, there's a...
Henry Marten’s 350-year-old letters unearth a love story
She wasn't his wife, but Henry Marten loved Mary Ward, the mother of their three young daughters whom he called endearingly his "pretty brats," his "biddies" and, after a bout...
The future of the Chicago Archdiocese
Archbishop Blase Cupich's bold plan to reorganize the 351 Roman Catholic parishes under his charge signals a rebirth of the Chicago Archdiocese. And everyone in the Chicago area, no matter...
George R. Stewart: Unrestrained by literary borders
A conversation with a writer is, almost always, interesting and insightful. During a long career as a reporter for the Tribune, I was paid to talk with many, including Robert...