Writers on the Record – Frank McCourt

Photo: Kit DeFever Frank McCourt Frank McCourt slogged away for 30 years teaching in New York City public schools-hardly the traditional route to literary stardom. The self-described “late bloomer” retired in 1987 and wrote the memoir that would amplify his existence: Angela’s Ashes. When it arrived in 1996, McCourt, a ripe 66, became an international … Read more

Space Invader

Laurie Anderson, NASA’s first artist in residence, talks about her unusual commission, the wisdom of Godard, and her newfound enthusiasm for the red planet.

Paint by Numbers

At the University of Chicago and in a forthcoming new book, the economist David Galenson explores his theory that an artist’s type can predict his likely career arc.

Oh, L’amour!

Since the mid-nineties, the neo-burlesque scene has been creeping toward Chicago from the coasts, as performance artists and jaded club kids revive the campy joys of old-fashioned striptease. Meet Michelle “Toots” L’amour, the city’s reigning queen of bump-and-grind.

A Quirk of Nature

Since it opened in Lincoln Park eight years ago, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has struggled to raise money, draw crowds, and make itself known as more than the site of a stunning butterfly haven. Will it find its own way–or merge with the nearby zoo?