No Quiet in the Library
As she ends her American Library Association term, Tracie D. Hall warns against efforts to hinder our access to books.
Custom Placements: Culture Lead
Top 5 Things We Just Learned About High Fidelity
A new book by Andrew Buss, Top Five: How High Fidelity Found Its Rhythm And Became a Cult Movie Classic takes a look at the original text by Nick Hornby, as well as its film and Hulu adaptations. Some of the best chapters focus on the movie, which was set in Chicago and required a … Read more
Inside the Wonderfully Strange Story of The Night Parade
In her beautiful and bizarre book The Night Parade: A Speculative Memoir, Chicago-area author Jami Nakamura Lin draws upon the folklore, monsters, and myths of her Japanese Taiwanese Okinawan American heritage to explode conventional narratives of mental illness and grief. Born in Chicago, Nakamura Lin grew up in Rolling Meadows, spent her 20s in Ravenswood … Read more
Terri Hemmert Knows Music Can Save Your Life
The beloved Chicago DJ is celebrating 50 years at WXRT. We spoke with her about The Beatles, breaking tough news, and her loyal audience.
Dad’s Old Records
It’s easy to assume you know Jeff Tweedy. From his early days in Uncle Tupelo to 29 years at the helm of Wilco, the Grammy winner has crafted alt-country gems with heart-on-the-sleeve lyrics that offer his perspectives on love and life. But World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed … Read more
Opposable Thumbs
Legendary film critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel didn’t always see eye to eye, especially as their WTTW show was just getting started. But as this exclusive excerpt from a new book details, those early days set the stage for one of television’s most influential partnerships.
Next Steppenwolf
A feminist political comedy kicks off coleader Audrey Francis’s new era for the storied theater company.
To Know Ernest Hemingway, Begin in Oak Park
The writer rarely returned to his birthplace after leaving at age 18, but it’s where his story begins nonetheless.
Behind the Scenes
As a movie extra, the author has ridden the L with George Clooney and watched Christopher Nolan direct. But it’s not always so glamorous.
Ike Barinholtz
The comedic actor, 46, on his bullshit detector, weed, and why he’ll never have a six-pack