George Rawlinson [October 11, 1956-January 13, 2026]

Monday, February 2, 2026

by Donald G. Evans There was a time, long past, when my son, Dusty, considered himself an artist. He also, in prior incarnations, considered himself a detective, and inquired about what it would take to become a TV star. Nevertheless. Art, for a fleeting time, meant something to Dusty. He scribbled…

A Look Ahead at Chicago Lit: February

Saturday, January 31, 2026

by Kayleigh McNamara While this brutal winter drags on (and on and on) into February, fear not, the Chicago literary scene is just heating up for the year. Whether you are willing to venture into the tundra, or prefer to hibernate within your own home and keep up via Zoom, there are ample…

A Reckoning of A Life: Marc Smith Tells His Story

Saturday, January 24, 2026

by billy lombardo Full disclosure: I’ve had a few narrow escapes in my life, and Marc Smith is one of them. I went to the dress rehearsal of his one-man show on January 21. The start of the first act of Marc Kelly Smith’s one-man show begins in a set that represents the living room of…

Lightning in a Bottle

Friday, January 23, 2026

By Kayleigh McNamara Photos by Don Seeley There are moments we return to, both in literature and in life. Sometimes pivotal, sometimes mundane, but for whatever reason they stick with us. I can crack open a new novel and smell my third-grade bookfair, or hear Prince’s “Purple Rain”…

Chicago Books We Loved: 2025

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

by Donald G. Evans (with Michael Antman and Susan Dennison) Best Of lists are built on the false premise that the author has exhaustively consumed all the possibilities and judged the entire field on its merits. Nobody has read all the books (or seen all the movies, or tasted every pizza, or hiked…

Jā. R. Macki

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

By Jasminum McMullen Writuals explores how our city's rich literary heritage, cultural diversity, and iconic spaces inspire routines that fuel the work of local authors. Jā. R. Macki is the author of Linus Baby (Pie Face Child Press, 2023). Her essay "He & I" was nominated…

CHIRBy Awards Recognize Some of Chicago’s Best Books and Authors

Monday, January 5, 2026

by Michael Antman “Chicago lives in and on my body in ways I'll never be able to explain, no matter how many words I learn, how many dictionaries and encyclopedias I read. And I'm good with that. To belong to a place that belongs to you, that claims you eternally and always has, what…

Amy Danzer’s (Not) Farewell

Saturday, January 3, 2026

Dear Friends of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, As many of you may already know, my term on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame has come to an end. It’s been an honor over these nearly seven years — four as President and more than two as Secretary — to…

Heather Byrd

Saturday, November 1, 2025

By Jasminum McMullen Writuals explores how our city's rich literary heritage, cultural diversity, and iconic spaces inspire routines that fuel the work of local authors. Heather 'Byrd', named a Living Legacy by Brooks Permissions, is an ancestral guided international award-winning…

Chicago’s Latina and Chicano Poets: An Overview

Friday, October 31, 2025

by Carlos Cumpián While not all-inclusive, I’ve compiled a narrative index of living Chicago poets a quarter into the 21st century. These authors have solid connections to our city and have, or will have soon, published books. In listing ethnic and gender identifiers, book titles,…