A Look Ahead at Chicago Lit: August

by Allison Manley

I hope you were able to attend the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame’s annual Induction Ceremony last month. If you missed it, you can read more about our celebration of Timuel Black, Oscar Brown Jr., and Harriette Gillem Robinet in the Chicago Sun-Times coverage here. 

While we don’t have any events scheduled in August, it’s quite a busy month in Chicago for literary events. It’s still summer, and it’s the perfect time to read Sandra Jackson-Opoku’s book Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes. Savvy Summers is about Essie, the owner of a south side soul food cafe, who searches for answers when a man drops dead in her restaurant. Jackson-Opoku stops by Call and Response Books (1390 East Hyde Park Blvd) for an author talk and book signing on Wednesday, August 6 at 7 p.m. Learn more and RSVP here. 

Many gardeners (such as yours truly) are finally starting to harvest tomatoes from their home gardens. I’m excited that Booked's August book club is tomato-centric! While the book club focuses on Jenny Linford’s cookbook Tomatoes, this event will still be fun if you haven’t picked up the cookbook yet. A fun twist on “try before you buy”, you’ll be able to sample a few dishes made using recipes taken directly from the Linford's book. Show up with an empty stomach on Wednesday, August 6, 7 p.m. at Booked (506 Main St, Evanston, IL 60202). Learn more about the event here.

If you’re in the Evanston area, make sure to check out The Hive Center for Book Arts. They have a slate of August workshops that share an introduction to bookbinding skills, techniques, and terminology. If you’re reading this post, you probably love books - but do you know how they are made? Explore the question further at these workshops, which are offered Saturday, August 9 from 1 to 3 p.m.; Wednesday, August 13 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; and Wednesday, August 27 from 1 to 3 p.m. The events are at 840 Custer Ave Evanston, IL 60202. Learn more about the bookbinding sessions here, and purchase tickets here. 

Also if you love books, you should stop by the Slant of Light Books 1-year anniversary celebration! Slant of Light Books opened at 1543 N Wells St in August 2024, finally offering Old Town a bookstore to call their own. Stop by on Friday, August 8 at 5 p.m. for drinks, giveaways, and celebration. Learn more about the event and make sure to RSVP here (feel free to bring your dog!).

Chicago is lucky this month: there are two horror anthologies releasing in Chicago this month. From Beyond Press is releasing their anthology Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories on August 12. (When I hear the title, I can’t help but think about Clive Barker’s unique brand of urban horror, particularly his gruesome descent into the New York subway system in his story “The Midnight Meat Train.”) Stop by the launch party for Red Line on the evening of Wednesday, August 27. (Sandra Jackson-Opoku also has a story in this collection.) While From Beyond Press hasn’t publicly shared the time and date of the launch, but they plan to announce it shortly. Read about the short story anthology and sign up for the From Beyond Press newsletter here to learn more. 

Fans of Stephen King might enjoy the short story anthology The End of the World As We Know It, which features stories inspired by King’s The Stand. Just like King’s novel, The End of the World As We Know It is a tome: there’s nearly 800 pages of new stories, written by dozens of writers. Stop by the Chicago launch of the anthology and hear Chicago writer Cynthia Pelayo in conversation with Chris Smits on Tuesday, August 19 7 p.m. at Bucket O’ Blood Books and Records (3182 N Elston Ave). Learn more about the launch on the event’s Facebook page here. 

While Doom is the House Without a Door is an Emily Dickinson poem, it’s also the title of Chicago author Logan Berry’s new novel. Published by Inside the Castle Press, Doom is the House Without a Door is not just a book - per the publisher, it is a “ritual in text and visuals.” The book launch takes place on Saturday, August 16 at 7 p.m. at the cozy and quirky Comfort Station in Logan Square (2579 N Milwaukee Ave). The multimedia event features an impressive roster of Chicago-based artists, publishers, and writers: Gwen Hilton, Meghan Lamb, Caroline Macon Fleischer, Kathleen Rooney, and Jeremy Kitchen are all attending. Learn more about the launch here.

Edgewater cafe Loaves and Witches brings a beloved reading series back to their calendar. Poïsons is a trans reading series, cabaret, and salon based for and by trans* people. While there is an open mic part, this month’s iteration of Poïsons features Madison McCartha, Michael Dean, and Bridget Gordon. Friday August 1st, 7 p.m. (6034 N Broadway). Learn more about Poïsons on the Loaves and Witches event page here.

It’s been a great year for zine lovers in Chicago: the South Side Zine Fest was just a few days ago, Chicago Zine Fest was just about two weeks ago, and there have been a handful of zine events throughout the city this year. At the Harold Washington Library (400 S State St), join a zine workshop, Documenting Women's Health with Zines: A Conversation and Zine Workshop on Thursday, August 7 at 3:30 p.m. At the start of the event, artist Nia Easley will discuss zines, art, and health with Scout Bratt from the Chicago Women's Health Center and cartoonist/illustrator Marnie Galloway. Then Easley will lead a zine workshop. Learn more about the workshop here. (Linked to Easley’s workshop: before this workshop, you can take a tour of the Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection at 1:30pm; register and learn more about the A Body of Knowledge: Tour here. After the zine workshop – or throughout the year – stop by the 9th floor of the library to view the exhibit All for Print. Print for All. Archiving 16 Years of the Chicago Printers Guild.) 

Also at the Harold Washington Library in August: Chicagoland author Alec Nevala-Lee will be in conversation with Melissa Harris to discuss his new book Collisions: A Physicist's Journey from Hiroshima to the Death of the Dinosaurs. Nevala-Lee writes both science fiction and non-fiction, and he combined both worlds in his first book-length nonfiction work, Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Learn about his new book – a biography of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Luis W. Alvarez – on Monday, August 18 at 6 p.m. (400 S State St). Learn more here.

I first saw Alec-Nevala Lee when he read from Astounding at the Speculative Literature Foundation Deep Dish reading series. The Speculative Literature Foundation is one of my favorite literary organizations in the city, and they’re kicking off their Fall programming on Friday, August 15 from 2 to 9 p.m. at the Berwyn Shops (6931 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn, 60402). This event will have workshops, discussions, and an open mic that is sure to draw a lot of talented speculative literature readers. Learn about the kickoff here. 

On Friday, August 15, join the “Righteous Rise” Community Block Party at 433 E 46 St. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., join the community for resources, food, and family fun. From 12 to 2 p.m., there’s an open mic. This event is a family-friendly collaboration between the Me'Lo The Generation Hero and 46th St and Vincennes Block Club and Community Garden. Learn more about the party in their Facebook post here.

StoryStudio is running another fantastic series of events in their annual Conference & Festival. There are a mix of workshops scheduled in different genres and formats; some events are in-person at StoryStudio’s office, 4043 N Ravenswood Ave, #222, and some are online in Zoom. Learn more about the events, and purchase tickets here.

Remember, Chicago has a strong live lit scene. UNREAL, Chicago’s fiction-focused reading and performance series, returns on Tuesday, August 19 at 6 p.m. (learn more about UNREAL here). You’re Being Ridiculous spends a few days at Steppenwolf (1650 N Halsted St) August 14, 15, and 16 for a themed event: You’re Being Ridiculous: Girl, Bye. Learn more about Girl, Bye here, and find more Live Lit programs on our growing list here.

Are there events we should feature for September? Feel free to let us know at newswire@chicagoliteraryhof.org. Thanks for reading – we’ll see you at these events in August!

Allison Manley writes short stories and book reviews, and works at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has been published in The Chicago Reader, Third Coast Review, the Southern Review of Books, Oyez Review, Not Deer Magazine, and The Gateway Review. She is an Associate Board member of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame. 

If you know of any literary events you’d like us to feature for September or future months, please send a note to newswire@chicagoliteraryhof.org.