Chicago Literature Index —  

An article published in Chicago Classic magazine.

play

An article in Chicago Architecture Center. 

1872, novel. The first (or at least close to the first) Chicago novel was written by a New York Presbyterian minister.

Read or download the ebook here.

Chicago publisher Laird & Lee put out this book almost simultaneously with the Givins Castle groundbreaking. 

nonfiction

McClure’s Magazine

 Story of the rise and fall of speculator Curtis Jadwin in the volatile wheat market.

memoir

nonfiction

Based on the real-world letters Givins regularly sent back to the Chicago Evening Post during his own period of intense international travel.  

Leonora finds herself in possession of an enormous, highly valuable empire of real estate plots right in the heart of Chicago. The plot takes a sci-fi turn—before science fiction was an established genre-- plot shifts entirely into sci-fi when the young heiress encounters a strange aircraft that threatens to shut off the Earth's gravity. 

Driven by an insatiable need for power and wealth, Frank Cowperwood attempts to dominate the city’s street-railway system through manipulation and political alliance.

Published in Chicago Poems.

First published in Sandburg's collection Chicago Poems.

linked story collection

Inspired by the real-life Leopold and Loeb trial. 

Pulitzer Prize, 1925

With an introduction by his brother Theodore Dreiser, this book contains the song lyrics of blues musician Paul Dresser. 

nonfiction

Chicago Premiere: xxxxxxx

historical novel

This story is told partly in "newsreels" that feature headlines and article bits taken from the Chicago Tribune. One of the main characters, Eleanor, is a Chicago lacemaker. Another character, Eric Egstrom, gets a job in the interior decorating department at Marshall Field's department store. 

Story: Susan Glaspell (based on her novel Brook Evans)

Screenplay: Zoe Akins, 1930

Director: Richard Wallace

Stars: Ruth Chatterton, Paul Lukas, David Manners

The book contains twelve biographical sketches of men who were impactful to Dreiser. Particularly notable is the section "My Brother Paul," about the author's brother and Chicago resident Paul Dresser.

novel trilogy

Chicago Premiere: Great Northern Theatre

John J. Malone #1

John J. Malone, Craig Rice, 1939-1967

John J. Malone #3

John J. Malone #2

John J. Malone #5

John J. Malone #4

A musical film inspired by the life of musicians Paul Dresser and Sally Elliot. Theodore Dreiser wrote a biographical sketch about his brother called “My Brother Paul” that was included in his 1930 book, Twelve Men. Dreiser’s essay credits his brother for several notable literary achievements (in addition to songwriting), including as a humor columnist for a small-town newspaper and a scriptwriter for A Green Goods Man. That essay provided the basis for a 1942 biopic musical film, My Gal Sal, about Dresser and singer Sally Elliot. Dresser wrote the song, “My Gal Sal” in 1905, a song that gained popularity even before Al Jolson recorded it in 1947. In the film, which stars Victor Mature and Rita Hayworth, Dresser flees his small Indiana hometown to pursue a career as a musician, in defiance of his father’s wishes for him to become a minister. He ends up falling in love with singer Sally, for whom he’s been writing songs.

John J. Malone #6

John J. Malone #7

Harper’s article, contained in book form?

It was promotion of this children's book that led to the infamous elephant incident at Marshall Fields.  

John J. Malone #8

Ed and Am Hunter mystery (#1)

Ed and Am Hunter Mystery, Frederick Brown, 1947-1963

Story (adapted from articles by): James P. McGuire

Screenplay: Jay Dratler and Jerome Cady, 1948

Director: Henry Hathaway

Stars: James Stewart, Richard Conte, Lee J. Cobb

Someday, Boy, Sam Ross, 1948

Ed and Am Hunter mystery (#2)

John J. Malone #9

(Pulitzer Prize, 1950)

Story: (adapted from novel) Willard Motley

Screenplay: John Monks Jr. and Daniel Taradash, 1949

Director: Nicholas Ray

Stars: Humphrey Bogart, John Derek

Ed and Am Hunter mystery (#3)

Ed and Am Hunter mystery (#4)

(first National Book Award)

Ed and Am Hunter mystery (#5)

Story (adapted from novel): Theodore Dreiser

Screenplay: Ruth and Augustus Goetz, 1952

Director: Will Wyler

Stars: Laurence Olivier, Jennifer Jones

This history was written when the department store was in its full bloom as a legendary retailer. The narrative begins pre-Chicago Fire, when retail demand, especially among women, had expanded dramatically, then through the devastation caused by the natural disaster. 

In one section of this long coming-of-age novel, Augie flirts with academic life in a university much like the University of Chicago.

Screenplay: Henry Kleiner, 1954

Director: Otto Preminger

Stars: Harry Belafonte, Dorthy Dandridge, Pearl Bailey

Story (adapted from the novel by): Nelson Algren

Screenplay: Walter Newman, Lewis Meltzer, and Ben Hecht, 1955

Director: Otto Preminger

Stars: Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak

John J. Malone #11

John J. Malone #10

Posthumously awarded a Newberry Honor. 

John J. Malone #12

Chicago Premiere: Blackstone Theatre

Story: Meyer Levin

Screenplay: Richard Murphy, 1959

Director: Richard Fleischer

Stars: Orson Welles, Dean Stockwell

Roth wrote these stories in Hyde Park. 

autobiography

Ed and Am Hunter mystery (#6)

Published in The Bean Eaters collection of poetry. 

Story: James T. Farrell

Screenplay: James T. Farrell and Philip Yordan

Director: Irving Lerner,

Stars: Christopher Knight, Frank Gorshin, Jack Nicholson, Venetia Stevenson

Story: Lorraine Hansberry

Screenplay: Lorraine Hansberry

Director: Daniel Petrie,

Stars: Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeil, Diana Sands, Roy Sands, Louis Gossett Jr.

A memoir dedicated to her partner, Jane Heap.

Ed and Am Hunter mystery (#7)

John J. Malone #13

John J. Malone #14

Children's Story. This stop-motion animated television special became an annual holiday tradition for many households.  

Dream of Kings, Harry Mark Petrakis, 1966

The eighth novel in the Travis McGee series. McGee, the narrator in all 21 novels, including this one, is a "savage consultant." That means, essentially, that he recovers property in exchange for half of the value. McGee lives in a houseboat usually docked in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He travels to Chicago to help an old friend, Glory, who married and moved to Chicago after McGee helped her recover from a traumatic experience in Florida. The action takes place in Evanston, though it's a rather generic North Shore depiction. This is the only Chicago-set novel in the series. 

John J. Malone #15

Story: David Maurer

Screenplay: Howard Browne

Director: Roger Corman

Stars: Jason Robards, George Segal

nonfiction

history

A film.

A detailed, journalistic account of the trial originally published shortly after the verdict. Screenplay for the movie by Aaron Sorkin.

Story: Sam Greenlee

Screenplay: Sam Greenlee and Melvin Clay

Director: Ivan Dixon

Stars: Lawrence Cook, J.A. Preston, Paula Kelly, Janet League

Screenplay: David S. Ward

Director: George Roy Hill

Stars: Robert Redford, Paul Newman

Chicago Premiere: Organic Theatre

Chicago Premiere: Organic Theatre

Story: Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur

Screenplay: Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, 1974

Director: Billy Wilder

Stars: Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon

oral history

An oral history.

Chicago Premiere: Goodman Theatre

Screenplay: Eric Monte

Director: Michael Schultz

Stars: Glynn Turman, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs

Humboldt's Gift, Saul Bellow, 1975

Chicago Premiere: Organic Theatre

Screenplay: John Landis and Dan Aykroyd

Director: John Landis,

Stars: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd

Screenplay: Alan Ormsby

Director: Tony Bill

Stars: Adam Baldwin, Chris Makepeace, Matt Dillon, Joan Cusack, Ruth Gordon

Chicago Premiere: Touchtone Theatre

Story: Christopher Keane

Screenplay: Peter Hyams, William Link, John Rester Zodrow

Director: Buzz Kulik

Star: Steve McQueen

Screenplay: Michael Mann

Director: Michael Mann

Stars: James Caan, Tuesday Weld, James Belushi, Willie Nelson

A V.I. Warshawski mystery (#1)

Chicago Premiere: Goodman Theatre

A Nathan Heller mystery (#1)

This story involves an urban legend of a neighborhood girl who drowned in the Douglas Park Lagoon; her father preserved her body in the Icehouse, which is on the neighborhood’s to-be-destroyed list. Manny, Eddie and Antek go to the boarded-up icehouse to rescue her.

A V.I. Warshawski mystery (#2)

Chicago Premiere: Organic Theatre

A poem included in TriQuarterly (#60) and Dickson’s 1986 anthology, Waving at Trains. 

A Nathan Heller mystery (#2)

A Father Blackie Ryan mystery (#1)

A V.I. Warshawski mystery (#3)

Chicago Premiere: Stormfield Theater

Story: David Mamet

Screenplay: Tim Kazurinsky and Denise DeClue

Director: Edward Zwick

Stars: Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, James Belushi

A Father Blackie Ryan mystery (#2)

Story: Richard Wright

Screenplay: Richard Wesley

Director: Jerrold Freedman,

Stars: Matt Dillon, Oprah Winfrey, Victor Love, Elizabeth McGovern

Screenplay: Jimmy Huston and Gary DeVore

Director: Peter Hyams

Stars: Billy Crystal, Gregory Hines

A V.I. Warshawski mystery (#4)

Chicago Premiere: ETA Theater

A Father Blackie Ryan mystery (#3)

Story: Eliot Ness, Oscar Fraley

Screenplay: David Mamet

Director: Brian De Palma,

Stars: Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Robert DeNiro, Andy Garcia

A V.I. Warshawski mystery (#5)

Story: Eliot Asinof

Screenplay: John Sayles

Director: John Sayles

Stars: John Cusack, John Mahoney, Charlie Sheen

A Nathan Heller mystery (#4)

Chicago Premiere: ETA Theater

Cat Marsala #1

A Quint McCauley mystery (#1)

The 87th volume of the Nancy Drew mystery series. 

A V.I. Warshawski mystery (#6)

A Quint McCauley mystery (#2)

An Abe Lieberman mystery (#1)

A short story published in Women Hollering Creek.

A Paul Whelan mystery (#1)

A Nathan Heller mystery (#6)

Cat Marsala #2

A Quint McCauley mystery (#3)

(Second Opportunities #1)

A Nathan Heller mystery (#5)

(New York Public Library's 150 most important books of the century).

poetry

A V.I. Warshawski mystery (#7)

A Father Blackie Ryan mystery (#4)

Cat Marsala #3

essays

This collection includes the essay, “Waiting for Godot on Jeffrey Boulevard.” 

An article published in the Chicago Tribune. 

A Paul Whelan mystery (#2)

A Quint McCauley mystery (#4)

A Father Blackie Ryan mystery (#5)

Cat Marsala #4

Abe Lieberman (#2)

Martin, then a 29-year-old Cook Count assistant state’s attorney, was the lead prosecutor in the Richard Speck murder trial. 

Story: David Twohy

Screenplay: David Twohy and Jeb Stuart

Director: Andrew Davis

Stars: Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Sela Ward

Story: Alex Kotlowitz

Screenplay: Alex Kotlowitz and Bobby Smith Jr.

Director: Anita W. Addison

Stars: Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, Michael Jordan

A Nathan Heller mystery (#7)

A Father Blackie Ryan mystery (#6)

Cat Marsala #5

Screenplay: Steve James and Frederick Marx

Director: Steve James

Stars: William Gates, Arthur Agee

(Chicago Stars #1)

An Abe Lieberman mystery (#3)

A Larry Cole mystery (#1)

A Paul Whelan mystery (#3)

A V.I. Warshawski mystery (#8)

A Paul Whelan mystery (#4)

A Nathan Heller mystery (#8)

Chicago Premiere: Touchtone Theatre

A Father Blackie Ryan mystery (#7)

Cat Marsala #6

This story toggles between 1890s Chicago and 1980s Michigan. 

An Abe Lieberman mystery (#4)

A drug dealer hunts for victims in “Little Saigon.” A Vietnamese woman’s death triggers wartime trauma for cop John Thinnes and psychiatrist Jack Caleb.

A Larry Cole mystery (#2)

V.I. Warshawski (#9)

A Larry Cole mystery (#3)

A Nathan Heller mystery (#9)

Writers’ Theatre

A Father Blackie Ryan mystery (#8)

Black Ensemble Theater

An Abe Lieberman mystery (#5)

Story: Will Kern

Screenplay: Will Kern

Directors: John Tintori and Mary Cybulski

Star: Paul Dillon

ETA Theater

Cat Marsala #7

A Father Blackie Ryan mystery (#9)

A Paul Whelan mystery (#5)

A Larry Cole mystery (#4)

A Nathan Heller mystery (#10)

Steppenwolf Theatre

A Larry Cole mystery (#5)

 Crime noir story about a Quad Cities family in the 1930s, and in which Irish mob enforcer Michael O’Sullivan and his son go on a vigilante road trip.

A Father Blackie Ryan mystery (#10)

Steppenwolf Theatre

First produced in Chicago at the Northlight Theatre from March 17 until April 24, 1999. Comprised of three one-act plays: Jews, Jolly, and D. In  Jolly, a brother and sister fiercely debate their traumatic childhood and parents' divorce. Mamet's real-life sister, Lynn, later confirmed in interviews with The New Yorker that the segment is a highly accurate reflection of their shared upbringing in the Euclid Avenue house.

Feature Film. In this sequel to The Fugitive, Mark Sheridan (played by Wesley Snipes) ducks into a cigar shop to re-arm, hiding guns and ammunition in empty cigar boxes, which he stores in shopping bags.  

An essay published in Bomb Magazine. 

Cat Marsala #8

A V.I. Warshawski mystery (#10)

A Nathan Heller mystery (#11)

A Larry Cole mystery (#6)

Chicago Premiere: Steppenwolf Theatre

Story: Nick Hornby

Screenplay: John Cusack, D.V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink, Scott Rosenberg

Director: Stephen Frears

Stars: John Cusack, Jack Black, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Tim Robbins

A Quint McCauley mystery (#5)

Chicago Premiere: xxxxx

Story: Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Andrew Stern, and Samantha Goodman

Screenplay: Bonnie Hunt and Don Lake

Director: Bonnie Hunt,

Stars: David Duchovny, Minnie Driver, Jim Belushi, Bonnie Hunt

The first of the Dresden Files series, where professional wizard and investigator Harry Dresden consults on supernatural crimes. McAnally’s, a bar where Dresden frequents, may be inspired by The Berghoff.  

Some scenes in this documentary were filmed in Terkel’s Castlewood Terrace home. 

An Abe Lieberman mystery (#6)

A Father Blackie Ryan mystery (#11)

(The Chicago Fire Trilogy #1)

A Larry Cole mystery (#7)

A Nathan Heller mystery (#12)

“Looking for Mr. Green” was originally published in 1951, in Commentary magazine.

Cat Marsala #9

Chicago Premiere: Lookingglass Theatre

A Father Blackie Ryan mystery (#12)

A Larry Cole mystery (#8)

Chicago Premiere: Lookingglass Theatre

A V.I. Warshawski mystery (#11)