Martha Modena Vertreace

In our logo we have called ourselves "a journal of Chicago writing and art." The Chicago school of literature is very much like the people, the politicians, the style, the neighborhoods of the city that inspires an artistic vice that is unpretentious, aware of the realities and inequalities of materialism yet sentimental in a streetwise-front-stoop-backyard sort of way. So often Chicago is thought of as unrefined or unsophisticated ... a city of big-shouldered thugs, scandal, dirty alleys ad factory workers. But what Chicago lacks in polish, it makes up for in honesty. Chicago writers pull no punches. Chicago writers find a beauty in big-shouldered thugs, scandal, dirty alleys ad factory workers. *

There is no question of the strength of the writing that has come from this city-Algren, Castillo, Brooks, Bellow, Farrell; Sandburg, etc. etc. But there was no journal striving to showcase that Chicago style of writing-a style that is so often shunned or misunderstood. So here it is...After Hours...a showcase of Chicago writers and artists. -taken from issue.