Book (b)

A companion publication to an art exhibition put on by the Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago in 1991. This book contains a number of photographs and writings from different artists and authors.

"From the world's largest urinal to the worst drunken story ever told, from the reformed ex-con Big Ol' Pimp to the sink pissing Pudge, Chicago's Dive Bars: Drinking and Diving in the Windy City brings you the sights, sounds and smells of over ninety of the city's deliciously divey spots. This essential nightlife guide provides the lowdown on where to find the cheapest drinks, the scariest crowds, the coolest jukeboxes and everything else that makes a dive bar dive. So, if you are sick of the tourist traps and hisper havens listed in those 'other' guide books and want to discover 'real' drinking Chicago in all its grungy glory, Chicago's Best Dive Bars brings you the whole story, straight, no chaser."

A collection of poetry, fiction and artwork created by young Chicagoans in Gallery 37 job training programs held between summer 2001 and summer 2003. Writing about families, friends, politics, love, music, and life, these authors will impress you with their imagination and wit.

Black and white drawings by poet and musician David Berman.

"Holly Dobson possesses an understated benevolent evilness. She is relentlessly driven by her unbreakable family values. Holly acts with remorseless conviction to protect her own regardless of the consequences....Along the way Holly discovers her purpose and finds redemption as a mother, a woman, lover, and ultimately something more than a mere human being."

The Demise of Luleta Jones is that rare work where the literary novel and the mystery intersect, presenting an aspect of African American life that all-too-often is hidden from view. Set in Chicago, Illinois, and Nashville, Tennessee, The Demise of Luleta Jones, on its surface, is a whodunit in which investigative reporter Theophilous Pugh is obsessed with uncovering the facts surrounding the mysterious death of an enigmatic public school teacher from a newly gentrified neighborhood. Beneath the surface, however, is a scathing portrayal of the dire consequences that gifted African Americans often suffer when they violate their community's narrow conventions.

"Whether you're a life-long resident, new in town, or just passing through, let 'A Native's Guide to Chicago's Western Suburbs' be your personal tour guide of the best this region has to offer."

"...the poems in 'BrotherKeeper' shine with a reverence for the holiness of things that is completely in the spirit of St. Francis. Not since Edwin O'Conner's 'The Edge of Sadness' have the joys and sacrifices of priesthood been so frankly and affectionately de-lineated."

Over 50 students collaborated on February 16,2005 to put on one heckuva show. Their writing was a nice balance of profound insights that made your heart heart and clever observations that made your face smile. Students revised, revised, and revised some more to get their work ready for the stage. It was an arduous process, but the end result seemed well worth it.