Gwendolyn Brooks

This guidebook, written by Mariame Kaba and Essence McDowell, features a number of Black women who contributed to the development of Chicago from the mid-19th century to today. It tells a story of Black women activists, educators and artists who lived and worked on Chicago’s South Side by taking readers on a tour of relevant landmarks and locations.

Written with her trademark lyricism, in these signature pieces the acclaimed author of The House on Mango Street shares her transformative memories and reveals her artistic and intellectual influences. Poignant, honest, and deeply moving, A House of My Own is an exuberant celebration of a life lived to the fullest, from one of our most beloved writers. *

*Desde Chicago a México, los lugares en los que Sandra Cisneros ha vivido han servido de inspiración para sus trabajos ya clásicos de ficción y poesía. Sin embargo, una casa propia, un lugar en el que realmente pueda echar raíces, en ha eludido. En esta autobiografía al estilo rompecabezas, conformada de ensayos e imágenes a través de tres décadas (algunas nunca antes publicadas), Cisneros ha llegado por fin a casa." *

From the introduction: "A Jam Session consists of nonfiction pieces and short stories set in Chicago and completed within the last six years. May of the entries involve sports. That reflects my belief that one can learn insights about themselves and others through the heat of competition. I hope that these works will provide some inspiration, perspective, or perhaps a chuckle."