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On Books and Publishing

Louis Bayard’s The Black Tower

Bayard’s recreation of 1818 Paris is devoid of sentimentality. 

The Black Tower
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Capitalism, Class, Inequality Politics

Who’s Middle Class Anyway?: Sarah Palin, Joe Sixpack, and Main Street

Excerpt: But even more fascinating to me is the extent to which we hold on to the idea that we’re all just part of a struggling middle class, despite mounting evidence that a lot of us are just plain poor. 

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Chicago Chronicles Queer Politics, Culture, and History Reporting

Task force strategizes about funding cuts

Illinois Governor  Rod Blagojevich recently cut spending at state agencies.  Among the hardest-hit was the Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse [DASA], which lost 21 percent of its budget.

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Chicago Chronicles On Books and Publishing Reporting

Diverse books part of read-out

The American Library Association (ALA) marked its 27th Annual Banned Books Week.  Among the events was a read-out during which authors and Chicago Tribune columnists like Dawn Turner Trice read selections from their favorite banned or challenged books.

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Film, Art, Television, and Media Queer Politics, Culture, and History Race, Sex, Gender, and Sexuality Reporting

Lesbian fundraiser focuses on global crises

Climbing PoeTree, a two-member spoken word group, was in Chicago performing its latest piece, “Hurricane Season: The Hidden Messages in Water.” The first performance was at Columbia College, the second at the Center on Halsted (COH).

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Chicago Chronicles On Books and Publishing Reporting

Banned books to take center stage

Since 1982, the American Library Association (ALA) has been hosting a Banned Books Week during the last week of September.  The week begins with “Read Out!” featuring several authors and celebrities reading from their favorite banned books.

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On Books and Publishing

Susan Hahn takes “Note”

“It’s about somebody trying to get some answers as to why things are why they are.  But nothing seems to quite work.”

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Categories
Chicago Chronicles Queer Politics, Culture, and History Reporting

Hill means a Lott to Columbia’s Critical Encounters

TPAN (Test Positive Action Network) celebrates its 21st anniversary this year.  To mark the occasion, it will honor 21 organizations and individuals “who have made outstanding contributions to TPAN and to the HIV/AIDS community,” according to its press release about the event, called “Aware Affair: Superheroes.” Among those named “superheroes” is Columbia College Chicago, for its “leadership and dedication.”  Specifically, the institution is being recognized for its AIDS-focused theme during the initial year of the Critical Encounters learning initiative.

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On Books and Publishing

Gabriella Turnaturi’s Betrayals: The Unpredictability of Human Relations

As anyone who’s been involved with involved people will tell you, the possibility of betrayal is sometimes the only thing that keeps a relationship going, whether between the betrayers or between spouses and partners.

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Capitalism, Class, Inequality Feminism Politics Race, Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

Barefoot and Pregnant in the White House: Sarah and Bristol Palin

Let’s not forget that a woman’s right to have an abortion has everything to do with citizenship and power and can’t be dismissed as irrelevant.

Back of the Bus