As if the gorgeous weather wasn't enough reason to call out sick for the week, Columbia College give you another with its 11th annual Story Week: Cities of Words. Sunday kicked off the week of words with an alumni reading, and Monday's reading by Anchee Min about Maoist China was tender, raw and funny. With fifteen events over five days, you can't go to everything, but here's where Chicagoist will be: Tuesday: the Graduate Student... more ›

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We’re gearing up for the weekend and to see some of our favorite authors at the Printers Row Book Fair. We thought we’d tell you who we’re planning on seeing, but remember there are a gajillion more events; so make sure you check the schedule; there’s much too much to even fathom. more ›

Here's the thing: anytime we hear the term "chick lit," our head starts spinning and we feel a little queasy. We're not sure what to think of a marketing strategy that degrades both the product and the (female, natch) reader and yet is somehow wildly successful. Frankly, we're inclined to ignore it, but the terminology just pisses us off. Which is why we're pretty fired up about tonight's Chick Lit Panel Discussion at Women and Children First. Especially since the alleged "coiner of the term" will be participating in the event hosted by Anne Holub of Gapers Block and including the aforementioned Cris Mazza as well as Jessa Crispin of Bookslut, Nina Barrett of Women and Children First, and our very own Erin Shea. Can we say smackdown? more ›

As is the case with Jessa Crispin's literary/book blog, Bookslut, Saucy, Crispin's food blog, is sharp, thorough, and interesting. more ›