Virtual Library Inspires

By Melissa Feldsher in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 24, 2009 7:00PM

Looking out on our internet browser, we used to feel so uninspired. But Library of Inspiration became the key to our peace of mind. The “labor of love” child from a bevy of Chicago-based writers, Library of Inspiration houses short online essays on literature, music, and film. Its 7th edition includes essays on Richard Russo’s Empire Falls and Paul Bowles’ The Sheltering Sky, reflections on Animal Collective and Miles Davis, and observations on “Synecdoche, New York” and “Jaws”. The library doesn’t offer heavy diatribes, reviews, or term papers. Rather, each summary offers a brief literary confection meant to pay tribute and inspire future compositions.

The site is maintained by Chicago’s own Greg Birkenbeuel, Patricia Howe, and Richard Windwalker—all masters of the steam-of-conscious biography—with help from Switzerland’s Tom Derungs and L.A’s Michael E. Gretza. While we tend to find our inspiration more offline—say, in the middle of the Mojave Desert on a peyote binge—Library of Inspiration is an excellent starting point to peruse and explore a variety of authors, musicians, and filmmakers.