Barry Gifford Returns To Chicago For Events At The Film Center And Book Cellar

By Steven Pate in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 2, 2013 8:40PM

If you are thinking about picking up author Barry Gifford's brand spanking new story collection The Roy Stories, consider yourself warned. This collection of vivid, potent shorter-than-short stories is addictive. You may find yourself trying to read just one, but good luck with that. Before you know it you are in so deep that you have lost all track of time while immersed in the mid-century America he evokes so idiosyncratically and so well.

It's no surprise that the substantial portions set in the Chicago of Gifford's youth draw us in closest, especially since some of the
Christmas
stories were published here first. We love that Gifford has been returning to the Chicago of his past in his writing, but we love even more that he will be returning to Chicago in person next week, offering two opportunities to catch up with one of our favorite writers.

On Wednesday, Oct. 9, The Siskel Film Center hosts An Evening with Barry Gifford, screening two impossible-to-find episodes of longtime Gifford collaborator David Lynch's short-lived post-Twin Peaks television series, Hotel Room. Gifford wrote and Lynch directed both the episodes on tap, "Tricks" and "Blackout," on the heels of their first collaboration, the cult classic Wild at Heart. Gifford will participate in a discussion and sign books afterwards.

Gifford will head to the North side the next night, Thursday, Oct. 10, for a reading at Lincoln Square literary hub The Book Cellar. We know from experience that Gifford is quite the raconteur, and feel even more confident that this event is going to be a lively one because Chicagoist's own Rob Christopher will be leading the discussion. If there's a better chance for you to hear some wild, entertaining yarns, about Chicago or anywhere else under the sun, we certainly don't know about it.