It’s sort of a miracle that I even checked A Terrible Country out of the library, much less read it. It’s a sad book. A sweet and sad book, it’s true. With absurdly funny moments that made me laugh. Also true. And a “happy&r…
In the aftermath of the Bears' stunning come-from-behind playoff victory over the dreaded Green Bay Packers, it's time to reveal the inside story of the behind-the-scenes hero, who made it all possible. Here goes… I was in California, visit…
In my desperation to find something positive to say about Trump's invasion of Venezuela, I've come down to this... He’s telling the truth—sorta. That is, after he's done lying. So you might say he's the most truthful liar in the histor…
In most coming-of-age novels, there occurs that life-changing moment when the protagonist comes face-to-face with the realization that grown ups can be abundantly full of shit. I love that moment in part because I’ve been motivated to expose …
Peter Orner’s latest novel–The Gossip Columnist’s Daughter–is so good, I wish I hadn’t read it. So I could enjoy the first-time experience of reading it again. It deals with a subset of Chicagoans from the last h…
I need to make an apology and a correction, and I need to make them fast! They have to do with One Winged Dove, a song by Stevie Nicks. You know the one–it goes… “Just like a one-winged dove–ooh, baby, ooh.” …
I’m gonna interrupt reading the book I’m reading to tell you about the book I’m reading. Because I’m having so much fun reading it—gotta let everybody know. It’s Masters of the Game–A Conversat…
Many years ago when I was just a kid, I loved Norm Van Lier with a passion that’s hard to explain and embarrassing to admit. He was the six-foot-tall guard on the Bulls, usually the shortest, skinniest guy on the floor. But he played with a f…
It was late at night and I was home alone watching a movie, when the text came in. Back to the Future, if you must know--the movie I was watching, that is. Sad to say—it didn’t stand the test of time. Another topic for another day. So, …
This week I took a trip inside my brain—here’s how it went down… Every few months or so, Charles Henderson, peace activist extraordinaire, comes on my podcast to talk about the issues of the day–with me asking the questions…
I was on the phone with this super-smart young journalist. Call her Nell--as that’s her name. And I made a wisecrack that caused Nell to laugh and say, “you’re funny.” To which I reflexively said the first thing that popped…
One day a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon two collections of stories by Alice Munro–Runaway and Dear Life. Found them in a book barn just up the street. Thought–man, what a find! Munro’s one of the great writers of the last 50 years…
There are so many reasons I love One Battle After Another--Paul Thomas Anderson's latest movie--it's hard to mention them all. So I'll keep it to one--the sensei. That would be Sergio St. Carlos, the character played by Benicio del Toro, who's call…
By the time I met Tony Fitzpatrick, he was already a Chicago legend. This was the fall of 2006. By chance, our children attended the same high school. And I saw him at a parent-teacher conference night, sitting in the last row to meet with Ms. Gall…
It’s been so many years since Malcolm X was murdered that his afterlife is as important as the life he led. That’s sorta the theme of Mark Whitaker’s book, The Afterlife of Malcolm X. A book I devoured in two or three nights, just…
Among the things I learned from last Sunday’s New York Times is that JD Vance trolled Pope Leo XIV with impunity, when they met back in May. I learned about this from a letter to the editor written by Allen J. Wiener, alerting me to an essay …
For almost 40 years, I’ve been urging my lefty friends to please, please, please vote Democratic in the general election. Any general election. But especially presidential ones. I've told them things like… Think of the courts! Or..…
When I settled down to read this week’s New York Time's book review, I had no intention of buying or ordering any new books. You hear that? No intention! Already have enough unread books I’m intending to read. They fill the tabl…
You had to see it to believe it. Roughly three in the morning, and I’m wide awake on the living couch, flat on my back, passionately steaming through the final pages of The Jackal’s Mistress, Chris Bohjalian’s latest novel. Tears …
In an attempt to defend the indefensible, Bret Stephens felt compelled to address the antisemitism of right wingers. More or less. But before I get ahead of myself… Bret Stephens is a conservative columnist for the New York Times, who fight…
Ten years into Trump’s war of hate against immigrants, I got around to reading The Snakehead, Patrick Radden Keefe’s fascinating exploration of the underground operation to smuggle people into America. Great read. Well researched. Vivid…
Having spent years following the power plays of Mayor Daley, I've learned a thing or two about all-mighty Big City Bosses who make the corporate elite bow to their commands--if they know what’s good for them. But, sorry, Mayor Daley. When it …
Well, I think we all saw this story coming long before it broke in a Friday-afternoon news dump to be immediately pushed aside by an avalanche of other Trump atrocities--including his declaration to send troops to Chicago. God help us all. The thin…
First the good news, America! There I was, driving south on M-37 through the heart of Michigan, which is sorta the heart of America, heading home from my yearly family vacation in that lovely state. And there wasn't a Trump sign in sight. So that&…