Column: Can we talk … about the groundbreaking Joan Rivers?
Here’s a joke: “I’ve had so much plastic surgery, when I die, they will donate my body to Tupperware." Joan Rivers continues to be remembered as a master of stand-up...
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Column: Graphic novel conveys the life and designs of that creative wizard Edgar Miller
“A Total Work of Art: The Story of Edgar Miller,” a new book by Hannah Dykstra and Jeff Kruse, tells the story of the designer whose genius can still be...
Column: 50 years ago, ‘Roots’ burst on the scene and into American lives
There was a time when a book could shake the world and on Aug. 17, 1976, a book titled “Roots: The Saga of an American Family” by Alex Haley arrived...
Column: Marc Kelly Smith’s personal Poetry Slam collection goes to Newberry Library
The Chicago founder of poetry slams is donating his personal mementos to the Newberry Library. The Poetry Slam's history is still being written, with the next event this Sunday at...
Column: Give him some respect — revisiting the jokes of Rodney Dangerfield
"I said I want a second opinion. He said OK, you're ugly.” No one told jokes quite like Rodney Dangerfield, and for a generation of comics, he remains an inspiration.
Column: After ‘Dear Abby’s’ retirement, where are all the people getting their advice?
A look at the history of the "Ann Landers" and “Dear Abby," two popular advice columns run by twin sisters.
The ‘first lady of Chicago jazz,’ Geraldine de Haas dies at 91
Along with being a talented singer in her own right, she was a tireless advocate for jazz in Chicago. A tribute concert for Duke Ellington she helped put on in...
Column: What is ‘Forgottonia’ and how did it get to Steppenwolf?
Musician and storyteller Chris Vallillo presents the history of what happened when 16 counties in Western Illinois decided to secede from the Union in 1972.
Column: Reconnecting with authors Colin Asher and Irvine Welsh, both with new books
Colin Asher’s “The Midnight Special: The Secret Prison History of American Music” and Irvine Welsh’s “Men in Love” were recent subjects in the New York Times Book Review.
Column: Groundswell Coffee is the Fine Arts Building’s new, caffeine-laced tenant
As Groundswell Coffee Roasters opens in the storied Fine Arts Building on Michigan Avenue, we remember the former Artists Cafe.