We all seem to have various special and unique book collections tucked away on our bookshelves. Among my collections are the biographies and memoirs of American Presidents. I also have some nice collections of Chicago authors such as Saul Bellow and Studs Terkel. How about you? I would love you to share your special collection (s) with us. Maybe even include a photo or two.
Congratulations to my friend and literary mentor Bob Boone, who has recently been selected as Featured Illinois Author for 2019 by the prestigious literary publication Willow Review. There will be a reception and a reading featuring Bob on Thursday, April 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Grayslake campus of the College of Lake County in Room A013.
Bob founded Young Chicago Authors (YCA) in 1991 with the purpose of involving teenagers in creative writing. Thousands of Chicago area youth have benefited from the program which is still going strong today. In 2009, Bob accepted an award at the White House for his work at YCA.
Bob’s own writing include two collections of short stories: Forest High and Back to Forest High; a memoir: Inside Job: A Life of Teaching; a sports biography: Hack: The Meteoric Life of One of Baseball’s First Superstars: Hack Wilson. Bob has also written four textbooks and has co-authored three creative writing books with Mark Henry LarsonBob continues to teach creative writing classes in the Chicago Public Schools and Oakton Community College, as well as moderating the Open Mic at the Glencoe Public Library.
Bob Riesman, the author of I Feel So Good: The Life and Times of Big Bill Broonzy, will discuss his book and show the BBC documentary film: Big Bill Broonzy: The Man Who Brought the Blues to Britain, in which he served as the consultant, at Emanuel Congregation, 5959 N. Sheridan, on the morning of Sunday, February 24 starting at 10:30.
Both the book and film explore Big Bill’s career from his rise as a nationally prominent blues star in the 1930s, to his influential role in the post-World War Two folk revival. Big Bill’s overseas tour in the 1950s had a great influence on Pete Townshend and Eric Clapton and helped ignite the British blues-rock explosion of the 1960s.
Both Bob and his book were inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis last year.
The program is free and open to the public. RSVP at richardreeder34@gmail.com.
aliteraryreeder 