Category > Books
Author’s Note: This is the first of what I hope is a series of articles about writing and getting published. Julie Cross’s journey from an aspiring writer punching out story ideas in Borders to becoming a published author is fascinating. The local author and busy mother of three launched her first novel, Tempest, at the Champaign Public Library this past Saturday. The book is about Jackson Meyer, a 19-year-old time traveller, who goes back in time to save his fatally …
| Our local creative community is a vibrant and buzzing place. As witnessed in the seven Pecha Kucha events so far, we've got an abundance of artists, designers, musicians, writers, architects, magicians — even a mad scientist — living among us. Hell, you might as well call Champaign-Urbana the culture capital of Illinois if it weren't for that damn city 2 hours north of us. Well, it's time to add another name to that list of local heroes we're proud of: …
As a kid in the 1970s, I used to hang out during the summers at the original oval Crystal Lake Swimming Pool in Urbana, a pool built in 1927 and designed by architect Joseph Royer. As a teenager, I went to Urbana High School, which was built in 1913 and designed by Joseph Royer. As an adult, I served jury duty at the Champaign County Courthouse, built in 1900 and designed by ... well, you get the idea. I'm mentioning …
I'm fairly well-read, meaning that I read probably more than I should, and don't go outside nearly enough. I was an English major at the U of I, and while I was in school the first question everyone always asked me was whether or not I wanted to teach. No, I have no patience for that. The second question they would ask was if I wanted to write, and I would think about the idea of writing. I hate writing. …
Nina Baym, Emeritus Professor of English at the UI, researched 343 women who published books about the American West between 1833 and 1927, and she describes these authors and their writings in her own book, Women Writers of the American West, 1833–1927. Basically, Baym's work is a reference book, her hope being that her "overview of these writers and their books will provoke readers to find out more about them."
Styx is performing at Assembly Hall tonight, so it's a good time to take a look at the autobiography of one of its founding members, bass player Chuck Panozzo. The book is called The Grand Illusion, Love, Lies, and My Life with Styx and was published in 2007. As you'd expect, there is plenty about the band itself, but Panozzo, who is gay, actually focuses more on his own journey from being confused by ― and also hiding ― his …
In 2009, John Griswold, Senior Lecturer of English at the University of Illinois, published two books related to the small city of Herrin in Southern Illinois — one fiction, the other nonfiction. The fiction book is called A Democracy of Ghosts and is a historical novel about the Herrin Massacre, an event that took place in 1922. The Herrin Massacre was, in part, a coal miner strike gone horribly wrong when union miners — along with area citizens, including children …
A memoir called A Bum Deal, by Rufus Hannah and Barry M. Soper, was published recently. Hannah was one of the participants in the popular and controversial Bumfights videos, a series of DVDs filmed over several years starting around 2000. The Bumfights videos, along with the criminal trials of their filmmakers, became national news in 2002 and 2003, and Ed Bradley covered the story on Sixty Minutes shortly before he died in 2006. The videos show Hannah and his best …
Most of us ― gay or straight ― could name at least a few of the groundbreaking events in American history that have affected LGBT civil rights: The Stonewall riots in 1969 The defeat of California's Proposition 6 ballot measure in 1978 The AIDS crisis in the ‘80s, and the public's response (or lack thereof) The 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights The ACT-UP protests throughout the ‘90s The nation's response to the torture and murder of …
John Griswold, Senior Lecturer of English at the University of Illinois, published a novel called A Democracy of Ghosts in 2009; I didn't discover it until recently. As previously covered in Smile Politely, Griswold also publishes other types of writing on the Internet under the pen name of Oronte Churm, but A Democracy of Ghosts is my focus here.
Most Recent Arts Comments
great. another TGIF documentary.
This movie is a throwback in the best possible way. Such a delight. By the last scene, I was actually grinning ear to ear!
There are plenty of war movies that do not show one second of fighting or death or blood. There are many feel good war movies. This movie is meant to be inspirational and uplifting. I don’t watch the boondocks because that show is degrading and racist. I…
I think Cameron and scorsese are addicted to the innovations of movies rather than the actual movies themselves. As we saw in Avatar. The look was amazing but the tale was as old as time haha. And as far as Scorsese is concerned he’s made plenty of…
thank gha’al for dan hill
You are right, the Scorsese “vision” of the future is much more horrifying. This actually surprises me because Cameron seems like the MOAR MOAR MOAR TECHNLOGY!!! guy. What does Scorsese even mean “there is no subject matter that can’t absorb 3D?” Yeah a sensitive love story could…
What type of war movie is a “feel good” movie. Look out Hitla, here we come!!!! That doesn’t make them seem as educated men like the Tuskeegee were. Take that Mista Hitla… It was garbage and a the Boondocks creator wrote the script. Have you ever heard…
Speaking of James Cameron…I was going to link this article but decided that the one with Scorsese was much more disheartening: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/specialsections/40th-anniversary/James-Cameron-on-the-Future-of-Cinema.html
This movie is in black and white (although it was shot in color and then postprocessed into B&W), is in a TV-style 4x3 aspect ratio, has nothing in the way of special effects, and nary a sound (beyond the musical score) is heard. Even the frame rate…
Most Popular Arts Articles (60 days)
- Spotlight: Drag shows in Champaign-Urbana, Part I
- Meet the producers of Two Beers with Dylan Heath
- Bringing a classic story to life: My Ántonia at the Station Theatre
- Spotlight: Drag shows in Champaign-Urbana, Part II
- An interview with Vanessa Burgett: Local creative pro
- Young Adult shows us some people can get stuck in high school
- The Descendants teaches us family is all you ever need
- 2011 movies in review
- My week with Marilyn hinges on Branagh and Williams' performances
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: A slow burning fuse
Most Recent Comments
Pamela - Are the roasteries in Seattle as clean as CSR? It always disturbs me a little that it is so clean in there.
Now you will be able to munch on pizza and shrimp cocktails in downtown Urbana (whilst a DJ spins?) after your dissolution of marriage http://www.news-gazette.com/news/business/features/its-your-business/2012-02-05/its-your-business-new-pizza-place-downtown-urban Is this a franchise of a Reno pizza joint, or just a coincidence of name? http://www.blackrockpizza.com
Signs someone is “fishing” for a factual anchor: 1. Starts call to radio with: “I’ve been an Illini fan for (XX) years” or “I’m a diehard fan,” as if somehow that unverifiable claim will justify the 5 minutes of B.S. that follows. 2. Makes reference to KenPom…
That’s what she said.
Black dog and Siam terrace is where I always go after my divorces.
Love CSR. Apart from making my way through the regular roasts in 1/2 pound increments, I also like to pick up some of the little sample packets of the flavored stuff for when the lady and I feel like getting crazy. Sticky Bun is pretty nice.
If you happen to be getting a divorce, or fighting a DUI prosecution, downtown Urbana is a great place to eat.
HUUUUUUGE fan of their Black Velvet roast…It makes up about 75% of my coffee intake. LOL CSR is definitely one of those Champaign institutions that I brag about to people not from here. :-)
We like CSR too! We french press at home and I leave the lid off while it steeps—letting the ground beans bloom. Then, like in your tasting, I scoop off the top layer before pressing. We really need to invest in a burr grinder though, as I…
Confidential? In this state? Hahahahahahahhahahaha
just confirmed: there will be white russians served. the art abides.
big lebowski at the art. mark it, dude.
There’s a great video promo out for “Company” too: http://vimeo.com/36077847
Wow, His Majesty took the time to answer your polite plea. It’s been a while since I spoke fluent arrogance, but allow this attempt at a translation: “I deeply regret the embarrassment…” = I wish we hadn’t got caught and it wasn’t a big deal really. “...and…
I love the Guitars
I had their tea at the Urbana Farmer’s Market when they first started out and it was great! Their tins recently caught my eye at Walnut Street Tea Company and my guests used it all up before I could even try it! Way to go Tiesta, stay…
Im fine with missing ingredients and of course they fixed things what restaurant fights with the customer over things like that anymore. ( the way social media could affect them) My problem is that I am visiting you place of business within the first week of opening.…
Thanks for that, Louis CK.
Your call to stay pissed is precisely why global warming fanatics will fail. Emotion has no place in hard science. The problem with the issue of global warming is that is has been pumped full of emotion and politics, and the science is becoming a by-product. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204301404577171531838421366.html?KEYWORDS=global+warming
Clearly the Postal Officials in favor of this cannot make an economic argument, as this saves the post office $0. What is their rationale?
Most Popular Articles (14 days)
- Recruits at the Wisconsin game
- An open letter to University of Illinois President Michael Hogan
- Meatheads Burgers and Fries: A carnivorous delight
- Please don’t close the campus post offices
- Spotlight: Drag shows in Champaign-Urbana, Part III
- The Artist is Oscar gold
- The Overture: January 24–30
- No Idiot Child
- The Overture: January 31–February 6
- One word: biofuels
Facebook
Twitter
Full Site
Soo is smile politely in the business of editing comments? Interesting. Way to preserve our 1st am.