Illinois Press Book Blog

 
Gary Cialdella discusses his new book The Calumet Region: An American Place on WGN-TV’s Midday News.

This week will be busy for Gary Cialdella and Larry & Alaina Kanfer, authors of our two new photography books.

Gary Cialdella will appear on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight program this evening in the 7:00 pm hour to discuss his book The Calumet Region: An American Place.  On Friday, October 23, WGN-TV’s Midday News will host Gary for an interview.

Larry & Alaina Kanfer will discuss Barns of Illinois on WGN’s Midday News today, and then will sign books at the University Club in Chicago on October 21 and The Book Stall in Winnetka on October 22.

David Beito and Linda Royster Beito, authors of the new book Black Maverick: T. R. M. Howard’s Fight for Civil Rights and Economic Power, penned an op-ed in today’s Los Angeles Times championing Howard’s influence on the civil rights movement.

Fifty-four years ago today, Emmett Till, a 14-year-old Chicago boy visiting family in Mississippi, was abducted, mutilated and slain after he allegedly whistled at a white woman. Several days later, his horribly disfigured body was fished out of the Tallahatchie River. Many such tragedies had previously happened to black Americans and then been ignored. The Till case was different because of the efforts of a flamboyant and wealthy black planter and surgeon, T.R.M. Howard.

Howard’s place in history has been woefully slighted. Without him, we might never have heard of Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, Medgar Evers or Operation PUSH. Howard was the crucial link connecting the Till slaying and the rise of the modern civil rights movement.

Larry Kanfer discusses his forthcoming book Barns of Illinois on WTTW-TV’s Chicago Tonight program.

Hey Chicagoans!  The August 26 edition of WTTW’s Chicago Tonight will include an interview with Larry Kanfer whose new photography book, Barns of Illinois, will be published in October.  Tune in at 7:00 PM.

A week ago today we headed north for the Printers Row Lit Fest in Chicago. 2009 turned out to be our most successful show to date, with twelve authors on panels, many more who stopped by to say hello, decent weather (no tornado this year), and record-setting sales. I hadn’t attended a Printers Row in about ten years, so it was encouraging to talk to so many people who love books and especially admired those in our display. My personal highlight was selling a book to the sister of arguably the most famous actor from southern Illinois.

Saturday morning.

Todd White with his new book Pre-Gay LA

Browsers on the first morning.

Mushroom hunter Joe McFarland with his parents.

Long view.

Cheryl Ganz, author of The 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, was interviewed today on WGN-TV’s Midday News program.

This weekend we’ll be selling books and featuring a dozen or so of our authors at the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Lit Fest–billed as the Midwest’s Largest Literary Event. Come and see us at the University of Illinois tent.

The Chicago Sun-Times suggests that you attend the launch party for Joe McFarland and Gregory Mueller’s new book Edible Wild Mushrooms of Illinois and Surrounding States at the Chicago Botanic Garden on May 23.