Chicago Review of Books
@chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
đ€ 4021
đ„ 375
đ 669
A
@storystudiochicago.bsky.social
publication! Editor-in-Chief
@mbwwelch.bsky.social
"Offers an idea of inclusiveness, not as an empty liberal term, but as a form of political practice." Ben Clarke's review of âSong for a Hard-Hit Peopleâ by Beth Howard (
@haymarketbooks.org
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/24/t...
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The Politics of Empathy in "Song for a Hard-Hit People" - Chicago Review of Books
Our review of Beth Howard's new book, "Song for a Hard-Hit People."
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/24/the-politics-of-empathy-in-song-for-a-hard-hit-people/
about 6 hours ago
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
Angry Algonquin
1 day ago
#BookSky
đ đ
#Chicago
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
Michael Welch
1 day ago
Happy early independent bookstore day! đ
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"The stories in the collection are layering fantasy and science fiction elements together at times."
@ianmacallen.bsky.social
's review of âRabbit Testâ by Samantha Mills (
@tachyonpub.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/23/l...
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Layering Fantasy and Science Fiction in Samantha Millsâs âRabbit Testâ - Chicago Review of Books
Science fiction and fantasy both are methods of storytelling where the world reflects our own through a distorted lens. They also are different sides of the same coin, where fantasy explains science t...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/23/layering-fantasy-and-science-fiction-in-samantha-millss-rabbit-test/
1 day ago
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As we prepare for Independent Bookstore Day,
@mbwwelch.bsky.social
and
@gregzimmerman.bsky.social
have compiled a great list of their Chicago favorites. (This list only includes bookstores selling new books. Our list of favorite used bookstores is coming soon!)
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/23/o...
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Our Favorite Bookstores in Chicago - Chicago Review of Books
Check out our favorite Chicago bookstores selling new books.
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/23/our-favorite-bookstores-in-chicago/
1 day ago
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"By studying reality TV, we can clearly see the cultural scripts we are being handed."
@angieraney.bsky.social
's interview with Chrissy Martin on "Whole, Holy, Hot" (Write Bloody Publishing) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/22/c...
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Chronically Iconic: An Interview with Chrissy Martin on"Whole, Holy, Hot" - Chicago Review of Books
Our interview with Chrissy Martin about her new collection, "Whole, Holy, Hot."
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/22/chronically-iconic-an-interview-with-chrissy-martin-onwhole-holy-hot/
2 days ago
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"Mackintosh is a master storyteller of the slightly strange and a devout creator of the most inviting dystopias." Maddie Schultz's review of âPermanenceâ by Sophie Mackintosh (
@avidreaderpress.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/22/w...
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What Goes Wrong When Everything is Right: A Look at Sophie Mackintosh's "Permanence" - Chicago Review of Books
Sophie Mackintosh, beloved and known for her speculative storytelling in novels like Blue Ticket and Cursed Bread, is returning this April with her fourth novel, Permanence. Mackintosh is one of those...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/22/what-goes-wrong-when-everything-is-right-a-look-at-sophie-mackintoshs-permanence/
2 days ago
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
StoryStudio Chicago
3 days ago
Each year for StoryBall, we pick one aspect of our work toward building a writing community to fundraise for. This year, to celebrate its 10th birthday, we're raising money to keep
@chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
free and accessible. Please donate if you're able.
buff.ly/3bWjofk
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"I needed to understand what was happening in China, what I was seeing, and also what it meant to be Chinese in the US and in the world today."
@rubyprosenthal.bsky.social
's interview with M Lin on "The Memory Museum" (
@graywolfpress.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/21/m...
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M Lin's "Memory Museum" - Chicago Review of Books
Our review of M Lin's debut story collection, "The Memory Museum."
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/21/m-lin-memory-museum/
3 days ago
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"Another conversation, another book for the library, another day of bookselling in modern dystopia." Dave Pedersen's meditation on working at
@mazebooks.bsky.social
in Rockford, Illinois is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/20/b...
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Bookselling for Modern Dystopia - Chicago Review of Books
The front door to Maze Books in Rockford, Illinois sticks and bangs with a distinct double-clunking sound. Rather than updating for modern convenience, we have grown to embrace the thudding as the boo...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/20/bookselling-for-modern-dystopia/
4 days ago
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Nancy Drew, anyone? đ”ïž
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4 days ago
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"I would like readers to see our healthcare system through the eyes of someone who dedicated their life to hard medicine."
@rachellayown.bsky.social
's interview with Adam Axler on on âAmerican Triageâ (
@whiskeytit.com
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/17/r...
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Reading Your Resistance: Interview with Adam Axler - Chicago Review of Books
Our interview with Adam Axler about his forthcoming memoir, "American Triage."
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/17/reading-your-resistance-interview-with-adam-axler/
7 days ago
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
Megin Jimenez
8 days ago
My review of this charming, smart, chatty novel.
@nyrb-imprints.bsky.social
has also just reissued Lemann's Lives of the Saints. So glad her work is gettting new life - it was new to me and I'm eager to dig into other titles.
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"The novel is stealthily profound."
@meginj.bsky.social
's review of âThe Oyster Diariesâ by Nancy Lemann (
@nyrb-imprints.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/16/h...
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Home and Away in âThe Oyster Diariesâ by Nancy Lemann - Chicago Review of Books
Inevitably, when a city shines in a movie or book, someone will say that itâs âalmost like another character.â Itâs a disappointing clichĂ© because it fails on inspection: a city doesnât have parents, ...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/16/home-and-away-in-the-oyster-diaries-by-nancy-lemann/
8 days ago
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
StoryStudio Chicago
9 days ago
Oh wow, this piece. đ„č We dare you to try to read this and not get a little choked up.
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Our fifth installment in the Chicago Renaissance series is an essay about Megan Stielstra (
@meganstielstra.bsky.social
)âand her book The Wrong Way to Save Your Life (2017,
@harpercollins.bsky.social
)âby Julia Fine (
@finejuli.bsky.social
).
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/15/t...
9 days ago
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"It doesnât really matter what species you areâwe should come together and take care of all species." Audrey Bauman's interview with
@lauracranehill.bsky.social
on "Wife Shaped Bodies" (
@sagapressbooks.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/14/r...
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Repulsion and Beauty: Â A Conversation with Laura Cranehill about âWife Shaped Bodiesâ - Chicago Review of Books
In Wife Shaped Bodies by Laura Cranehill, touch is restricted, bodies threaten to contaminate one another, and hybridized mushroom women sprout fungal growths that are shaved away so they appear more ...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/14/repulsion-and-beauty-a-conversation-with-laura-cranehill-about-wife-shaped-bodies/
10 days ago
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"[Lange] asks readers to be objective, leave room for many things to be true at once, and sometimes, question whether a line was intended to be poetry, or bullshit." Hannah Korbel's review of âDay Careâ by Nora Lange (
@twodollarradio.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/14/n...
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Noticing, in Nora Lange's "Day Care" - Chicago Review of Books
Is a short story allowed to do that? Does everything mean something? Does it matter? These are all questions I asked myself while reading Nora Langeâs newest collection, Day Care. Through eighteen st...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/14/noticing-in-nora-langes-day-care/
10 days ago
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"Despite the hyper-individualistic, isolated world we find ourselves in, none of us exist in subjective solitude." Devyn Andrews's review of âTranscriptionâ by Ben Lerner (
@fsgbooks.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/13/b...
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A âSuperposition of Voicesâ: The Metaphysics of Art in Ben Lernerâs Transcription - Chicago Review of Books
In the opening scene of Ben Lernerâs first novel Leaving the Atocha Station, narrator Adam Gordon, an American poet on fellowship in Madrid, witnesses a strangerâs odd emotional display in the 15th-16...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/13/ben-lerner-transcription/
11 days ago
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
Cassandra Lewis
14 days ago
It was wonderful getting to review Kate Crane's memoir for
@chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
.
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"Crane demonstrates how the power of story can be restorative." Cassandra Lewis's review of âWhatever Happened to Eddy Crane?â by Kate Crane (
@hanoversquarepress.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/10/e...
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Embracing Complexity by Defying Genre in âWhat Ever Happened to Eddy Crane?â - Chicago Review of Books
Our review of Kate Crane's debut, "What Ever Happened to Eddy Crane?"
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/10/embracing-complexity-by-defying-genre-in-what-ever-happened-to-eddy-crane/
14 days ago
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"As The Drama shows us, we all have to live with our choices and their consequences."
@ashhatz.bsky.social
's movie review of âThe Dramaâ is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/10/t...
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The Recklessness of "The Drama" - Chicago Review of Books
Whatâs the worst thing youâve ever done? Whatâs the worst thing youâve ever intended to do? Whatâs the worst thing thatâs happened because of something youâve done? The Drama, A24âs latest starring R...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/10/the-recklessness-of-the-drama/
14 days ago
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"Straightforward and almost fable-like." Philip Janowski's review of âThe Infinite Sadness of Small Appliancesâ by Glenn Dixon (
@atriabooks.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/09/t...
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Expansions of Consciousness in "The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances" - Chicago Review of Books
Our review of Glenn Dixon's new novel, "The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances."
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/09/the-infinite-sadness-of-small-appliances/
15 days ago
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
StoryStudio Chicago
16 days ago
ICYMI -- this year's Battle of the Genre promises to be as hotly contested as ever. Make sure you're there to see it! Grab your StoryBall ticket now:
www.storystudiochicago.org/storyball/
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
StoryStudio Chicago
15 days ago
April Write Club starts tonight! Book your spot now:
www.storystudiochicago.org/classes/clas...
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
StoryStudio Chicago
15 days ago
ANNOUNCING! We are beside ourselves with glee to tell you that
@fulmerford.com
is this year's StoryStudio Chicago Instructor of the Year! We can't wait to celebrate Juan's award at this year's StoryBall -- May 7 at Ravenswood Event Center.
buff.ly/Q2XfUh7
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"What if you actually disappeared when you lost your sense of self? What if it were physically dangerous?" Elisa Shoenberger's interview with Hanna Johansson on "Body Double" (Translated by Kira Josefsson,
@catapultbooks.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/08/b...
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Disorientation and Uncanny in Hanna Johanssonâs âBody Doubleâ - Chicago Review of Books
Our review of Hanna Johansson's new book, "Body Double."
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/08/body-double-hanna-johansson/
16 days ago
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
New York Review Books
17 days ago
Clare Carlisle's new book, Transcendence for Beginners is out today. Writing, reading, traveling, and loving are mixed into a philosophy of how to live and how to think about life.
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"If I hadnât been asked to give the Gifford Lectures...I would never have written anything like this book. It made me think in a deep existential way." Read Ryan Asmussen's interview w/ Clare Carlisle on "Transcendence For Beginnersâ (
@nyrb-imprints.bsky.social
).
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/07/w...
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âWhat Can I Say That Is True?â: An Interview with Clare Carlisle - Chicago Review of Books
Letâs begin with the word itself, transcendence. Not quite onomatopoeia, yet that initial root âtransâ we all know from grade school (âLatin for âacross! Like a train chuffing across the countryside!â...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/07/what-can-i-say-that-is-true-an-interview-with-clare-carlisle/
17 days ago
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"Offers humor, melancholy, and moments of piercing recognition." Olivia Zimberoff's review of âAmerican Fantasyâ by Emma Straub (
@riverheadbooks.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/07/p...
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Parasocial at Sea in Emma Straubâs "American Fantasy" - Chicago Review of Books
There is a very specific cultural muscle memory that activates when a former boy band walks onstage. It doesnât matter if you are now divorced, professionally sidelined by a Gen Z intern, or hovering ...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/07/parasocial-at-sea-in-emma-straubs-american-fantasy/
17 days ago
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
StoryStudio Chicago
17 days ago
We are excited to announce this year's Battle of the Genre contestants at StoryBall 2026. Emceed by
@rebeccamakkai.bsky.social
, this year's contestants are: đ”ïž
@jamesklise.bsky.social
, Young Adult đ”ïž
@cynthiapelayo.bsky.social
, Horror đ”ïž
@michaelzapata.bsky.social
, Fiction đ”ïž Lindsay Hunter, Flash
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
StoryStudio Chicago
17 days ago
FUN EVENT ALERT! To help celebrate
#NationalPoetryMonth
, join us for our Spring Poetry Reading -- next Thursday, April 16 at 6:30 pm at the Book Cellar. More info and reader list is here:
buff.ly/WHMmcXg
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"If thereâs a saving grace in reading this in 2026, itâs the knowledge that...we are no longer willing to brush this under the rug of 'genius,'" Read
@fcoffeen.bsky.social
's review of âMiami and the Siege of Chicagoâ by Norman Mailer (Random House Trade, 2016).
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/06/o...
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Out with the Old: Revisiting Mailerâs âMiami and the Siege of Chicagoâ - Chicago Review of Books
At the end of Miami and the Siege of Chicago, Norman Mailerâs 1968 New Journalism account of that yearâs Democratic and Republican National Conventions and the accompanying violence between Yippies an...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/06/out-with-the-old-revisiting-mailers-miami-and-the-siege-of-chicago/
18 days ago
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We are THRILLED to share an exclusive cover reveal of
@gabrielbump.bsky.social
's third novel, Donât Stop Snowing (
@algonquinbooks.bsky.social
, November 10, 2026)! The cover was designed by incredible
@littlebrown.bsky.social
Art Director June Park.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/06/e...
18 days ago
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"All the gravity in the world, it seems, can not erase a people or their resilience." Leah von Essen's review of âEvent Horizonâ by Balsam Karam Translated by Saskia Vogel (
@feministpress.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/03/e...
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The Exiled Writer in "Event Horizon" - Chicago Review of Books
Our review of Balsam Karam's new novel, "Event Horizon."
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/03/event-horizon/
21 days ago
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
StoryStudio Chicago
24 days ago
This is such a rare opportunity! There is still one spot left to join Toya Wolfe for a week in April at beautiful Ragdale. All the details and registration info is here:
buff.ly/igtcckF
#writingretreats
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Ragdale Retreat 2026: Main Ragdale House with Toya Wolfe - StoryStudio Chicago
Room in the Main Ragdale House for April 13-17, 2026
https://buff.ly/igtcckF
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
Catapult Book Group
21 days ago
NO CONTACT is a must-read according to
@chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
! "NO CONTACT is radically vulnerable and truly soaring in its compassion, as well as a powerful reminder that we are never truly alone."
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12 Must-Read Books of April 2026 - Chicago Review of Books
Itâs no prank: April is officially here and so are the spring-time books! This month features some of my favorite debuts of the year, a deeply moving anthology about estrangement, and a book thatâŠ
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/01/12-must-read-books-of-april-2026/
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"'Nothing Tastes As Good' is a ride. Sometimes upsetting, sometimes bloody, but ultimately a great time." Gianni Washington's review of âNothing Tastes as Goodâ by Luke Dumas (
@atriabooks.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/02/n...
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Bloody Satisfaction in "Nothing Tastes As Good" - Chicago Review of Books
Our review of Luke Dumas's new book, "Nothing Tastes As Good."
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/02/nothing-tastes-as-good/
22 days ago
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
StoryStudio Chicago
22 days ago
Come and get your April showers of books -- the
@chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
has your April preview with 12 must-read books, including the new story collection FAT SWING by instructor
@emmaceisenberg.bsky.social
!
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/01/1...
#books
#booksky
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12 Must-Read Books of April 2026 - Chicago Review of Books
Itâs no prank: April is officially here and so are the spring-time books! This month features some of my favorite debuts of the year, a deeply moving anthology about estrangement, and a book that turn...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/01/12-must-read-books-of-april-2026/
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
22 days ago
âWithout knowing how the characters react to various tragedies, readers must imagine their own verdict.â In
@chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
, Cait O'Neill reviews Colm TĂłibĂnâs new short story collection, âThe News from Dublinâ -
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/03/31/t...
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A State of Flux in âThe News from Dublinâ - Chicago Review of Books
Ireland is a nation of migrants, once shaped by a history of mass-emigration and now emerging as a hub of immigration. The rapid evolution of Irish culture and government since the turn of the century...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/03/31/the-news-from-dublin/
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
Chill Subs
23 days ago
Want more? Check out all our open mags that pay writers & don't charge fees:
bit.ly/4bkFWlM
Featuring:
@confingopublishing.bsky.social
@chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
@the4facedliar.bsky.social
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This month features some of my favorite debuts of the year, our EIC
@mbwwelch.bsky.social
writes, including a deeply moving anthology about estrangement, and a book that turns history on its head. Check out the list below!
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/01/1...
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12 Must-Read Books of April 2026 - Chicago Review of Books
Itâs no prank: April is officially here and so are the spring-time books! This month features some of my favorite debuts of the year, a deeply moving anthology about estrangement, and a book that turn...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/04/01/12-must-read-books-of-april-2026/
23 days ago
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"TĂłibĂn strikes a distinct, delicate balance: the negative space holds the emotional timbre to The News from Dublin." Cait O'Neill's review of âThe News from Dublin: Storiesâ by Colm TĂłibĂn (
@scribnerbooks.bsky.social
) s out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/03/31/t...
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A State of Flux in âThe News from Dublinâ - Chicago Review of Books
Ireland is a nation of migrants, once shaped by a history of mass-emigration and now emerging as a hub of immigration. The rapid evolution of Irish culture and government since the turn of the century...
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/03/31/the-news-from-dublin/
24 days ago
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
Michael Zapata
25 days ago
Very excited for this one. Live and direct, and on Zoom :)
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
StoryStudio Chicago
25 days ago
Spring is StoryBall season, so new profile pic! (This is us at last year's Emerald City-themed StoryBall.) Get your ticket now for this year's event - May 7 at Ravneswood Event Center - and help us solve the case of the missing manuscript. đ
www.storystudiochicago.org/storyball/
#chicagowriters
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Weâre thrilled to co-host the Chicago release of THE MEMORY MUSEUM (
@graywolfpress.bsky.social
) by M Lin with Women and Children first in Andersonville! Itâs on May 3 at 6:30pm!
www.eventbrite.com/e/memory-mus...
25 days ago
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"The speculative aspect is almost deeper in this light, because it challenges an American audience to push beyond the guilt of complicity." Out now:
@rachellayown.bsky.social
's interview with Radhika Singh on "Earthly Playing Fieldâ (
@commonnotions.bsky.social
).
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/03/30/r...
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Read Your Resistance: Interview with Radhika Singh - Chicago Review of Books
Our interview with Radhika Singh about her forthcoming novel, "Earthly Playing Field."
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/03/30/read-your-resistance-interview-with-radhika-singh/
25 days ago
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This is TOMORROW at 6:30! Celebrate Jeff's book (coming out w/
@flatironbooks.bsky.social
) with us at the Book Cellar! We are stoked! We are tickled! We are hoping YOU'LL be there too!
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25 days ago
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"An uncanny retelling not of a fairy tale but of horror." Mia Rhee's review of âAfterbirthâ by Emma Cleary (
@harperbooks.bsky.social
) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/03/27/a...
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âAfterbirthâ and Death: Emma Cleary's Debut Novel - Chicago Review of Books
Emma Clearyâs 'Afterbirth' differs from these pop culture predecessorsâ âcoming of ageâ instead offering a whirlwind of emotional placenta at the reunion of sisters Izzy and Brooke.
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2026/03/27/afterbirth-and-death-emma-clearys-debut-novel/
28 days ago
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reposted by
Chicago Review of Books
StoryStudio Chicago
28 days ago
Today's the day!
www.storystudiochicago.org/storyboard-c...
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