Past Events
Writing Poetry Today
Midland Authors presents Writing Poetry Today
Tuesday, March 9, 2021; Panel discussion: 7- 8:00 pm
WATCH VIDEO OF THE EVENT BELOW
Angela Jackson, Illinois’ Poet Laureate, Seems Like a Mighty Long Time
Jackson is a poet, playwright and novelist who grew up on Chicago’s South Side. She is the author of numerous collections of poetry and was named the Illinois Poet Laureate in 2020. Jackson’s forthcoming collection, More Than Meat and Raiment: Poems, will be published this year. “Poetry is life distilled,” she says.
David Radavich, Moderator, America Abroad: An Epic of Discovery
Radavich describes himself as a socially committed poet, playwright and essayist. His latest narrative collection, America Abroad: An Epic for Our Time, is a companion to his earlier America Bound: An Epic for Our Time. Recent lyric collections are Middle-East Mezze and The Countries We Live In. His plays have been performed across the United States and in Europe.
Grace Bauer, Unholy Heart: New and Select Poems
Bauer’s latest collection of poems is Unholy Heart: New and Selected Poems. She was the 2015 winner of the Society of American Authors Book Award in Poetry for her collection Nowhere All At Once. Bauer is the Aaron Douglas Emerta Professor of English & Creative Writing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has long been known for the wide range of both her subject matter and poetic styles.
Lisa Fay Coutley, tether
Coutley is an Assistant Professor of Poetry & Creative Nonfiction in the Writer’s Workshop at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She judged the Midland Authors’ Book Award for poetry in 2018 and 2019. In tether, Coutley “engineers both recovery and healing in poems that swerve emotionally between the landing bays of grief, longing and wonder,” said Major Jackson in a review.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For more information, contact event chair Greg Borzo at (312) 636-8968 or [email protected]
The Loop: Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021
MIDLAND AUTHORS presents Patrick T. Reardon discussing his new book
The Loop: The “L” Tracks that Shaped and Saved Chicago 
Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021
Presentation: 7:00 – 8:00 pm (Central Time) Followed by time to socialize: 8:00 – 8:30 pm
Free, open to the public. No registration needed.
Just join the meeting via Zoom: https://bit.ly/3qvYTcK
For more than three decades, Patrick T. Reardon was an urban affairs writer, columnist and editor for the Chicago Tribune. In 2000 he was one of a team of 50 staff members who won a Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting. He’sthe author of eight other books, including the poetry collection Requiem for David.
This book “tells the full and fascinating story of how Chicago built the ‘L’ and how the ‘L’ built Chicago. Read this book on the ‘L’ and you might miss your stop!” — Tom McNamee, editorial page editor of the Chicago Sun-Times
“Reardon’s thoughtful and reasoned research is both groundbreaking and long overdue. Not content with simply documenting the origin of the term (‘the Loop’), he also examines how this unique transit infrastructure has maintained its relevancy through changing times.” — Bruce G. Moffat, author of The “L:” The Development of Chicago’s Rapid Transit System, 1888-1932
For more information, contact event chair Greg Borzo at (312) 636-8968 or [email protected]
Jan. 12, 2021 Children’s Literature
MIDLAND AUTHORS presents
Writing and Publishing Children’s Books
Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021
Social half hour: 6:30-7 pm; Panel discussion: 7-8:15 pm
Via Zoom: https://bit.ly/3qvYTcK
Free, open to the public; No registration required.
Kate Hannigan, Moderator, A Lady Has the Floor
Author and writing coach Esther Hershenhorn admits that S is for Storyis the book she wishes she’d owned as a little girl, dreaming of a writing career. She lives in Chicago, where she teaches Writing for Children at the University of Chicago’s Graham School’s Writer’s Studio and at the Newberry Library.
Claudia Guadalupe-Martinez, Not a Bean
“Martinez reveals the hidden secrets of the legendary Mexican jumping bean in her picture-book debut. Much like the seed pod’s concealed cargo, this informational picture book packs plenty of facts and learning into a thoroughly entertaining package. Engaging and fun, as all learning should be.” — Kirkus Reviews
Patrick Mc Briarty, Drawbridges Open and Close
“As a kid, I always loved books that explained a concept I didn’t fully grasp when I first saw it. Drawbridgesis one of those books…a great book for those who want to understand the world they encounter.” — Michael Higdon, Retail Manager at the National Building Museum
Eileen Meyer, TheSuperlative A. Lincoln: Poems about our 16th President
“These 19 poems demythologize A. Lincoln. An excellent use of language and recognizable rhyme schemes make this title a wonderful teaching tool for the classroom. VERDICT: A good example of how poetry can also inform. Highly recommended for elementary schools and public libraries.” — School Library Journal
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For more information, contact Greg Borzo: (312) 636-8968; [email protected]
Jill Long Thompson discusses The Character of American Democracy
Jill Long Thompson discussing her new book The Character of American Democracy: Preserving Our Past, Protecting Our Future
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020; Panel discussion: 7- 8:15 pm
with Richard Painter (invited) and Delmarie Cobb, moderator
WATCH VIDEO OF THE EVENT BELOW
Jill Long Thompson, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, is a visiting scholar with the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University Bloomington. During the past five years she taught ethics at the IU Kelley School of Business and the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
Richard Painter was chief ethics lawyer in George W. Bush’s White House and is now the S. Walter Richey Professor of Corporate Law at the University of Minnesota Law School. His latest book is American Nero: The History of the Destruction of the Rule of Law, and Why Trump Is the Worst Offender.
Delmarie Cobb, a veteran journalist and political consultant, owns and operates The Publicity Works, a Chicago-based public affairs, political consulting and media relations firm. She writes a column, Chicago Colors, and is often sought out by the media for her political analyses.
The Character of American Democracy, just published Sept. 15, 2020, shows a bipartisan way forward in these troubling times, when the public is losing trust in our government and confidence in our democratic system. Thompson makes the case that democracy is an ethical concept, and that the process by which we adopt policy is as important as the policies we adopt. One week after the election will be a perfect time to analyze where we stand. Join us!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For more information, contact event chair Greg Borzo at (312) 636-8968 or [email protected]
MIDLAND AUTHORS presents AWARD WINNERS, 2019
Iliana Regan • Tim Johnston • Chelsea Wagenaar • Heather Shumaker • David Treuer • Andrea Warren
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020, 7-8:15 p.m.
Marlene Brill, moderator, Midland Authors Vice President and Awards Chair
WATCH VIDEO OF THE EVENT BELOW
Chelsea Wagenaar, The Spinning Place, a beautiful, intelligent, capacious book exploring a mother-child relationship.
Andrea Warren, Enemy Child: The Story of Norman Mineta, a Boy Imprisoned in a Japanese American Internment
Camp During World War II, a vivid narrative with plentiful, telling photographs that convey a tragic story from a child’s point of view.
David Treuer, The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present,a searing, multilayered, memoir and investigation of one of the least understood massacres in the history of American and Native American relations.
Heather Shumaker, The Griffins of Castle Cary, a delightfully written ghost story filled with mystery and humor.
Iliana Regan, Burn the Place: A Memoir, an original voice, as author seeks her sobriety, identity, passion and life partner.
Tim Johnston, The Current: A Novel, an intricately woven tale of crimes that plagued a small Minnesota town.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For more information, contact event chair Greg Borzo at (312) 636-8968 or [email protected]
Character of American Democracy – Jill Long Thompson
Jill Long Thompson discussing her new book
The Character of American Democracy:
Preserving Our Past, Protecting Our Future
with Richard Painter (invited) and Delmarie Cobb,moderator
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020; Panel discussion: 7- 8:15 pm
Free, open to the public. No registration needed. Just join the meeting via Zoom: https://uic.zoom.us/j/9987216609
Jill Long Thompson, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, is a visiting scholar with the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University Bloomington. During the past five years she taught ethics at the IU Kelley School of Business and the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs
Richard Painter was chief ethics lawyer in George W. Bush’s White House and is now the S. Walter Richey Professor of Corporate Law at the University of Minnesota Law School. His latest book is American Nero: The History of the Destruction of the Rule of Law, and Why Trump Is the Worst Offender.
Delmarie Cobb, a veteran journalist and political consultant, owns and operates The Publicity Works, a Chicago-based public affairs, political consulting and media relations firm. She writes a column, Chicago Colors, and is often sought out by the media for her political analyses.
The Character of American Democracy,just published Sept. 15, 2020, shows a bipartisan way forward in these troubling times, when the public is losing trust in our government and confidence in our democratic system. Thompson makes the case that democracy is an ethical concept, and that the process by which we adopt policy is as important as the policies we adopt. One week after the election will be a perfect time to analyze where we stand. Join us!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For more information, contact event chair Greg Borzo at (312) 636-8968 or [email protected].
Training Hands as Well as Educating Heads
Connie Goddard
Revisiting Industrial Education: Lessons from Three Distinctive Progressive Era Schools Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021; 7:00 – 8:15 p.m.
Free, open to the public No need to register
Zoom link:shorturl.at/xGHR3
Before there were vocational-education programs, there was manual training and industrial education, which emphasized the practical instruction of the hand and eye. Manual training improved perception, observation, dexterity and visual accuracy. It combined practical with academic education.
Goddard’s forthcoming book, Revisiting Industrial Education: Lessons from Three Distinctive Progressive Era Schools, examines influential schools in North Dakota, New Jersey and Chicago. Chicago’s innovative Manual Training School (CMTS), was created in 1884 and influenced dozens of similar schools before being incorporated into John Dewey’s department of education at the University of Chicago in 1901; once there, it lost its distinctive identity. Why Dewey ignored CMTS – as well as complementary ideas from Frank Lloyd Wright and W.E.B. Du Bois – are among the fascinating questions Goddard asks in her “rich contextualization of educational activities around the turn of the century,” as an early reviewer said of her book.
Goddard will also discuss: Getting published; Writing during Covid and Lessons from writers who guided her research.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For more information, contact program chair Greg Borzo: (312) 636-8968; [email protected]
2019 Award Winners Discuss their Books
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020, 7-8:15 p.m.
Free, open to the public. No registration required. This meeting will be conducted by Zoom. Enter this URL in your browser: https://uic.zoom.us/j/9987216609
Marlene Brill, moderator, Midland Authors Vice President and Awards Chair
These six authors won the Midland Authors Annual Book Awards in 2019. Hear them discuss their work.
Chelsea Wagenaar, The Spinning Place, a beautiful, intelligent, capacious book exploring a mother-child relationship.
Andrea Warren, Enemy Child: The Story of Norman Mineta, a Boy Imprisoned in a Japanese American Internment Camp During World War II, a vivid narrative withplentiful, telling photographs that convey a tragic story from a child’s point of view.
David Treuer, The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present, a searing, multilayered, memoir and investigation of one of the least understood massacres in the history of American and Native American relations.
Heather Shumaker, The Griffins of Castle Cary, a delightfully written ghost story filled with mystery and humor.
Iliana Regan, Burn the Place: A Memoir, an original voice, as author seeks her sobriety, identity, passion and life partner.
Tim Johnston,The Current: A Novel, an intricately woven tale of crimes that plagued a small Minnesota town.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For more information, contact event chair Greg Borzo at (312) 636-8968 or [email protected]
Rick Perlstein discusses Reaganland
NewYorkTimes bestselling author and Chicago’s own Rick Perlstein discusses his new book
Reaganland: America’s Right Turn, 1976-1980
Free; open to the public. Join us via Zoom with this link: https://uic.zoom.us/j/9987216609
Perlstein is the author of: The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan; Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America, picked as one of the best nonfiction books of 2007 by over a dozen publications; and Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus, which won the 2001 Los Angeles Times Book Award for history.
He’s a contributing editor and board member of In These Times magazine.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For more information, contact event chair Greg Borzo at (312) 636-8968 or [email protected]
Woodstock @ 50 with Gerald Plecki
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
Cocktail hour: 6-7 pm; Panel discussion: 7-8 pm at the Cliff Dwellers Club, 200 S. Michigan Ave., 22ndfloor penthouse—with a great view of Millennium Park!
Free, open to the public; suggested donation of $5; free appetizers, cash bar
Singing in the Rain: The Definitive Story of Woodstock at Fifty, by Gerard Plecki.
Foreword by Jorma Kaukonen of the Jefferson Airplane.
An inside look at the creative energy and seminal performances that shaped this legendary event in 1969. The only publication that reviews every song performed by every musician at the iconic festival.
Plecki will discuss his new book, in conversation with Walter Podrazik, television historian and analyst, and lecturer at the Dept. of Communication, University of Illinois, Chicago. “Wally” is co-author of ten books, including Watching TV: Eight Decades of American Television.
Plecki has written articles on music and film criticism. His previous books include Robert Altman, an authoritative analysis of this unconventional American director’s films, and Test Positive: Surviving COVID-19 in the Reign of Trump (October 2020), a history of the pandemic in our country.
Plecki will present the inside story of how Woodstock came to be—and how it profoundly impacted politics, music and society.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ For more information, contact Greg Borzo: (312) 636-8968; [email protected] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~