Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 15h

"A hauntingly intricate novel, expanding on the concept of the ghost story."

Ashley Thompson's review of “If the Dead Belong Here” by Carson Faust (@vikingbooks.bsky.social) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2025/10/08/i...

Hauntings and Home Intruders in “If the Dead Belong Here” - Chicago Review of Books

Our review of Carson Faust's new book, "If the Dead Belong Here."

chireviewofbooks.com

2

Reposted by Chicago Review of Books

StoryStudio Chicago @storystudiochicago.bsky.social · 1d

ICYMI -- this happened today! 😁

StoryStudio Chicago @storystudiochicago.bsky.social · 1d

ANNOUNCING: Applications are now open for FIVE Book In A Year programs -- four Novel In A Year and one Short Story Collection In A Year (that's math even we writers can handle!).

Apply for these online programs, all starting in January, by Nov. 14.

buff.ly/vyKN6Ws

#writers

1 2

Reposted by Chicago Review of Books

StoryStudio Chicago @storystudiochicago.bsky.social · 15h

Tomorrow night (10/9)! Writers on Writing with Sarah Ruhl and @rebeccamakkai.bsky.social happens in-person at the Newberry Library (or livestreamed) -- either way, it's FREE to attend. Grab your spot for this illuminating conversation.

buff.ly/jaU546y

#writingcommunity

2 3

Reposted by Chicago Review of Books

StoryStudio Chicago @storystudiochicago.bsky.social · 1d

HUGE CONGRATS!

This is so well-deserved!

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 1d

We are absolutely THRILLED to announce the 2025 winner of the Adam Morgan Literary Leadership Award is @samiraahmed.bsky.social!!! As a national leader of Authors Against Book Bans, Samira uses activism to combat censorship, and we are so grateful for the work she does.

3 6

Reposted by Chicago Review of Books

Samira Ahmed @samiraahmed.bsky.social · 1d

Honored to be the 2025 recipient of the Adam Morgan Literary Leadership Award! Fighting book bans is a team effort & we all know that the fight against censorship is a fight *for* freedom. The freedom to read, to write, to think.

Thank you @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social for this recognition!

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 1d

We are absolutely THRILLED to announce the 2025 winner of the Adam Morgan Literary Leadership Award is @samiraahmed.bsky.social!!! As a national leader of Authors Against Book Bans, Samira uses activism to combat censorship, and we are so grateful for the work she does.

7 7 38

Reposted by Chicago Review of Books

Michael Welch @mbwwelch.bsky.social · 1d

So excited to honor @samiraahmed.bsky.social & the incredible work she does with Authors Against Book Bans at this year’s awards!

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 1d

We are absolutely THRILLED to announce the 2025 winner of the Adam Morgan Literary Leadership Award is @samiraahmed.bsky.social!!! As a national leader of Authors Against Book Bans, Samira uses activism to combat censorship, and we are so grateful for the work she does.

3 13

Reposted by Chicago Review of Books

Greg Zimmerman @gregzimmerman.bsky.social · 3d

This week is Banned Books Week. One easy thing to do to help fight back is donate to Unite Against Book Bans.

uniteagainstbookbans.org

2 3

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 1d

Come celebrate Samira (and all our other finalists!) with us at the tenth annual CHIRBYs on December 11—link in below for tickets!
www.storystudiochicago.org/classes/tick...

2025 CHIRBy Ticket - StoryStudio Chicago

Tickets are free but with a suggested donation of $10 (for 10 years of the CHIRBys!) To donate, please put this ticket in your cart then add the donation at checkout. All proceeds benefit The Chicago ...

www.storystudiochicago.org

3

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 1d

We are absolutely THRILLED to announce the 2025 winner of the Adam Morgan Literary Leadership Award is @samiraahmed.bsky.social!!! As a national leader of Authors Against Book Bans, Samira uses activism to combat censorship, and we are so grateful for the work she does.

2 3 9

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 1d

"Individually, the stories are tightly edited narratives exploring a variety of themes."

@ianmacallen.bsky.social's review of “Near Flesh” by Katherine Dunn (MCD) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2025/10/07/s...

Stories Through A Career in Katherine Dunn's Posthumous "Near Flesh" - Chicago Review of Books

An author can live on through their writing well beyond their deaths. Publishers releasing new works posthumously has become something of a sport. Joan Didion’s journal, Notes to John was recently pub...

chireviewofbooks.com

1 2

Reposted by Chicago Review of Books

StoryStudio Chicago @storystudiochicago.bsky.social · 2d

Really fascinating conversation -- a must-read if you're a fan of the Neopolitan Quartet.

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 2d

"There’s a certain level on which you just decide that this is the right word...one of the elements of making the decision is the unconscious.”

Ian Battaglia's interview with Ann Goldstein, Elena Ferrante's translator, is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2025/10/06/t...

The Translator’s Voice — Ann Goldstein on Translating Elena Ferrante’s “Neapolitan Quartet” - Chicago Review of Books

The Translator’s Voice is a monthly column from Ian J. Battaglia here at the Chicago Review of Books, dedicated to global literature and the translators who work tirelessly and too often thanklessly t...

chireviewofbooks.com

2 4

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 1d

"Pynchon delights in verbal acrobatics—from simple turns-of-phrases to full Jazz-age song parodies."

@gregzimmerman.bsky.social's review of “Shadow Ticket” by Thomas Pynchon (@penguinbooksusa.bsky.social) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2025/10/07/t...

One Last Pynchonian Caper: On "Shadow Ticket" - Chicago Review of Books

Thomas Pynchon would prefer not to be introduced. Which is fine, because by now, on the occasion of the publication of his ninth novel, Shadow Ticket, the 88-year-old famously reclusive writer needs n...

chireviewofbooks.com

1 1

Reposted by Chicago Review of Books

Chicago mag @chicagomag.com · 2d

The @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social announced its 2025 awards shortlist, which includes Tal Rosenberg's feature on the L in trouble

The L in Crisis

With ridership lagging and a fiscal reckoning looming, the L is in trouble. Here’s why our train is worth saving.

buff.ly

2 4

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 2d

"There’s a certain level on which you just decide that this is the right word...one of the elements of making the decision is the unconscious.”

Ian Battaglia's interview with Ann Goldstein, Elena Ferrante's translator, is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2025/10/06/t...

The Translator’s Voice — Ann Goldstein on Translating Elena Ferrante’s “Neapolitan Quartet” - Chicago Review of Books

The Translator’s Voice is a monthly column from Ian J. Battaglia here at the Chicago Review of Books, dedicated to global literature and the translators who work tirelessly and too often thanklessly t...

chireviewofbooks.com

2 3 5

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 2d

Woohoo @laynefargo.bsky.social in @blockclubchi.bsky.social!!! 🥳🥳🥳
blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/03/t...

This Rogers Park Author Combined 'Wuthering Heights' And Ice Dancing Into A Bestseller

Layne Fargo’s novel “The Favorites” was just released in paperback, and it’s in the running for a Chicago Review of Books Award in the fiction category.

blockclubchicago.org

Reposted by Chicago Review of Books

Keith S. Wilson @keithwilsonpoet.bsky.social · 5d

What an honor! My book Games for Children is on the short list of the Chicago Review of Books awards! Thanks @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social !

2 3 7

Reposted by Chicago Review of Books

somanybooks24.bsky.social @somanybooks24.bsky.social · 2d

“You can tell that Ravn is a poet by nature, and an astounding one at that.”
In @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social‬‬, Madeline Schultz reviews Olga Ravn’s newly translated novel, “The Wax Child” - chireviewofbooks.com/2025/10/02/t...

Witch Trials and Wax Narrators in "The Wax Child" - Chicago Review of Books

Our review of Olga Ravn’s new novel "The Wax Child."

chireviewofbooks.com

1 1

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 5d

"O’Neill’s strengths is understanding how to build suspense by keeping secrets, both among the characters, and from the reader."

@ianmacallen.bsky.social's review of “The Irish Goodbye" by Heather Aimee O'Neill (@henryholtbooks.bsky.social) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2025/10/03/f...

Family Secrets in “The Irish Goodbye” - Chicago Review of Books

Our review of Heather Aimee O'Neill's debut novel, "The Irish Goodbye"

chireviewofbooks.com

1 2

Reposted by Chicago Review of Books

Dean Jobb 🇨🇦 True Crime Writer @deanjobb.bsky.social · 6d

Announcing the 2025 Chicago Review of Books Awards Shortlist chireviewofbooks.com/2025/10/01/a... via @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social

Announcing the 2025 Chicago Review of Books Awards Shortlist - Chicago Review of Books

The Chicago Review of Books is proud to announce the shortlist for the 2025 Chicago Review of Books (CHIRBy) Awards! This year we’re celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the awards! For a decade, th...

chireviewofbooks.com

1 3

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 6d

"A story of power and who wields it, a story of women and how they stick together—and fall apart."

Maddie Schultz's review of “Wax Child" by Olga Ravn (@ndbooks.bsky.social) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2025/10/02/t...

Witch Trials and Wax Narrators in "The Wax Child" - Chicago Review of Books

Our review of Olga Ravn’s new novel "The Wax Child."

chireviewofbooks.com

3

Reposted by Chicago Review of Books

Michael Zapata @michaelzapata.bsky.social · 7d

Huge felicidades to all! Nothing fills the heart like some hometown love!

Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 7d

We are so thrilled to announce the shortlist for 2025 CHIRBys!!! Congratulations to all of our finalists 🥳🥳🥳

1 4

Reposted by Chicago Review of Books

RoscoeBooks @roscoebooks.bsky.social · 7d

The 2025 CHIRBy Shortlists from @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social are out! What a great collection of Chicago books and writing.

Time to get to reading (if you haven't already) these great nominees! The winners are announced December 11.

#books
#booksky

chireviewofbooks.com/2025/10/01/a...