This one’s going out to those of you who may have wondered why all the major book awards seems to come from places other than Chicago. Considering the breadth and depth of the literary landscape here, it’s a bit shocking that we have so few awards to name off the top of our heads. Introducing the Chicago Review of Books Awards. As they say on their website about the awards:
“. . . the Chicago Review of Books—in partnership with Chicago’s independent bookstores—wants to recognize Chicagoland authors and help them reach more bookshelves across the city, the country, and the world.
This fall, the inaugural Chicago Review of Books Awards (‘Chirbys,’ for short) will celebrate the best books published in 2016 by writers in the Chicago Metropolitan Area.”
They go on to mention that the winners in each category will be announced live on December 8 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Volumes Bookcafe in Wicker Park, at a free public awards ceremony and book signing that will feature panel conversations between some of the authors in each category about their books, writing process, and Chicago inspirations.
So what are the books up for contention that you should know? Here’s the full list (with special notes on which of the authors live or work in Evanston):
Best Fiction
Jesse Ball, How to Set a Fire and Why
Wesley Chu, Time Siege
Gina Frangello, Every Kind of Wanting
Abby Geni, The Lightkeepers
Mary Robinette Kowal, Ghost Talkers
Christine Sneed, The Virginity of Famous Men: Stories (<— She lives in Evanston!)
Best Creative Nonfiction
Chris Abani, The Face: Cartography of the Void (<— Mr. Abani is a Board of Trustees Professor of English at Northwestern University)
Ethan Michaeli, The Defender
Natalie Y. Moore, The South Side
Toni Nealie, The Miles Between Me
Mary Wisniewski, Algren: A Life
Zoe Zolbrod, The Telling (<— Lives in Evanston!)
Best Poetry
Kevin Coval and Nate Marshall, 1989: The Number
Tony Fitzpatrick, The Secret Birds
Phillip B. Williams, Thief in the Interior
Abigail Zimmer, child in a winter house brightening
Best Debut
Kim Brooks, The Houseguest
Jessica Chiarella, And Again
Maryse Meijer, Heartbreaker: Stories
Ada Palmer, Too Like the Lightning
Martin Seay, The Mirror Thief
T. Sean Steele, Tacky Goblin
Somewhat disappointingly there is no children’s or YA category yet, but I’ve confidence that that will have to change in the future. In the meantime, enjoy the books and stay tuned for the winners!
