Chicago Book Expo coming to former Uptown Borders Nov. 19-20
Chilli Head/Flickr
Books – check 'em out.
The Chicago Writers House is preparing to prove those who thought the city was devoid of valuable publishing companies oh-so wrong. The organization’s first Chicago Book Expo: Speakeasy takes place Nov. 19-20. The expo—located just off the Lawrence stop in the Goldsblatt’s and Uptown Broadway Buildings—celebrates the initiative and growth of publishers all around the city.
Appropriately located in the former Uptown Borders building, the Chicago Book Expo will take the form of a pop-up bookstore. More than 40 Chicago publishers, being gradually listed online, will bring their recently published works to show just how active the Chicago publishing scene is.
Along with the books from participating presses, Chicago Book Expo activities include author readings, children’s workshops, and a literary nonprofit fair. In addition to all of its free events, the expo also offers Chicago Architecture Foundation tours and a performance by Joan of Arc accompanying His New Job, a 1915 Charlie Chaplin film.
This expo also takes place in the nearby basement of the Uptown Broadway Building, once rumored to have been a speakeasy run by Al Capone. The Chicago Writers House offers this explanation of the union between books and speakeasies: “The notion of hidden highlights the potential to overlook local publishing efforts, but Chicago Book Expo will provide readers with a means to speak easily with publishers, browse books, discover new authors and engage with the larger Chicago literary arts community.” Touché, Chicago Writers House, touché.
