Category Archives: book reviews

1928 Children’s Book Recommendations From a Former Chicago Public Librarian, Just in Time for Christmas…

Posted on December 18, 2019 by

Since my previous Christmas book recommendations were popular last year, I figured I’d try another one. This time around, however, we’re focusing on children’s books. ~*~ Today’s 1928 recommendations come from Agatha L. Shea, a former Supervisor of Children’s Services at … Continue reading →

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Ghosts, Gangsters, and Widows: An Interview With Sherilyn Decter, Author of INNOCENCE LOST, Book One of The Bootlegger Chronicles

Posted on February 27, 2019 by

     Hello Dear Readers! Today I’m very excited to bring you something new and different: an interview with author Sherilyn Decter!     Decter’s marketing team over at MC Book Tours reached out to me to join her book tour, … Continue reading →

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“Books for Every One”: A Christmas Gift Guide from 1928

Posted on December 22, 2017 by

  Scrambling for a last minute Christmas gift? Why not try a book recommendation from 1928? What do you think was the most popular Christmas gift in 1928? If you said “a book,” you’d be right! 🙂 Books were extremely … Continue reading →

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The Yanks Are Coming! A Booklist in Honor of America Entering WWI One Hundred Years Ago Today

Posted on April 6, 2017 by

One hundred years ago on April 6th, 1917, America entered WWI and changed the world forever. Over the course of the War, America went from an isolationist, frontier power to a major player on the international stage, both economically and politically. … Continue reading →

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Book List: The Best Prohibition Books for Kids and Teens

Posted on November 18, 2015 by

There are lots of great books about Prohibition out there, but not all of them are kid or teen friendly. Here’s a list of books that wouldn’t look out of place in a high school or middle school research paper—and … Continue reading →

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C is for Cocktail: How to Conjugate “Cocktail” as per F. Scott Fitzgerald

Posted on August 19, 2015 by

Hey everyone! I’m still busy working on my Assassination Theater review, so I thought I’d post something quick and fun for you all today…   Lately I’ve been flipping through a book called Lists of Note: An Eclectic Collection Deserving … Continue reading →

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Chicago’s Very Own Ponzi: Review of Dean Jobb’s “Empire of Deception” (June 2015)

Posted on July 15, 2015 by

When most people think of con men, the first name that comes to mind is Charles Ponzi. Widely known as the man who gave his name to the classic pyramid scheme, Ponzi raked in roughly $20 million (equal to roughly … Continue reading →

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Primary Source Book Review: The Professional Thief, by Edwin Sutherland and Chic Connall, 1937

Posted on March 26, 2015 by

  Ever wonder what it would be like to be a professional thief in 1925? Well, wonder no more! In his study The Professional Thief: by a Professional Thief, Annotated and Interpreted by Edwin H. Sutherland, Indiana University sociologist Edwin … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Tinseltown by William J. Mann, an Edgar Award Nominee

Posted on February 21, 2015 by

On a chilly February morning in 1922, William Desmond Taylor was found lying dead on the floor of his Hollywood home with a .38 caliber bullet lodged in his guts. His murder shocked the film industry. After all, everyone loved … Continue reading →

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