Tom Lynch

Chicago's favorite attorney-author, who hit huge with 1987's "Presumed Innocent," moves out of the courtroom and onto the battlefield with "Ordinary Heroes," about a retired journalist who discovers letters his dead father wrote during his time in World War II. A fiancée no one knew about, a prison break, a court-martial and more stream in the soldier's writing, as Scott Turow's hero traces his father's step--and missteps--through a violent, romantic war-torn youth. Turow's prose is as fervent as ever as he's created a pulsing page-turner, showing off range and a knack for melodrama. The results are thrilling--this is Turow's best work in a long, long time, and once again solidifies him as a stone-rock of the Chicago literary scene.

Scott Turow reads from "Ordinary Heroes" on December 6 at Anderson's Bookstore, 123 West Jefferson, Naperville, (630)355-2665, at 7pm. Free.

(2005-11-29)

Also by Tom Lynch

Punk Rock Blues
Already sipping a fresh coffee, Joe Meno slinks into Wicker Park's Alliance Bakery & Café on an early Saturday afternoon, shuffles by scenesters taking advantage of the free wireless Internet, and inconspicuously sits at a table. The author, playwright and Punk Planet contributor doesn't really look "punk rock," but his work thoroughly evokes it
(2005-11-15)

Divine Idea
While the Promise Ring's reunion comes as only a slight surprise--Davy von Bohlen plays an earlier show with Maritime, opening for Jimmy Eat World and the American Analog Set--the biggest shocker to come out from the city's dark subways is the Smoking Popes who, only a brief time ago, seemed destined to be thumb-tacked into the mid-nineties Chicago pop-punk scene
(2005-11-08)

Tip of the Week
The low-fi dance assault known as Casiotone for the Painfully Alone--in truth, a one-man operation called Owen Ashworth armed with only, you guessed it, a Casio--breaks down the barriers that guard the selective "happy" people in the world who just can't get into IDM
(2005-11-08)

Soundcheck
Sally Seltmann, who croons and sways under the name New Buffalo, finally had her "The Last Beautiful Day" released in the United States with the help of label Arts & Crafts, and the astounding result, the seemingly effortless beauty of pop matched with Seltmann's meaty-yet-vulnerable voice, will be something to remember for years to come
(2005-11-01)

Tip of the Week
(2005-11-01)

Going for broke
(2005-10-25)

Ghost story
(2005-10-25)

Tip of the Week
(2005-10-25)

Free Verse
(2005-10-18)

Tip of the Week
(2005-10-18)

Game Day
(2005-10-11)

Worth the Weight
(2005-10-11)

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