The obligatory end of the year blog post reflection. I REALLY waited until the VERY end of 2023 to get this done. In part, because I’ve been convalescing from hip surgery (torn labrum/impingement repair), but to be honest, I’ve just been avoiding looking back or forward. This year has felt a bit out of control…
Tag: Chicago
A journey in purple (part three)
Day seventeen: Today is the first day back after the university’s spring break. I spent the week leading a group of college students on a volunteer trip to the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. Most of the trip I spent considering whether or not I was an effective and inspirational leader. Most of the trip I…
Book Review: The Devil in the White City
This book was referred to me way back when I lived in Paris. A classmate knew I was from the Chicago-ish area and asked if I had ever read Erik Larson’s narrative on “murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America.” I hadn’t yet, but when I was told that the book was…
Book Review: The Reign of the Kingfisher
Before actually reading his debut novel, I had the pleasure of sitting down with TJ Martinson to chat about The Reign of the Kingfisher (2019). Although a life-long fan of comic books, Martinson recognized that current culture is already inundated with superhero stories. Hoping to add something new, Martinson decided to deviate from the predictable…
L.M.Beatty 