It is the middle of the 20th century and leeba, the daughter of orthodox jewish immigrants, feels out of place. Wind city books bringing books to the people since 2007. The places and personalities of the chicago blues scene, past and present. A young girl moves to new york city and lands the job of a lifetime working for helen gurley brown as she takes over cosmopolitan magazine in 1965 read more set against the backdrop of the civil rights movement, three lives converge at chess records, the birthplace of chicago blues.
In 1960s chicago, a young woman stands in the middle of a musical and social revolution. Leeba groski, the daughter of polish jewish immigrants, becomes a filer and receptionist for a new record company in chicago, illinois, in the postwwii years. Talkin blues, honoring sterling plumpp, renowned chicago based blues poet, on may 14. Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and videos from thousands of public libraries worldwide.
Windy city blues society chicagos premier blues society. The book is set in postwwii chicago and tells the story of. Louis, mo and chicago, il which i thought was totally perfect. Spertus has several events planned around rosens book. The blues brothers 1980 a contender for most quotable movie of all time, the blues brothers isnt just a ridealong with jake and elwood on their mission from god. With their relationship unwelcome in segregated chicago and shunned by leebas orthodox jewish family, she and red soon find themselves in the middle of the civil rights movement and they discover that, in times of struggle, music can bring people together. But what brings the heat is the love between jewish leeba and africanamerican red dupree, as they navigate the explosive chicago blues scene of the 50s and 60s, while trying to push past the forces intent on tearing them apart. Windy city blues society article archives chicago reader. Windy city blues explores racial tension and music in. Chicago august 10, 2017 for the 7th year in a row, chicago will mark jewish book month with one book one community, in which a single title is selected for discussions and activities across greater chicago. In addition to playing without fee, our musicians bear other costs including parking fees and more. Chicagos diverse population and rich blues history come together in renee rosens latest novel, windy city blues.
Chicago author writes about chicago blues, civil rights. People tend to fall in love with chicago very quickly. Warshawski returns to the windy city to save an old friends nephew from a murder arrest. Juf news chicago one book selection puts a soundtrack. From its sprawling parks to its towering skyscrapers and eclectic neighborhoods, this city is a playground.
Chicago one book selection puts a soundtrack to chicago s civil rights history in windy city blues, rosen slyly knits a small crew of fictional characters into the real lives of noteworthy chicagoans, following them from the 1930s through the. Our authors are actively involved with every step and dictate the pace in which the. Chicago arts magazine renee rosens windy city blues. Windy city blues has been selected by spertus institute for its one book one community book of the year. Windy city blues is set in chicago during the coming of the blues era. Dauber said his favorite interview was with local jazz musician corky siegel and how his act chamber blues came to be. Ultimately windy city blues is an uplifting book, as it mingles fact and. Renee rosen at the march 3, 2107 book launch of her historical. Warshawski has been my go to detective from the time i was in high school. But she also finds love with a black blues guitarist named red dupree. Renee rosens windy city blues is a book as cool as the music that guides the story. We are raising money to pay musicians that play our stage and cover the cost to operate the windy city blues society street stage at the 2016 chicago blues fest. Windy city blues explores racial tension and music in 1950s.
Windy city blues author makes bloomington appearance wglt. My husband and i listened to windy city blues by renee rosen driving to and from st. The book is available for preorder today at wind city books and will be available to pick up at the store march 3rd or at the event. Windy city blues released earlier this year is available in paperback, e book and audio. Their label, chess records, helped shape that music into the chicago blues, the soundtrack for a transformative era in american history. If you love chicago electric blues, you have two ways to learn more about their origin. In windy city blues, renee rosen takes us back to chicago albeit in a different era than her other books.
A new historical novel from the bestselling author of. Louis, mo and chicago, il which i thought was totally. The readers guide to the 2016 chicago blues festival the worlds largest free blues fest bustles with a. With their relationship unwelcome in segregated chicago and shunned by leebas orthodox jewish family, leeba and red soon find themselves in the middle of the civil rights movement, and they discover that, in times of struggle, music can bring people together. We offer an exciting selection of chicago gifts and chicago souvenirs such as chicago snow globes, mugs, magnets, chocolates, mints, books, statues, models, tshirts and many glass chicago christmas ornaments, each chicago souvenir represents a part of the wonderful windy city. Windy city blues selected as chicagos one book one. Wcp is a boutique hybrid publishing company located in the chicagoland area. Windy city blues captures the heartbeat of chicago in guitar riffs and harmonica.
We also heard from terry chess, son of the late phil chess. This years selection is windy city blues by chicago author renee rosen white collar girl and what the lady wants. High on that list is tangling with chicago political bosses. I was first made aware of this book from nena ivon, a fellow fashion historian here in chicago.
The windy city blues society will have a booth again at the annual chicago blues festival june 79, 2019 in millennium park. Lockwood, otis rush, mighty joe young, roosevelt sykes windy city blues at discogs. The guild literary complex will pay tribute to his plumpps decadeslong achievement on stage at rosas blues lounge in logan square 3420 w. For the 7th year in a row, chicago will mark jewish book month with one book one community, in which a single title is selected for discussions and activities across greater chicago. Needing a book of detective short stories as part of a mystery challenge, i came across paretskys windy city blues. In the middle of the twentieth century, the music of the mississippi delta arrived in chicago, drawing the attention of entrepreneurs like the chess brothers. With blues music pioneers like big bill broonzy, tampa red, and memphis minnie blazing the trail for those who would follow, the windy city became synonymous with not only a style of blues music but often times with the blues.
But what brings the heat is the love between jewish leeba and africanamerican red dupree, as they navigate the explosive chicago blues. The case involves a stolen artifact that could implicate a shadowy network of international criminals. It is a story of ambition, sacrifice, love, circumstance, and art. We learned more about the story of chicago blues with renee rosen, author of windy city blues, a new historical novel about chess records. Join us monday, march 9th at 6pm at frontier brewing company 117 e 2nd st. We need volunteers assist with wcbs merchandise membership sales and distribute handouts to festival attendees. From the music to the accents to the scenery, its a love letter to all that makes chicago great. Before giving us nine tales featuring her indomitable detective, vi warshawski, paretsky provides an introduction in which she gives a tour of the industrial south side of chicago. Laurie the story of chess records, which is at the heart of the book, is true. Needing a book of detective short stories as part of a mystery challenge, i came across paretskys windy city blues on a friends feed last week. The blues may have been born in the mississippi delta, but chicago is the place that the music became a lasting part of american musical culture. We are a digital organization that uses the latest technology to manage the publishing process for authors not only in the usa, but globally as well.
Cohen picks up where other soul writers have left off on chicago. Francis cassidy these nine short stories are a perfect introduction to the world of p. Before giving us nine tales featuring her indomitable detective, v. Through revealing portraits of selected local artists and sliceoflife vignettes drawn from the city s pubs and lounges, chicago blues encapsulates the sound and spirit of the blues as it is lived today. Bleeding chicago blue and loving the city and the cubs as much as i do, i have read each of v. Warshawski stories the chicago writer whose name always makes the top of the list when people talk about the new female operatives. It is the middle of the 20th century and leeba, the daughter of. But, for leeba groski, chess records was just where she. But i was interested in it because my dad is a drummer in boulevard blues band and i really dont know that.