Please join us at Volumes Bookcafe on Saturday, December 8 from 7 to 10 p.m. for a party to announce the winners of the 2018 Chicago Review of Books Awards (a.k.a. the Chirbys), our third annual event to recognizes the best books published by Chicago-based authors in the past 12 months.
This year, the awards are a co-production between us, StoryStudio Chicago, and the Chicagoland Independent Bookstore Alliance. Also this year, for the first time, a new award will celebrate the best story, essay, or feature by a Chicago writer.
It’s 100% free, but space is limited, so reserve your spot via Eventbrite today.
Here are the finalists:
All of the shortlisted authors below will be in attendance to meet readers and sign copies of their books. And there won’t be any panels this year, so you’ll get to spend most of the time drinking and socializing.
- Ben Austen
- Nina Barrett
- Jenny Boully
- Amelia Brunskill
- Eve Ewing
- Julia Fine
- Abby Geni
- Natalie Y Moore
- Deborah Shapiro
- Valerie Wallace
- And more TBD!
2018 Judges
Judges for the 2018 Chicago Review of Books Awards include many representatives from Chicago’s independent bookstores and the Chicago Independent Bookstore Alliance:
- Suzy Takacs, The Book Cellar
- Rebecca George, Volumes Bookcafe
- Thomas Flynn, Volumes Bookcafe
- Timothy Moore, Unabridged Bookstore
- Sara Hollenbeck, Women & Children First
- Jeff Deutsch, Seminary Co-op and 57th Street Books
- Wayne Giacalone, RoscoeBooks
As well as members of the Chicago Review of Books and Arcturus magazine editorial and contributing staffs:
- Adam Morgan, CHIRB Editor-in-Chief
- Kristen Raddatz, CHIRB Executive Editor
- Sara Cutaia, Editor-in-Chief at Arcturus magazine
- Rachel León, Editor at Arcturus magazine
- Aram Mrjoian, CHIRB Editor-at-Large
Congrats again to last year’s winners and finalists!
good job!