Books
- >> The Never-Ending War For 30 years, James Jones wondered how you come back from counting yourself as dead. Dec. 20, 2014
- >> The Stars Our Destination Heinlein was the best sci-fi writer of all time—and then mysteriously he became the worst. June 28, 2014
- >> What Country, Friends, Is This? Where's the minstrel-show "Othello" or the scurrilous "MacBird!" in this Shakespeare in America? April 12, 2014
- >> John D. MacDonald Before Travis McGee The earlier, darker, better novels. Sept. 23, 2013
- >> Tales of the American Male His guys are film directors, mountain climbers, combat pilots. In Latin "vir" roughly translates as "guy." March 30, 2013
- >> What Happened at Fort Dearborn The back story opens up a fascinating vista of lost American history. Aug. 10, 2012
- >> The Grace of a Shadowy Street The small-time chicanery and shuffling criminality of American hard-boiled. March 24, 2012
- >> In Praise of the Gross Miller's insolent tone, more than the sex,incited the book-banners. Feb. 2, 2012
- >> A Master Back in the Saddle The obscure American thriller writer who can stand up to le Carré. Dec. 17, 2011
- >> Lost and Found In Translation What would the classical Latin have been for "jazzercise"? Oct. 27, 2011
- >> What She Found in the Dark Kael believed a film could and would change your life. Oct. 22, 2011
- >> The Last Gunfight What exactly happened near the O.K. Corral, and other questions of modest import. May 21, 2011
- >> Serious Moonlight There’s no pleasure in life that a connoisseur won’t try to ruin for you. March 12, 2011
- >> Seductively Dangerous Without Thomas De Quincey there would have been no James Frey. Dec. 10, 2010
- >> The Unobserved Life Mildred Walker's dark novels. May 6, 2005
- >> The Supreme Ironist Thomas M. Disch thoroughly reconciles the stuff of pop lit with the standards of serious writing. Aug. 26, 1993
Classical music
- >> Spoonfuls of Sugar Chicago Symphony Orchestra with John Adams at Orchestra Hall. May 28, 1999
- >> Going to Extremes Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Pierre Boulez at Orchestra Hall. April 9, 1999
- >> Beauty in the Strangest Places Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Pierre Boulez at Orchestra Hall. Dec. 18, 1998
- >> Divine Cacophony Helsinki Philharmonic, Angel of Light (Ondine). April 18, 1997
- >> The Last Adagio The Art of Sergiu Celibidache (Arlecchino). March 8, 1996
- >> Brilliant Heresy Bach’s Matthaus-Passion by the Vienna Philharmonic with Wilhelm Furtwangler (EMI Classics). Nov. 24, 1995
Opera
- >> Not So Great The Great Gatsby and The Queen of Spades at Lyric Opera. Oct.13, 2000
- >> Feast For the Eyes, Famine For the Ears Akhnaten, Chicago Opera Theater. July 28, 2000
- >> Epic Soundtrack Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde at Lyric Opera. Feb. 18, 2000
- >> Gorgeous George Handel’s Alcina at Lyric Opera; Purcell’s King Arthur at Orchestra Hall. Nov. 19, 1999
- >> Gem in a Tarnished Setting Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg at Lyric Opera. March 5, 1999
- >> Sweet Nothing Richard Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos at Lyric Opera. Nov. 20, 1998
- >> Queen of Pain Maria Callas, Callas Edition (EMI Classics). Nov. 28, 1997
Television
- >> Real Women Beth and Val are a relief after TV’s monstrous females. Feb. 21, 2008
- >> The Dull and the Kinky HBO and Showtime offer unsexy takes on erotica. Nov. 8, 2007
- >> Men Behaving Badly The existential hell that is CBS’s Monday night lineup. March 30, 2007
- >> Constant Crises Brothers & Sisters, What About Brian ... and Heimat. Feb. 9, 2007
- >> She’s Not Ugly And Ugly Betty is nowhere near “subversive.” Nov. 24, 2006
- >> Serial Killers Who Stalk Serial Killers Who ... Dexter’s absurd twist on Hollywood’s favorite bugaboo. Nov. 17, 2006
- >> Disorderly Conduct Law & Order. It’s a wonder the accused are allowed any defense at all. Oct. 20, 2006
- >> Quaint Is the New Cutting Edge Studio 60. Or so you might think after the first few episodes. Oct. 6, 2006
- >> Trips for Toddlers Teletubbies. They’re cute, they’re cuddly, they’re totally whacked on acid. Dec. 25, 1998
- >> Down the Tubes Costello, Encore!, Mercy Point. TV has now hit rock bottom and started digging. Nov. 6, 1998
- >> The Crisis Crisis Ally, Xena, Veronica. Sitcoms overloaded with fear, exhaustion and despair. Oct. 24, 1997
- >> The Mean Season Space, Hope, SeaQuest. This fall it’s in with eerie thugs as heroes. Oct. 20, 1995
- >> Star Dreck VR.5, Babylon 5. Bungled ideas, looming cancellation and sometimes a moment of grandeur. May 26, 1995
- >> The Doctor Is In ER and Chicago Hope. Choosing Between the Big-Time Operators. March 31, 1995
Other stuff
- >> True, Too True A tribute to the Chicago Reader's longtime editor. "New Haven Review," July 19, 2010
- >> Indie Indy Legendary remake of "Raiders" by three teens. Movie review, May 22, 2008
- >> On Copyright In a symposium on Internet and public domain. "Following Cerebus," February 2005
- >> A Strange Hell Lord of the Rings. Tolkien’s tidy war, faithfully brought to life in an extended box set. Jan. 7, 2005
- >> With a Clash of Symbols The Meeting of Heaven and Earth. Van Eyck’s Annunciation, Art Institute. Aug. 8, 1997
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