Features

Improv Central
by Alan Gross
Improvisational theatre just may be our most significant export to Western civilization. But don’t ask for a definition.

The Quest of George Anastaplo
by Andrew Patner
His goal was to become a lawyer. His foes included McCarthyism and an inflexible judiciary. His case is a stain on the Illinois bar.

Wanted: Dead or Alive?
by Alfredo S. Lanier
Thousands of cats and dogs are destroyed each month, victims of an outmoded, insensitive animal-welfare system. Is Chicago ready for reform?

Lunar Lakescapes
by Joanne Trestrail
Dan Zaitz’s photographs – serene and otherworldly

The Goods: Song and Dance with a Bow
by Jamie Gilson
More than 75 great holiday presents to make merry the eight days of Chanukah, the 12 days of Christmas, and all the best people you know

How to Sue…Practically Anybody
by Jack Star
Some 6,000 people file suits in Pro Se Court in Cook County every year – and they do it without lawyers.

Veva
fiction by Virginia Allen
Red, maroon, and deep rose were the colors of the forties, the colors of a childhood.

Who’s at the Door, Honey?
by Joseph Epstein
A dream of a party descends into a nightmare of names. Choose your friends wisely or it could happen to you.

Departments

Letters

Upfront
by Henry Hanson
A boozy rhyme for Christmastime; nuclear arms opposition from the bishops; John S. Edwards summons muses and a cat named Gus.

William Brashler: Mutts that Strut
Meet the canine Blue Angels – they don’t look like much until they start stopping traffic.

Audio: Showing Off with Sound
by Rich Warren

How to make yourself a recording star in the privacy of your own home

Travel: Christmas in Sweden
by Jane Samuelson
December is the darkest month of the year, but the Swedes have made an art of living through it.
On the Aisle: Three Winter’s Tales
by Claudia Cassidy
Strange and sad in the way of lost causes – and the third one is true
Art: A Song Will Rise
by Henry Hanson
P. Michael O’Sullivan has documented many battles of the human spirit in his photographs. Now he is engaged in a fight for his own life.
Books: Royko’s Rules for Living
Collected wisdom and wisecracks from a regular guy who prefers cheek to chic
Movies: Uncommon Images
by Dave Kehr
The plot of Hammett is clever enough, but the conviction comes in the visual compositions.

Wine: Holiday Cheer with Bubbles
by Patrick W. Fegan
Pick one from this list of sparklers – chill, “pop,” and enjoy!

Chicago As It Was: Land Ho!
by Perry R. Duis and Glen E. Holt
Whether for summer spas or housing development, real estate beckoned Chicagoans to the South and West.

Dining on a Budget: Cold Comfort
by Jill and Ron Rohde
Old-time taverns can warm the spirit when the toes are numb.

Dining on the Town: The Berghoff Reconsidered
by Carla and Allen Kelson
When a restaurant we know and love lets us down, it hurts.

The Best of Chicago: Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
by Judith Neisser
Al Booth keeps the Christmas spirit alive and ecumenical at Orchestra Hall.

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