Local Linking Love

My fellow Chicago writer and RAGAD contributor Spencer Dew gets the hallowed Book Notes treatment at Largehearted Boy, and displays his staggeringly diverse musical tastes. (Johnny Cash! The Clash! Shakira!) I've done a few readings with Spencer, and the antic energy of his performance simply has to be seen to be believed. Check him out, and the book (Songs of Insurgency) too.

At CCLaP, Jason Pettus raves about Joe Meno's The Boy Detective Fails, repeatedly invoking Haruki Murakami as he does so. Pettus' praise is even more impressive given the very lukewarm review he previously gave to Meno's much-loved Hairstyles of the Damned. (I had a few issues myself with that book, but really enjoyed it overall. I guess I'll add Boy Detective to my list.)

And on a non-literary note: Chicago, from 36,000 feet at night. Stunning. (Via Coudal.)