After your Thanksgiving food coma comes Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  Don't forget the "holiday" inbetween: Small Business Saturday!  We've prepared our 2014 Gift Guide, and we're ready to steer you towards some awesome purchases.  We have books for everyone on your list.  Seriously.  Even that person who swears they don't read.  We also have staff picks all over the store, so you won't want for suggestions.  To give you a head start, here are some of our favorite titles from 2014.

We just got nominated for Time Out Chicago's "Love Chicago Awards," and we couldn't be more thrilled!  If you love City Lit, we'd love to have you vote for us!  It's very quick and clickable.  Promise.  If you visit the voting site, make sure to select "Northwest Side" as your neighborhood, and you'll find us listed under "Shops."  We wouldn't have received a nomination without your support, so we already feel like big winners!

Voting is open until November 11th.  Winners will be announced the week of December 4th.  Thanks for your love! 

If you've been in the store lately, you'll have seen our Halloween-themed table.  We have all our favorite creepy reads out on display.  In case you didn't see it, or haven't visited City Lit in awhile, we're posting some scary books on our website.  When you want to get the shivers, grab one of these titles and prepare to be spooked!

September 21st-27th is Banned Books Week: an annual event celebrating the freedom to read.  We're honoring intellectual freedom with our Banned Books Event on Friday, September 26th.  We've invited local authors Esme Codell, Beatriz Badikian-Gartler, Kathleen Larkin, and Deirdre Harrison to come by City Lit and read passages from their favorite banned books.  We'll also be showcasing local high school students who will read from banned books, and some live local music.

Banned Books Week is an important event, bringing attention to issues of censorship and freedom.  However, we encourage you to read banned books all year long!  Here are a few of our favorite frequently-challenged titles: 

As Summer stampedes to a close, we're already pining for outdoor festivals, reading a great book on the beach, and the hot, muggy Chicago air...well, maybe not that last one. But don't worry! Your friendly, neighborhood bookstore has you covered. Before you up and move to warm climates all year round, remember the one great thing that makes September worthwhile...NEW BOOKS! That's right. September releases have us all clammoring for Summer to up and end so we can get our hands on these amazing new titles. Here are just a few of the most anticipated unreleased or just released titles of the Fall. 

As most of our devoted followers know, we at City Lit Books try to provide the neighborhood with a wide array of bookclubs and (free) events. This week, join bookseller, Chelka, for her Chat 'n' Chew Bookclub!

For those of you who haven't attended, Chat 'n' Chew is all about food: reading about food, talking about food, and, of course, eating delicious, homemade, cookbook-centered food. This month, we'll be discussing a food blogger of your choosing. This could be your well-worn copy of Deb Perlman's Smitten Kitchen cookbook, Joy the Baker's cookbook, Angela Liddon's Oh She Glows Vegan cookbook, or anything else you've read, loved, and consumed!

This bookclub meets this thursday, August 28th at 6:30. So drop in with your favorite blogger cookbook and maybe a treat to share!

For a full list of our bookclubs, check out our Bookclub page!   

Before I opened City Lit and I would read about retailers’ anniversaries, I would think “good for them” and”I should really stop by and get some free cookies. “   I could not have imagined the gratitude, joy, excitement, and pride that such an announcement brings.  Gratitude for the unwavering support of so many families and regular customers.  Joy of watching a community grow.  Excitement for the new customers, books, events, and relationships we have yet to build.  Pride in a conscientious and hard-working staff that set a high bar for customer service every day. 

Today I am thankful for the support of the tremendous community of book-lovers, the efforts of a great team of City Lit booksellers, and the generosity of support from all of you who have helped create this thriving and exciting place.

Stop by and have some cookies!

As true Chicagoans know, Chicago in the summer turns into one long, mad, outdoor festival. It seems like every weekend is another excuse for cold beers in plastic cups, picnic dinners, and sunscreen (not to mention that crumpled paperback you always carry with you, right?). 

Right before you break down and buy those last minute Lollapalooza tickets for this upcoming weekend, consider checking out Lolla's first ever art exhibit, "Art Alliance: Provocateurs." It's set to run in tandem with the music festival from July 31st to August 4th. 

"Art Alliance: The Provocateurs" will feature some of the most prominent street artists working in today's cultural climate, including the incredible Shephard Fairey. The show will stage five outdoor mural projects on Chicago walls, with Fairey's taking up 9th and Wabash. The exhibit will also have an indoor component, in case we lose our moderate summer weather or you're in need of a mid-dance break cool down at the Loop's Block Thirty Seven. 

What does this have to do with us, you ask? Well BESIDES the fact that we love our fair city and are always up for spreading the word about some new event, City Lit got the tip off about 'The Provocateurs' and, being the cultural liaisons which we ARE, we're now proud to carry a collection of art folios by artists involved as well as a few limited edition pieces published for the art show. 

This includes Stanley Donwood of Radiohead fame, Shephard Fairey, Banksy, Revok, Keith Haring and many more.

So after you've done the downtown thing, head up to Logan Square to check out these beautiful new editions. Trust us... They're gorgeous. 

For more information on 'The Provocateurs,' check out their website

THE CCLAP SHOWCASE: A New Reading Series and Open Mic

We at City Lit are proud to host the second CCLAP Showcase this month on Tuesday, July 22nd at 6:30. The reading ad open mic will take place in the store. 

The CCLAP (Chicago Center for Literacy and Photography) will present the renowned Eric Charles May, author of Bedrock Faith and Briefly Knocked Unconscious by a Low Flying Duck, for a reading. Afterwards, CCLAP will organize an open mic for a selection of authors and poets. 

If you're interested in signing up for an open mic slot in advance, write cclapcenter@gmail.com. And if you're not interested in signing up, make sure that you drop in to hear some great new authors read their current works.

Hope to see you there!