The Price of Liberty by Keir Graff book signing

Local author Keir Graff will be at After-Words books on September 9, 2010 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. reading from and signing copies of his book The Price of Liberty.

Both personal and occupational problems beset Red Rock, WY, construction worker Jack McEnroe in this solid political thriller from Graff (One Nation, Under God). Jack's wife, Kyla, who's left him and taken their two young children with her, is now working for, and romantically involved with, his boss, Dave Fetters. A bar fight with Dave's spoiled, greedy son, Shane, jeopardizes Jack's job with Dave's construction company. Meanwhile, Halcyon Corporation, which won a no-bid contract to build Camp Liberty, a massive federal prison for terrorists, has subcontracted with Dave's company for much of the work. When Kyla uncovers ongoing fraud, she turns to Jack for help. Shane's clumsy but deadly attempts at damage control fuel carnage and cause Scott Starr, Halcyon's executive v-p, to order his own people to restore order. Graff's cynical take on government waste and corporate greed plays well. McEnroe is as rugged as the desolate country he lives in, and his gritty do-what-ya-gotta-do actions keep the pages turning easily. --Publishers Weekly, 14th June 2010

Keir Graff is the author of the novels The Price of Liberty (2010), One Nation, Under God (2008), My Fellow Americans (2007), and, under the pseudonym Michael McCulloch, Cold Lessons (2007). His short stories have appeared in a wide variety of publications, from the Portland Review to the Chicago Reader. A former freelance writer, he has written about topics ranging from books and publishing to billiards and cocktails. By day, he is the senior editor of Booklist Online. He lives in Chicago with his wife, two sons, two cats, two goldfish, and about two thousand earthworms. He enjoys drinking scotch whiskey, playing pool, running, and coaching soccer, but not all at once.

Please join us for hors d’oeuvres and wine on Thursday, September 9, 2010 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.   The author will be reading from his book The Price of Liberty (Severn House, $28.95) and signing copies afterwards.

50 Ways You Can Help Obama Change America by Michael Huttner book signing

You are invited to join us at the Chicago book signing of 50 Ways You Can Help Obama Change America, with the author and ProgressNow Founder Michael Huttner.

Michael Huttner is empowering a new generation of Americans to take action in their own communities. His book has been praised by progressives across America, including Gov. Howard Dean, Arianna Huffington and the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

50 Ways You Can Help Obama Change America just hit bookstores across the country September 1 and climbed to the #28 bestseller on Amazon.com during its first week.

Soldier Field: A Stadium and Its City by Liam Ford book signing at the Billy Goat Tavern

Liam Ford will be at Billy Goat Tavern on October 1, 2009 at 6pm for an event to launch his book Soldier Field: A Stadium and Its City (University of Chicago Press $30, 78 black and white photos).

Sports fans nationwide know Soldier Field as the home of the Chicago Bears. For decades its signature columns provided an iconic backdrop for gridiron matches. But few realize that the stadium has been much more than that. Soldier Field: A Stadium and Its City explores how this amphitheater evolved from a public war memorial into a majestic arena that helped define Chicago.

Chicago Tribune staff writer Liam Ford led the reporting on the stadium’s controversial 2003 renovation—and simultaneously found himself unearthing a dramatic history. As he tells it, the tale of Soldier Field truly is the story of Chicago, filled with political intrigue and civic pride. Designed by Holabird and Roche, Soldier Field arose through a serendipitous combination of local tax dollars, City Beautiful Boosters, and the machinations of Mayor “Big Bill” Thompson. The result was a stadium that stood at the center of Chicago’s political, cultural, and sporting life for nearly sixty years before the arrival of Walter Payton and William “The Refrigerator” Perry.

Ford describes it all in the voice of a seasoned reporter: the high school football games, track and field contests, rodeos, and even NASCAR races. Photographs, including many from the Chicago Park District’s own collections, capture these remarkable scenes: the swelling crowds at ethnic festivals, Catholic masses, and political rallies. Few remember that Soldier Field hosted Billy Graham and Martin Luther King Jr., Judy Garland and Johnny Cash—as well as the final show of the Grateful Dead.

One Nation, Under God by Keir Graff book signing

Keir Graff will be at After-Words books on September 4, 2008  from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. signing copies of his book One Nation, Under God.

For God and country or simply for God? - The United States is holding an election, and control of the country may be determined by a single seat in the Buckle of the Bible Belt: Tulsa, Oklahoma. In Tulsa, recovering methamphetamine addict Seth Stevens is trying to hold his fragile life together. But his decision to campaign for the church-supported candidate forces him to answer an age-old question: what do you do when following your faith means breaking the law?

Keir Graff is Senior Editor of Booklist Online, where he writes a popular blog about book reviewing (http://blog.booklistonline.com/).  His short stories have appeared in the Chicago Reader Fiction Issue, the Portland Review, Downstate Story, and elsewhere.  Before starting at Booklist, his byline was frequently seen in publications as diverse as Playboy.com, the Chicago Tribune, Billiards Digest, and NewCity.  He lives on Chicago’s lakefront with his wife and two young sons.

Please join us for hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer on Thursday, September 4, 2008 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.  The author will be reading from his book One Nation, Under God (Severn House, $28.95) and signing copies afterwards.

Canvas Sunsets Never Fade by A.C. Frieden book signing

Thriller writer A.C. Frieden comes to after-words for a cocktail party and signing of his latest novel, CANVAS SUNSETS NEVER FADE.  The African born Frieden has lived in Europe and Asia, served as a military marksman, spent time as a molecular biologist, and now writes, practices law and teaches at Columbia College.  He’s pretty well rounded, and his novels certainly reflect it with vivid, exotic characters and lush scenery.     

A famous painting stolen; an ambassador’s wife dead; the main suspect abducted.  These are the beginnings of CANVAS SUNSETS NEVER FADE, the new thriller by A.C. Frieden.  Richard Nash, the hero of CANVAS SUNSETS, is the editor of a New York art journal and novice to the world of political espionage.  But that will change by the end of the story—and you’ll be reading on the edge of your seat! 

Come meet Frieden and help us celebrate the release of CANVAS SUNSETS on Thursday August 26^th and enjoy wine and food. 

This event is co-sponsored by:

American Express Financial Advisors

The Consulate General of Switzerland in Chicago

Avendia Law Group, Ltd.

CANVAS SUNSETS NEVER FADE, trade paperback, $15.95