Friday 9/5 – Thursday 9/11
6 SATURDAY In the 1970s mystery writer Sara Paretsky did an analysis of the popularity of female authors by examining how much shelf space their books were allocated, how quickly they were taken out of print, and how frequently–or infrequently–they were reviewed compared to books by male authors. The results were dismal, and her findings goaded her to start Sisters in Crime, a group designed to help female mystery writers gain the recognition they deserve. These days the group includes both men and women, and the focus is more on writing and how to make fiction ring true. Today guest speaker Luci Zahray, a pharmacist with an MS in toxicology, will talk about different poisons and their effects on the body–heaven knows you wouldn’t want one of your murder victims to react to arsenic as if it were cyanide. It’s at 1 at Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore, 743 Garfield in Oak Park. It’s free; call 708-848-7243.
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10 WEDNESDAY Daniel Webster makes today’s legislators look like cardboard cutouts. The senator’s public record was impeccable, and he was known for his remarkable powers of oratory and work to protect individual rights through the Constitution. Yet, at the same time, “Black Dan”–as his friends called him behind his back–borrowed heavily, got involved in dubious business dealings, and had a wandering eye. Though this may begin to sound familiar, back in those days a statesman’s public and private lives were considered separate things. Today Robert V. Remini, author of a new biography about Webster, will discuss the venerable politician’s life and theorize about his fate in the current political climate in a lecture called Could Daniel Webster Be Elected in 2000? The speech opens the 1997 Chicago Humanities Festival. A reception starts at 5 and Remini takes the mike at 6 at Francis W. Parker School, 330 W. Webster. It’s free, but reservations are recommended. Call 312-422-5585, ext. 230.
