Come to Barbara’s Bookstore UIC as we host readings by local (very local) poets in honor of National Poetry Month. Great poets abound on the University of Illinois Chicago campus—Sterling Plumpp, Chris Glomski, Simone Muench and Garin Cycholl to name a few. In April and May we will be featuring their voices as they read from their latest collections. Call Barbara’s at 312.413.2665 to find out more about this schedule.

FAMILY AND OTHER ACCIDENTS is the story of the Reed brothers, separated by a decade and 200 SAT points, whose lives are held together by spit and Chinese takeout. When his self-absorbed parents died, Jack abandoned his life, returning home to work, bed paralegals, and throw money and advice at his brother, Connor, who just wants to do everything the way his parents didn’t. Through accidents and break-ups, illnesses and affairs, both come to see that even when circumstances are beyond control, choices can still be made.

While capturing the frustrations, tensions and victories of America’s first labor movement, Jim Green also provides a rich portrait of Chicago, powerhouse of the Gilded Age, in DEATH IN THE HAYMARKET. He describes the great factories and their owners like George Pullman who enjoyed enormous profits, and gives an intimate view of the communities of immigrant employees who worked for them.

In A MILLION NIGHTINGALES Susan Straight brings her gifts to bear on the story of Moinette, daughter of an African mother and a white father she never knew. While her mother cares for the plantation linens, Moinette tends to the master’s daughter, allowing her to eavesdrop on lessons. She also learns that she is property, and at fourteen she is sold, separated from her mother without a chance to say goodbye. Heartbroken and terrified, with a full understanding of her risk, Moinette prepares herself for the moment when she will escape.

With THE ART AND CRAFT OF ENTERTAINING, Kimberly Kennedy provides all the information and inspiration you need to plan, organize, and carry out a successful no-stress event. Marry some of her ideas with your own, and you’ll be on the way to developing your style, gaining confidence as a hostess and elsewhere in your life. Whether you’re throwing a cocktail party, a baby shower, or an intimate dinner for two, The Art and Craft of Entertaining will take you there, step-by-step. This is a signing only event. Call 312.781.3033 for details.

From Gary (Russian Debutante’s Handbook) Shteyngart comes ABSURDISTAN, a story of a big man and a tiny country. Misha, 325-lb. disaster, son of the 1,238th-richest man in Russia, just wants to live in the Bronx with his girlfriend. When Micha’s father kills an Oklahoman, his U.S. visa is lost. His only hope is corrupt, oil-rich Absurdistan. Civil war breaks out, and our hero finds himself fighting for his life, falling in love, and wondering if a normal life is possible in the 21st century.

With stylistic mastery and typical daring, writer Felice Picano delivers seven groundbreaking stories that go beyond anything before imagined. Destined to become a speculative fiction classic, TALES: FROM A DISTANT PLANET clearly illustrates why Picano has become not only one of the world’s most influential and respected writers but a popular cultural icon. These seven stories take readers on a wild journey through time and space, both intergalactic and here on Earth.