CBR’s Top 10 Posts of 2013

As 2013 comes to an end, we’re looking back at the most popular posts we’ve shared on Chicago Book Review since we launched just six months ago, in June 2013. This Top 10 list makes for an interesting mix of book reviews, features about authors, articles about various facets of Chicago’s publishing industry, and essays and polls about the area’s literary scene.

It’s always surprising to see what hits and what misses, interesting to see what resonates with our readers, what goes viral. We’re glad to see that what we’re doing here is finding a loyal audience. Also interesting is where our readers are from. As might be expected, most are from here in the United States, but we’ve welcomed readers from 135 countries around the world, from Canada and the United Kingdom to India, New Zealand, Australia, Italy … the list goes on and on.

Maybe that’s because Chicago publishers and authors are putting out so many great titles. No matter the genre, publishers in Chicago, Illinois, and the Midwest are issuing thousands of new books every year, titles that reach local readers and readers from around the world.

So, take a look at these posts—and some of the others on our site. Revisit your favorites. Explore some you might have missed. If you’re a fan of fiction, take a look at the nonfiction titles we’ve reviewed to see if there might be a title that tempts you to branch out and explore new topics. And, if you usually read nonfiction, check out some of our reviews of novels to see if a little literary escapism might be up your alley. Check out our features. Browse the events listing. Because Chicago’s literary community is brimming with great authors writing great books and working with great publishers.

CBR’s TOP 10 POSTS OF 2013

1. Chicago Book Review’s Best Books of 2013
2. Beautiful Birds and Bees 
3. Local Author Spotlight: Robert Hellenga, ‘Midwestern Author’ (And That’s Just Fine)
4. As Easy As Pie
5. No Kidding! Children’s Publishing Thrives in Chicagoland 
6. CBR’s 2013 Holiday Reading Guide 
7. Chicago’s Literary Renaissance
8. Hit the Books!
9. Calling All Reading Locovores
10. Local Author Spotlight: Karen Doornebos Is Living in Austen 

Thanks much, loyal readers! And all best for a happy 2014 full of great books!

Let us know what you think …