Lannan Foundation

Stuart Dybek is the author of three collections of short fiction including, The Coast of Chicago and Childhood and Other Neighborhoods, as well as a volume of poetry, Brass Knuckles. His latest book, I Sailed with Magellan, is a novel told in eleven stories by a single narrator who navigates the stark neighborhoods of Chicago's South Side, visiting all of its colorful characters such as the man who takes his young nephew to a string of taverns where the boy sings for his uncle's bourbon; a small-time thug who is distracted from making a hit by the mysterious reappearance of several ex-girlfriends; and two unemployed youths who hatch a scheme to finance their road trip to Mexico by selling orchids stolen from the rich side of town. Dybek's writing has been frequently anthologized and has appeared in numerous periodicals including The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, Poetry, The Paris Review, and Tri-Quarterly. His most recent publication is Streets in Their Own Ink, a collection of poems.

Stuart Dybek Bio and Cross Links

Michael Silverblatt, dubbed "the best reader in America" by Norman Mailer and "a national treasure" by Susan Sontag, is host and producer of public radio's premier literary talk-show Bookworm. Silverblatt, a Lannan audience favorite, has participated in more than 30 Readings & Conversations programs.

Michael Silverblatt Bio and Cross Links