Issue of November 1, 2007

Fall Books Special

What Happened to Iris Chang? Paula Kamen digs deep into the ambitious life and tragic death of her most successful friend.
By Kerry Reid

Selling Ain't Wrong Anne Elizabeth Moore on punk and capitalism
By Harold Henderson

I've Grown Attached to My Embryos In vitro fertilization gave Beth Kohl a new perspective on reproductive rights and religion.
By Julia Thiel

Tough Love Why soccer superfan Jamie Trecker is U.S. Soccer's harshest critic.
By Scott Eden

A Case for More Democracy Thomas Geoghegan on tort law and the American system of government
By Noah Berlatsky

Plus: new fiction by Keir Graff, Cris Mazza, Alice Sebold, Brock Clarke, Junot Diaz, Gioia Diliberto, and more

Letters

"I truly appreciate all of the wonderful investigative reporting the Reader does. But cut it out with the bike hipster crybaby stuff. "

Columns

The Works
TIFs for Dummies The city finally posts some (mis)information about its tax increment financing program online.
By Ben Joravsky

The Business
No License, No Art The city shuts down two more events at the Zhou B. Art Center.
By Deanna Isaacs

The Straight Dope
Is ultraviolet radiation worse on cloudy days?
By Cecil Adams

Food & Drink

Ham Country A pilgrimage to Trigg County, Kentucky, ground zero for American aged ham
Omnivorous by Mike Sula

Plus: twenty spots for southern cooking and soul food in Chicago.

Arts & Entertainment

Music

Local Release Roundup Reviews of new albums by Bear Claw, Future Rock, Plane, David Singer, and Yea Big & Kid Static
Sharp Darts by Miles Raymer

Short Takes on Recent Releases Self-effacing Swedish schmaltz from Jens Lekman, seminal southern dance punk from Pylon via DFA, and hot-shit German tech-house from Boys Noize
By Jessica Hopper

The Secret History of Chicago Music Soul god Syl Johnson
By Plastic Crimewave

Movies
The Actual Definitive Ultimate Director’s Cut Blade Runner is back again—the way it was meant to be seen.
By Jonathan Rosenbaum

Theater
Recipe for Disaster Eduardo Machado explores how race and politics have divided Cuba in The Cook.
By Albert Williams

Plus

This week’s crossword: CD Exchange (PDF)
By Ben Tausig