Displaying items by tag: Reading
A Night of Honesty and Humor: Isabel Klee Talks Dogs, Boys, and Growing Up
Successful storytelling – the kind that makes you laugh, cry, feel empathy, and, most importantly, inspires you to get involved in making change – is difficult to pull off in any medium. Despite this, advocate, content creator, and now New York Times No. 1 bestselling author Isabel Klee has somehow managed to do it in several ways: through social media, writing, and now live and in person.
Organized by one of Chicago’s most beloved independent bookstores, The Book Cellar, and hosted offsite at Everybody’s Coffee, Klee stopped by on her book tour for her new memoir, Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About. The evening felt less like a formal author talk and more like the world’s most wholesome and energizing girls’ night… hosted by an independent bookstore! What could be better?
The event – moderated by Klee’s longtime friend and fellow New York-based (and Chicago-native!) activist and content creator Maddie Guy – was designed for both longtime followers of hers on social media and those new to Klee’s work. Attendees received a signed copy of the book upon arrival, and the discussion largely avoided spoiler-heavy deep dives in favor of broader conversations about the themes behind the book. That choice made the evening feel especially accessible, creating the rare book-tour stop that worked equally well for devoted fans and curious first-timers.
What makes Klee such a compelling speaker is the same quality that has made her social media presence so successful: radical candor. Throughout the discussion, she spoke openly about removing shame and stigma from animal welfare conversations, particularly around pet surrender and irresponsible ownership. Rather than encouraging online pile-ons or moral superiority, Klee advocated for education, transparency, and compassion – arguing that, once a mistake is made, fear of judgment often prevents people from making better decisions for the animals involved.
Some of the evening’s most fascinating moments came from unexpected discussions about the memoir-writing process itself. Klee spoke about everything from balancing honesty with privacy to the surprisingly complex legal realities of writing nonfiction about real people. It was a reminder that the event was not simply promotional, but genuinely conversational – the kind of discussion where tangents often became the most memorable parts.
The audience Q&A only reinforced the warmth of the evening. Questions ranged wildly from ethical fostering advice to designing a Bravo-themed Mount Rushmore to naming beagles recently rescued from research labs, but somehow every tangent perfectly contributed to the messy, funny, compassionate humanity of the evening.
One of the audience questions Klee was asked, and said that she often receives, is what advice she would give to people considering fostering, and her answer was refreshingly simple: stop saying “I could never” before you’ve tried just once. Klee discussed the joys of watching a dog learn to be a dog – watching a senior dog play with toys for the first time or seeing a shutdown puppy go from terrified to begging for cheese. There is so much joy to gain from helping not one, but many animals find their forever homes, and, although saying goodbye can hurt, as Klee says, “fostering dogs is the most positive, fun addiction. You won’t want to stop!”
Though Klee’s appearance was a one-night event, Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About is out now and available for purchase at The Book Cellar in Lincoln Square.
The Book Cellar continues to host the kind of thoughtful, community-driven programming that reminds audiences why independent bookstores matter. Whether through author discussions, book clubs, or writing events, spaces like this create something increasingly rare: genuine connection between strangers who showed up simply wanting to hear a good story.
Guarneri Hall Launches 2026/27 Season with NEXUS Festival: Music for 8 and Two Premieres August 12-14, 2026
04 August 2026 in Upcoming TheatreGuarneri Hall, an intimate state-of-the-art, custom-built classical music venue in the heart of downtown Chicago, proudly opens its 2026/27 season…
Chicago Magic Lounge Welcomes Back David Parr as Fall Artist in Residence with Time Traveler October 7 – December 16
04 August 2026 in Upcoming TheatreChicago Magic Lounge welcomes back acclaimed magician David Parr as its Fall Artist in Residence with David Parr: Time Traveler, a new theatrical experience…
yo ho. Delivers Queer Pirate Chaos, Big Laughs, and Fierce Swordplay
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PrideArts Announces World Premiere of WINDOWS, August 7 – 23
03 August 2026 in Upcoming TheatrePrideArts' 2026-27 season will open in August with the world premiere of Chicago-based playwright Matt Schutz's WINDOWS, a comedy of LGBT…
The Outsiders - Cadillac Palace - Through August 16th
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Chicago Shakespeare Theatre to present Play On! September 11–October 18
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Iceboy! Sets New Goodman Box Office Record
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Citadel Theatre announces EUREKA DAY, playing September 9 – October 11
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Rivendell Theatre Ensemble presents the third World Premiere in its 30th Anniversary Season Bonnie's Last Flight
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Teen Takeover: The Light youth ensemble takes center stage at Kidzapalooza and Collaboraction’s House of Belonging in August
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Definition Theatre presents How We Got On by Idris Goodwin Sept 11-27
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3Arts Awards Celebration uplifts Illinois' artistic community, Oct 26 at Harris Theater
29 July 2026 in Theatre BuzzThe nonprofit service organization 3Arts announces the date for its annual 3Arts Awards Celebration, a festive evening of dynamic performances by Chicago artists and the…
Mike Bartlett’s ‘An Intervention’ Zings in Chicago Premiere
28 July 2026 in Theatre in ReviewA new company, Heart of Gold Theatre, is presenting the Chicago premiere of Mike Barlett’s An Intervention. Bartlett is a…
Carmela misses her papi, because papi is missing some of his papers: Carmela Full of Wishes returns Oct. 25-Nov. 15 at Chicago Children’s Theatre
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Promethean Theatre Ensemble to stage BLOOD OF THE LAMB at The Den, September 3 -October 3
28 July 2026 in Upcoming TheatrePromethean Theatre Ensemble announced today it will stage the Chicago premiere of BLOOD OF THE LAMB, by Arlene Hutton, a gripping two-woman,…
Metropolis’ Wizard of Oz Rekindles Pure Childhood Wonder
26 July 2026 in Theatre in ReviewMetropolis Performing Arts Centre’s new staging of The Wizard of Oz sends audiences down the yellow brick road with a…
Jackalope Theatre Company Announces Plays, Playwrights and Casts for THE 17th LIVING NEWSPAPER FESTIVAL, August 20 - 24
24 July 2026 in Upcoming TheatreJackalope Theatre Company is proud to announce the schedule for the 17th Annual Living Newspaper Festival, August 20 - 24, at the Jackalope Theatre…
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre Announces 2026-2027 Season
24 July 2026 in Upcoming DanceCerqua Rivera Dance Theatre (CRDT), the Chicago-based dance company, is proud to announce its 2026 - 2027 season. In the coming year,…
Love Actually In Concert at Cadillac Palace Theatre Saturday, December 12th - One Night Only!
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Metropolis Performing Arts Centre presents Ride the Cyclone September 16th through October 25th
24 July 2026 in Upcoming TheatreMetropolis Performing Arts Centre, located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights, 111 W. Campbell St., is proud to announce the cast…
Sharp Witty Satire "I Killed Andy Breitbart" Returns to the Apollo Studio Sept. 5-27
24 July 2026 in Upcoming TheatreFollowing multiple sold-out runs, "I Killed Andy Breitbart," the acclaimed 75-minute solo show, written and performed by Pam Dickler and directed by Drew Martin, returns…
Black Ensemble Theater continues its 50th Anniversary Season with the free outdoor concert series Fridays on the Green August 14, 21 and 29, 2026
24 July 2026 in Upcoming TheatreBlack Ensemble Theater continues its 50th Anniversary Season with the return of its outdoor musical celebration Fridays on the Green. The concert series is…
Refracted Theatre Company presents the Chicago Premiere of I’M GONNA MARRY YOU TOBEY MAGUIRE, Sept 18 - Oct 31
24 July 2026 in Upcoming TheatreAward-winning Refracted Theatre Company is proud to announce the cast and creative team of I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire, written by Samantha Hurley and directed…
Experience experimental live shows by emerging puppet artists at the Chicago Puppet Lab Showcase, August 20-23 at Raven Theatre
23 July 2026 in Upcoming TheatreEight Chicago artists from diverse backgrounds and disciplines have spent the past eight months in residence at the Chicago Puppet…
& Juliet Turns Shakespeare Upside Down in a Burst of Pop Brilliance
23 July 2026 in Theatre in ReviewBroadway in Chicago’s latest offering at the Auditorium Theatre, & Juliet, bursts onto the stage with the kind of vibrant…
Writers Theatre opens 35th season with Sisters August 13th
22 July 2026 in Upcoming TheatreWriters Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham, opens its 35th Season…
VAPE! The Grease Parody Opens at Chicago's Apollo Theater Aug. 20
22 July 2026 in Upcoming TheatreVape! The Grease Parody, a hilariously unhinged spoof of the beloved stage and film musical Grease, will make its Chicago debut at…
Idle Muse Theatre Company Announces Cast and Creative Team for WITCH, Sept 10 - Oct 10
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The Unauthorized Hallmark(ish) Parody Musical will play Broadway In Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place December 8—13
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