English and Creative Writing Associate Professor Jenny Boully and alum Julia Fine MFA ’15 are finalists for the 2018 Chicago Review of Books Award (a.k.a. the Chirbys). Among six other shortlist nominees, Boully is a finalist in the nonfiction genre for her book Betwixt-and-Between: Essays on the Writing Life. In the fiction category, Fine is also nominated along six other finalists for her first book What Should Be Wild. 
 
The 2018 Chirbys, in partnership with the Chicago Independent Bookstore Alliance and StoryStudio Chicago, recognizes the best books published by Chicago-based authors in the past twelve months. The award includes nominees in the fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and story or essay genres. For the first time since its launch, the Chirbys will present a new award for this year’s winner.

An event to announce the winners will take place on Saturday, December 8 from 7-10 p.m. at Volumes Bookcafe. All shortlisted authors will be in attendance to meet readers and sign copies of their books. This event is free and open to the public, though spaces are limited. RSVP here to reserve a spot.
 
A full list of finalists can be found here.

 

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