It is no exaggeration on my part when I tell you that I wait all week just to take the Book Bike out: a chance to hang out in a Chicago park in the summer, to read, share books with new friends…its the tops.

Believe it or not, I’ve had many days where I don’t give away a single book at a park. The summer weekends here are too fleeting to let go to waste like that. Millennium Park is the most accessible park in Chicago, teeming with Chicagoans and international visitors on any given day, an ideal setting to share books and I always return home empty-handed. The Book Bike is claiming Millennium Park as its new home. Huzzah.

Sunday marked the first day of this summer that I gave away books from my friends at the Chicago Public Library. I am honored to represent the CPL by distributing their One Book, One Chicago selection: Toni Morrison’s A Mercy. Twenty people walked away with their own copy of the book, and I have plenty more to give so hunt me down! The Chicago Public Library has many events in store for the city with this novel and it begins on September 7th at the Harold Washington Library with their One Book, One Chicago opening event. If you have yet to get a copy of the book from me, they say that the first 385 attendees to this free reception will be given one. Details here.

I am sorry to say that someone stole the one and only Book Bike donation box from the Book Cellar in Lincoln Square. The person responsible for this action stole from the Book Cellar (50% was to be spent at the store) the Book Bike (50% was to be saved for future book purchases) and you (100% of books purchased were to be given away for free from the Book Bike).

I am down to my last stack of books to give away and I have just enough money collected for another trip to the bookstore ($300, the precedent was set during the Great Book Bike Book-Buy). While my intent is to spread the love to locally-owned bookstores all over the city, my friends at the Book Cellar (not to mention the individuals who dropped their dollars and cents into that box) don’t deserve to lose out because of this. I am going to spend the rest of the donated monies at the Book Cellar this week.

Since we have reached the $300 benchmark…this also marks the closing of my short story offer for new donations. I still have sixteen new short stories to write for donors which means Bernie McGovern has sixteen new short stories to illustrate! To all those who have donated to Chapter 2, I thank you for your patience and promise that we will make good on our word.

The torrential downpours of early Sunday morning finally cooled down the city. Sunday turned into one of the most beautiful Chicago summer days yet; a sublime day to kick back in the shade of trees at Winnemac Park and read a book.

Book Bike at Winnemac Park

Sunday was another Shel Silverstein first! Mikey is now the proud owner of The Missing Piece (Mom gets the credit for picking up the book as little Mikey was asleep at the time). This is the second week in a row that someone was introduced to Shel Silverstein via the Book Bike!

Another Shel Silverstein first from the Book Bike!

I hope this continues to be a trend.

A Book Bike Benefit Recap

On Saturday night, my friend Laird Le organized and hosted the first Book Bike benefit! Thank you to Laird for throwing such a cool party and to the musicians who donated their time and talent to making this night a success: di, Signalbox and Populele tore it up! DJ EF was on the turntables all night long, even after the storm hit and we all took refuge under the garage, the djs plugged their equipment back in and kept the party going.

Countless thanks to those who came out and donated (I’m damn lucky to be a part of such a supportive community). Here are the names of the many friends who showed their support: Anjali Bidani, Tristan Polik, Jamie Amadio, Katy Hite, Kate Mengler, Benjamin Hulbert, Sara Gulbrandsen, Sarah T. Klinzing, Fred Weinstein, Othy Futhey, Luis Ponce, David Gaines, Stephanie Heller, Danielle Shindler, Mustafa Chaudry, Paul & Jin, Laird Le, Lara Dosset and Julia Curns.