Five prominent novels set in Illinois

In honor of #ReadABookDay, check out these fictional stories set in the Land of Lincoln:

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1855)
By Mark Twain

Huckleberry Finn, a young teenager, travels along the Mississippi River through Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Arkansas on a raft with Jim, who is escaping slavery. Huck’s father Pap lives in the woods on the Illinois side of the Mississippi.

The House on Mango Street (1984)
By Sandra Cisneros

“The House on Mango Street” is coming-of-age novel and tells the story of Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl, and her life growing up in Chicago with Chicanos and Puerto Ricans.

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Chicago Architecture Center debuts at new riverfront location

The Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) opened on Aug. 31 at their new location at the heart of the city – near the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive – featuring everything architecture in Chicago through tours, programs and exhibitions.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel also proclaimed the date as Chicago Architecture Date as a part of the center’s weekend-long grand opening celebration.

The new center, made possible through $12 million in private funding, boasts a lecture hall, hands-on design workshops, classrooms and a gift shop stocked with a wide array of design books and home décor.

Formerly known as the Chicago Architecture Foundation, the center moved from its previous home at the Railway Exchange Building. Its new home is at the base of Mies can der Rohe’s 1970 Illinois Center office complex.

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Did you know? August 26th is National Dog Day

National Dog Day is a day that celebrates all breeds, pure and mixed, and is meant to remind the public of the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year from shelters and rescues.

This national day was created in 2004 by Colleen Paige, an animal behaviorist who wanted to show appreciation for all dogs and to honor those who work in the community to help save lives, keeping us safe and out of harm’s way.

There are many ways to celebrate this holiday with your furry friend. You can take them to the dog park to play with other dogs, buy them a new toy or take them to the dog spa for a day of relaxation. If you aren’t a dog owner, you can still celebrate by volunteering at your local shelter and taking some of the dogs on walks or assisting with cleaning the animal’s cages.

If you do not get to spend as much time as you would like with your animal companion, take this day to reconnect with your furry family member. Be sure to also consider ways you can help animals in our society and remember the importance of dogs in our lives.

For more information on how you can help dogs in Illinois Click Here

Northwestern Memorial Hospital named among best in the country

Northwestern Memorial Hospital has once again been named among the best hospitals in the nation, according to the newest ranking from U.S. News & World Report.

The Chicago-based hospital was the only Illinois hospital to land in the top 20 hospitals in the country, receiving the 13^th spot for the second year in a row.

U.S. News ranks hospitals across the country on the ability to deliver the highest quality of care across a range of specialties, procedures and conditions. Specifically, hospitals are ranked on a number of factors including survival and readmission rates, patient experience, patient safety and nursing quality, among other measures.

“U.S. News Best Hospitals rankings of Northwestern Medicine is a direct reflection of our relentless pursuit of better medicine,” said Dean M. Harrison, president and chief executive officer of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare said in a press release. “As Chicago’s premier academic health system, we are proud of our talented physicians, exceptional nurses and dedicated staff who collaborate each day to provide world-class care to the patients we are privileged to serve.”

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