Podcast appearances and mentions of max grinnell

This week on After Hours, Rick Kogan starts the show off with Kevin Horan to talk about his book, “Goats and Sheep: A Portrait Farm.” Then, Savy Leiser, the remarkable DePaul student author and founder/owner of The Forever Home Friends, shares her books and unique company. Max Grinnell joins via phone to discuss his upcoming One Book/One Chicago events. Finally, Josie Falbo, Bob Bowker and Barb Bailey stop by the studio to talk about the Lakeside Singers!

We shadowed Max Grinnell, aka the Urbanologist, as he researched Chicago's Dill Pickle Club in our Special Collections Reading Room. Leafing through photos, handbills, and brochures, Max discusses the "unsanctioned space" that the bohemian group carved out for itself, and how the fate of the Dill Pickle and other urban vestiges speaks to a complicated cycle of rebirth and renewal in Chicago. (Intro music: "Two Types of Awakenings" by Nheap)

The gals take an academic look at the old town with special guest historian, urbanologist, and MASS ART visiting lecturer Max Grinnell.

There are three questions on Max Grinnell’s website that ask: How do cities work? Why are people both fascinated and repelled by cities? How can we improve cities? (Hint: It's not through ye olde fudge shoppes or super-precious cupcake stores.) However, Grinnell, this episode's guest, has some answers. As an urbanologist, geographer, historian, and professor, Grinnell is an expert on urban design, planning, public art, the creative economy, and the history of cities. He’s written books about cities, designed and taught courses on urban studies, community development, geography, planning and sociology, and leads city of tours of Chicago and Boston. That’s why I wanted to interview him – especially when it comes to walking and seeing cities up close. Why are pedestrians treated as an afterthought in many cities?  Why are cities so fascinating to walk around in? How can cities and their planners make walking easier? In this episode we talk about walking. Taking trains. Technology’s effect on walking. And how the new president-elect could impact the great inroads we’ve made the last decade to make cities more livable.  

Professor, author, traveler, and urbanologist Max Grinnell speaks at the Orlando Public Library on what urbanology actually is, how he became interested in urbanology, and the two biggest problems facing American cities today. (12:30) (.mp4 video file; iPhone and iPad compatible)