About the book: year / The night air was thick and humid. As I drove south along Lake Michigan, I could smell the rotting beer sap like a faint aroma of perfume in the heavy air. In some places, bonfires were burning from the nightly barbecues in the park. On the water, many green and red running lights showed people seeking relief from the sultry air. There was heavy traffic on the shore, the city moved restlessly, trying to breathe. It was July in Chicago.