Category: Yesterday

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Curious City - Chi-Town Is A Pie Town, But We Search Out The Best Single-Slice Pizza In The City

A New York transplant loves everything about Chicago, but misses the easy access to a big slice of pizza on a paper plate. Our city’s tavern style and deep dish don’t lend themselves to the “slice to go” concept, but slice shops have gained traction over the last few years. We go on a hunt for the city’s best slice, and even get initiated into an underground pizza club.
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Byzantium And The Crusades - FREE BOOK ON MY WEBSITE

I wanted to let you know my book The Byzantine World War is available for free here. It's about the reign of Romanos Diogenes and his defeat at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 which led to the First Crusade. It’s a thrilling story and the book has nearly 400 Amazon reviews, so why not click on the link  and download it for free! Hope you enjoy it!

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

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Curious City - Why Is The Only North American Baháʼí Temple In Wilmette?

The huge, gleaming Baháʼí House of Worship for North America definitely stands out from its suburban lakefront surroundings. It’s the oldest Baháʼí temple in the world, and it’s also known as the holiest. But why is it in Wilmette, Illinois? That answer involves a trip to the temple, a celebrity run-in, and some good old-fashioned research.
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Curious City - Chicago’s Infamous Dojo Wars Part 2: The Fall of Count Dante, the Deadliest Man Alive

In the 1960s, Chicago was becoming known as a center for Karate teaching and international tournaments, and the main person behind this movement was John Keehan. In the last of this two part series, we delve into Keehan’s devolution into a persona he created, Count Dante. He was at the center of Chicago’s “Dojo Wars,” which would end up taking a dark turn.
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Curious City - Chicago’s Infamous Dojo Wars, Part 1: The Rise of John Keehan, Karate Sensei

In the 1960s, Chicago was becoming known as a center for Karate teaching and international tournaments, and the main person behind this movement was John Keehan. He was a revered black belt instructor who was also often an instigator in Chicago’s “Dojo Wars,” a series of brawls and incidents between competing martial arts schools. In part one, we follow Keehan’s rise as a sensei, and his efforts to bring more violence to the art, both on and off the mats.
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Curious City - Move Over Mayor. Adios Aldermen. Regular Citizens Can Propose Laws In Chicago And We’ll Tell You How

Brandon Johnson was just sworn in as Chicago’s new mayor. Johnson was known as a union and community organizer who believes average people should have more say in how their government works. Which is why we thought this story from 2021 about how any citizen can introduce new laws here in Chicago was the perfect pairing to inauguration week.
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Curious City - Beer and Bar Culture In Chicago: Curious City Live from Carol’s Pub

In April, Carol’s Pub was packed with Curious City fans eager to learn about the history of Uptown saloons and the importance of beer and tavern culture to Chicago. Knowledge flowed from the stage, brews flowed from the taps and great music flowed from the Hoyle Brothers. We’ll take you inside the event on this week’s episode of Curious City.
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Byzantium And The Crusades - BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT – The Fall of Rome

I wanted to let you know my latest book, The Fall of Rome, is now available on Amazon in ebook and paperback. It’s about how the unthinkable happened in AD 410 when Rome was sacked by the Goths. Although it's about Rome rather than Byzantium, you might be interested because it's very relevant as background to how Byzantium and the Christian kingdoms of western Europe developed. It's only $3.99 for the ebook and $11.99 for the paperback. I hope you enjoy it!

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.