Doris Kearns Goodwin

Where: Harold Washington Library Center, Winter Garden | 400 S. State St.

When: 6 p.m. (doors open at 4:30 p.m.)

How Much: Free

When she isn’t busy matching wits with Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin (above) also writes a mean book. Since her ballyhooed arrival on the New York Times bestseller list with 1977’s Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream, the former White House staffer and Pulitzer Prize winner has written insightful portrait of American icons including Abraham Lincoln and the Kennedy family. During this appearance at the Harold Washington Library Center, Kearns Goodwin will discuss her new book, The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism. In the works for nearly a decade, the book traces the rise of the political press and the dissolution of the relationship between the two presidents during the run-up to the election of 1912. The event is free to the public, but don’t drag your feet: seating is first come, first serve, and doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Goose Island Rare Beer Night at High Noon Saloon

Where: High Noon Saloon | 1560 N. Milwaukee Ave.

When: 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

How Much: Free

Say what you will about Goose Island’s partnership with brewing behemoth (and craft-beer boogeyman) InBev: despite the expansion, brewmaster Nick Barron and his team can still concoct beers that are just as complex and satisfying as anything on the tapline. Tonight, at Wicker Park’s High Noon Saloon, Goose Island cicerone Rick Wildt fills glasses with three of the brewery’s rarest brews. The lineup includes the crowd-pleasing Bourbon County Stout and Run the Jewels, an American pale ale brewed specifically for this summer’s Pitchfork Music Festival, but the most interesting offering might be Lolita. A Belgian-style ale aged in French oak cabernet sauvignon barrels, the beer’s light floral notes pair perfectly with the bar’s tangy cactus tacos. More food-pairing suggestions can be found on High Noon’s events page.

Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra

Where: Chicago Theatre | 175 N. State St.

When: 8 p.m.

How Much: $54+; buy tickets here

New Orleans and Chicago aren’t sister cities, but they should be. Whether through the iconic City of New Orleans or the exchange of musical ideas that helped cement them as jazz capitals, the two cities have enjoyed a close connection for generations. Tonight, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra and its leader Irvin Mayfield honor this civic bond with “From New Orleans to Chicago with Love,” a one-night-only engagement at the Chicago Theatre. During tonight’s show, the group will trace the movements of jazz titans such as Louis Armstrong and King Oliver, whose movements between New Orleans and Chicago helped spread and evolve their revolution music. Although it clocks in at 30 members on its own, the NOJO also invited some friends along—special guests tonight include legendary pianist Allen Touissant and the French Quarter torchbearers of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Of course, there’s a local connection, too: the show will feature vocal performances from Chicago-area singers, including Grammy winner Kurt Elling and American Idol runner-up Haley Reinhart.

Photo Courtesy of Doris Kearns Goodwin