Stories by Daniel Hautzinger

Independent bookstores remain an irreplaceable asset, with their staff recommendations and sense of community. We've already featured three Chicago stalwarts, but here are the stories of a few more of the city's beloved indie bookstores.

This August, catch up on two popular series before they return with new seasons. Plus travel to majestic corners of the globe as the summer winds to a close, and take an in-depth look at education in Chicagoland as children begin to return to school.

Even people who bake bread at home often don't know how to make pita. Try this rigorous, exact recipe from Christopher Kimball's Milk Street, and soon you'll be serving entirely homemade Middle Eastern feasts.

Last year, Illinois spent less than $300 on prison libraries, and access is often very limited. So Chicago Books to Women in Prison does exactly what its name says.  “By helping women have a better quality of life while in prison, that's just better for their family and the community they'll be returning to," says a volunteer.

The Bahá’i House of Worship on the lakefront north of Chicago is sometimes called the "silent teacher" for the way that it illustrates principles of the faith, many of which are incorporated into the striking, innovative, ornate design, which took 50 years to realize.

If you love books, you probably also love bookstores, and independent bookstores remain irreplaceable gems, with their staff recommendations, unusual selections, and sense of community. Discover the stories behind a few of Chicago's beloved indie bookstores.

Outback explores the Kimberley region of northwestern Australia, which encompasses arid landscapes, rich coastland, kangaroos, crocodiles, oyster-bearing pearls and more. Get a taste through photography from the series.

With chef Marcus Samuelsson visiting Miami's Little Haiti on No Passport Required, explore the history of Chicago’s Haitian community, which may stretch back to the founding of the city, touches the 1893 World’s Fair, and continues today in a time of uncertainty.

French toast might make you think brunch, but this savory version with parmesan, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce is a sunny and quick meal perfect for a simple dinner or late-night snack. Or an unusual and impressive dish for your next brunch party.

Wonders of Mexico takes you on a tour of some of our southern neighbor's most remarkable landscapes, introducing you to the people and animals that reside there. Get a preview by exploring the extraordinary sights through some photography from the series.

Cowley Station is being shut down, Thursday is retiring, and the escalation of a gangster turf battle seems like the end of an era in Oxford. But Morse is eager to solve one more case, as he goes undercover as a teacher at a mysterious, creepy prep school for boys.

Sometimes you just really need a squidgy square of fresh, still-warm brownie. Thanks to Nigella Lawson, that's now possible: here's a recipe that makes just two generous brownies ready to be snaffled straight from the pan. Chocolate-craving crisis averted.

They may be our closest animal companions, but how much do we really know about them? Discover whether dogs dream, how intelligent they are, what their attachment to humans is, how well they understand us, and why they sometimes eat their own poop.

One hundred and three years ago, on July 24, 1915, more than 800 people lost their lives in Chicago's deadliest tragedy, when a top-heavy boat rolled onto its side in the Chicago River only twenty feet from the shore. Watch an archival Chicago Stories episode about the Eastland Disaster.

When Marcus Samuelsson visits the Mexican community of Chicago in No Passport Required, he meets several Chicagoans WTTW knows well. Further immerse yourself in the Mexican community with videos, profiles, and recipes from the chefs and others in the show.