BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND
I wrote many stories about nature destinations in 2023, but I also explored other topics that were near and dear to my heart including writing about the artistic achievements of my friend Dave Fode (who passed away suddenly in 2022), paying tribute to a beloved WXRT disc jockey, touting a great autobiography by singer-songwriter Michael McDermott, and discussing some of my favorite books that would make great stocking stuffers (or gifts or personal reads for any time of the year).
While there was much light in 2023 (especially the joys of family, friendships, and nature), there was also considerable darkness. Examples include escalating climate change; ongoing science denial; an increase in book bans (or attempted book bans); a toxic environment at times on social media and in other public discourse; the continuing 2020 presidential election denial; and a general breakdown in societal norms of behavior that have been the glue that has held our country together for many years.
I wish for a more peaceful and kind 2024 in which people help, accept, and love each other more; embrace facts; steer clear of soul-sucking social media wars and fact-challenged “media” sources; and fight to fix the wrongs and inequities that exist in our nation and world. And that more people embrace nature–from our city parks to our beautiful state and national parks–as an antidote and sort of “power pack” to weather the storms of 2024. You can check out more than 50 of my non-nature stories by clicking here. Topics include Tom Skilling, the Flight 93 National Memorial, Chicago “characters,” local ghosts and cemeteries, an epic 19-hour Amtrak trip, off-the-beaten-track museums, and much more.
Here are the most popular non-nature posts in 2023 based on page views by my readers. Click on the links to read the articles. (Note: I’ll be posting a list of the most-popular nature stories of 2023 in early 2024.)
1. Remembering Lin Brehmer and the Time I Made Him Laugh
2. Michael McDermott’s Memoir, Scars From Another Life, Tells the Story of His Addiction and Redemption
3. Celebrating the Artistic Excellence of my Beloved Friend David Fode
4. The Loop Files Tells the Inside Story of a Groundbreaking Chicago Radio Station
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ABOUT ANDREW MORKES
I have been a writer and editor for nearly 30 years. I’m the founder of College & Career Press (2002); the author and publisher of “The Morkes Report: College and Career Planning Trends” blog; and the author and publisher of Hot Health Care Careers: 30 Occupations With Fast Growth and Many New Job Openings; Nontraditional Careers for Women and Men: More Than 30 Great Jobs for Women and Men With Apprenticeships Through PhDs; They Teach That in College!?: A Resource Guide to More Than 100 Interesting College Majors, which was selected as one of the best books of the year by the library journal Voice of Youth Advocates; and other titles. They Teach That in College!? provides more information on environmental- and sustainability-related majors such as Ecotourism, Range Management, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Built Environment, Sustainability Studies, and Sustainable Agriculture/Organic Farming. I’m also a member of the parent advisory board at my son’s school.
In addition to these publications, I’ve written more than 60 books about careers for other publishing and media companies including Infobase (such as the venerable Encyclopedia of Careers & Vocational Guidance, the Vault Career Guide to Accounting, and many volumes in the Careers in Focus, Discovering Careers, What Can I Do Now?!, and Career Skills Library series) and Mason Crest (including those in the Careers in the Building Trades and Cool Careers in Science series).
Here’s a list of the environmental-focused titles that I’ve written:
- Nature in Chicagoland: More Than 120 Fantastic Nature Destinations That You Must Visit
- Wind Turbine Technicians (Great Careers Without a Bachelor’s Degree series)
- Environmental Scientists (Cool Careers in Science series)
- Renewable Energy Careers (Cool Careers in Science series)
- Environment (Getting Started series)
- Solar Power Technicians (Careers in Infrastructure series)