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Graceland Cemetery: Chicago Stories, Symbols and Secrets. By Adam Selzer. (Champaign: 3 Fields Books, an imprint of the University of Illinois Press, 2022. Pp. 301, illustrations, notes, index. Paper, $19.95.) [...]

Temperature and salinity often define the distributions of aquatic organisms. This is at least partially true for Delta Smelt, an imperiled species endemic to the upper San Francisco Estuary. While much is known about the tolerances and distribution of Delta Smelt in relation to these parameters, little is known regarding the temperature and salinity preferences of the species. Therefore, the temperature and salinity preferences of sub-adult Delta Smelt were investigated across a wide range of thermal (8-28 °C) and salinity (0-23 ppt) conditions. Replicates of ten fish were allowed to swim between two circular chambers with different temperature or salinity, and the distribution of fish between the chambers was recorded. We found that Delta Smelt showed no temperature preference below 15 °C, a modest aversion to the warmer tank from 15 to 28 °C, and a strong aversion to the warmer tank with elevated mortality at temperatures above 28 °C. Delta Smelt also preferred lower salinities, and this preference became more pronounced as salinity increased toward 23 ppt. These results indicate that Delta Smelt can tolerate high temperatures and salinities for a short time, and that their preferences for lower temperature and salinity strengthens as these variables increase.

Fortune and Faith in Old Chicago: A Dual Biography of Mayor Augustus Garrett and Seminary Founder Eliza Clark Garrett. By Charles H. Cosgrove. (Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 2020. Pp. [...]

The text explores the history of urban gambling in Chicago, focusing on policy and numbers games unique to African American communities. It delves into the political and criminal elements intertwined with gambling, including the involvement of organized crime and the impact on African American women working in the industry. The document also discusses the evolution of gambling from riverboats to thoroughbred racing, highlighting the connections between gambling, politics, and crime in Chicago's history. [Extracted from the article]