I take no love in my coffee

Aleksander Hemon's The Lazarus Project was one of my favorite reads last year. His new story collection Love and Obstacles is narrated by a man who, like Hemon, moved from Sarajevo to Chicago in 1992. Hemon writes of the places in Chicago that inspired him for The Wall Street Journal.

6. Metropolis Coffee Shop 1039 W. Granville Ave.

I wrote substantial parts of "The Noble Truths of Suffering" at Metropolis. I can write anywhere as long as there is good coffee available, for I am a militant caffeine addict and a terrible coffee snob. Whether by the Turkish coffee I make at home, or by what the good people of Metropolis provide, my fantasies are fueled by what ought to be, according to a Turkish proverb, black as hell, strong as death and sweet as love. I take no love in my coffee.