John R. Powers

Who was John R. Powers?

John R. Powers was an American novelist and playwright. Powers wrote four books of fiction, The Last Catholic in America, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?, The Unoriginal Sinner and the Ice Cream God, and The Junk Drawer, Corner Store, Front Porch Blues. He also wrote the self-help book Odditude. These books relate his experience of growing up in 1950's Chicago. John grew up in the Mt. Greenwood neighborhood on the city's far southwest side. The first three books, often referred to as the "Eddie Ryan Trilogy," have been re-issued by Loyola Press.

Dr. Powers was awarded two Emmy Awards for his writing. The first in 1984 for Lovers and Lanes which he wrote for WMAQ TV channel 5 in Chicago and the second in 1988 for Going Home written for WLS TV channel 7 in Chicago.

Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? was selected for inclusion on the American Library Association’s list of Best Books for Young Adults in 1975. Powers wrote the libretto to a Broadway musical based loosely on characters and events from his first two novels entitled Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? that continues to run in venues nationwide.