Royko in Love: Through his Son's Eyes

Before emails, texts and posts, an intimacy existed that only a hand-written letter could ignite.

Before he became a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, Mike “Mick” Royko was a young airman hoping to win the love and affection of his childhood sweetheart, Carol Duckman. They grew up together on Chicago’s northwest side, yet Mick never revealed his love for her until years later while he was in the service and after he heard the news that Carol’s brief first marriage had come to an end. While dozens of suitors hoped to win Carol’s love, it was the power of Mick’s letters that won her heart.

David Royko, the son of legendary Chicago columnist Mike Royko, reads from his collection of his father's letters to his mother.

Event Details:

In an interview with Leslie Williams and Russell Johnson, librarians in the Reader’s Advisory department of the Evanston Public Library (EPL), David shared what he hoped readers would take away from the book:

EPL:  There is a great literary and historic tradition based on letter writing ranging from Heloise and Abelard to Ken Burns’ Civil War documentary.  Do you feel a sense of loss now that so few people write actual letters?  Will that change how we write history?

Royko: I do.  I think with every technological advance there are things you gain and things you lose. Not to say I want to give up my smart phone, but I have a hard time imagining 60 years from now someone putting out a book of their parents’ tweets. It’s remarkable how quickly things change. Just the idea of taking pen in hand, folding up the paper, putting a stamp on the envelope, running to the post office, waiting days for a response… For the generation now coming of age, the whole process is part of history not everyday life.

EPL:  You’ve described the letters as the ”holy grail” of your family.  Can you tell us how you discovered them, and what it was like reading them for the first time?

DR:  My mom sat me down at 13 to have a serious discussion – which was odd – and told me that Dad was not her first husband. It just floored me. It wasn’t that she was ashamed or that is was a secret, but at that point even the mention of Larry would send Dad into a depression or a rage. He just never got over it. The jealousy was still there after all the years. She told me about the letters and how they won her heart, and she told me never to mention it to Dad.

EPL:  Can you talk about the process of putting Royko in Love together.  Was there a lot of editing involved?

DR:  There was virtually no editing.  The book is all the letters from beginning to end.  As I say in the book, I made some spelling corrections only for readability.  Originally, though, we transcribed the letters not for a book but for safekeeping.  They’re one of a kind, and we wanted to protect them in case of fire or a flood.

EPL:  Did you know he was a romantic before the letters?

DR:  I knew he could be romantic.  Under all his toughness was a sentimental streak a mile wide.  People who knew him only through his columns or casually might be shocked by this romantic or sentimental side.  His family wouldn’t be shocked but to have so much of it right there…  It’s very powerful.

EPL:  What would you like readers to take away from Royko in Love, and what can they expect from your visit to EPL?

DR:  There are really two distinct audiences.  First, of course, the Royko fans, but anyone under 40 I assume hasn’t heard of Royko.  Public memory is short.  But even if you have no clue about who he was or couldn’t care less, anyone can enjoy the book from the standpoint that it’s a great love story.  I always like to say that their story is “dandy chick lit.”

With the program, I strive to be done in an hour or a little more because there are always a lot of questions.  Royko fans are interested in all aspects of Dad’s life, and it’s always such a pleasure to be around fans of Dad.

To read the full interview, visit the Evanston Public Library website.

On Sunday, November 13 at 3 p.m., David will read for his collection of his father’s letters at a public gathering in the Main Evanston Public Library’s Community Meeting Room. He will also share photographs of his father’s years in the Air Force and beyond. Following the presentation, there will be a Q & A session and a meet and great with the author.