Illinois Authors

Lake Claremont Press: A Chicago Joint 2017

A Darkly Comedic Coming of (Middle) Age Adventure Why would a financially-comfortable fifty-something father of two--with a Mercedes--drive Uber late at night on the toughest streets of Chicago? Pat White (pseudonym), a financial advisor and business strategist, decided to go undercover to research how the disruptive technology of ridesharing affects commerce. Soon his business study warped into a study of humanity . . . and himself. This reserved Baby Boomer first had to face his fear of picking up strangers in his own car and driving them to unknown locations. Most were over-privileged, over-served Millennials en route to their next adrenaline rush or wherever they were crashing for the night. Some treated him like he was invisible--making out, arguing, discussing sex and drugs, and lying to lovers on the phone about their whereabouts as if no one else were in the car. Others wished him to partake in their partying or craved his counsel on the most intimate details of their lives. Still others were just looking to pick a fight. Rarer were the tired and the timid: those returning to family after working long hours with hopes of a brighter tomorrow, those fleeing abuse, and those just fleeing a thunderstorm. This summer experiment took White down roads he never imagined he would travel. Soon he found himself embracing danger, longing for the thrill of voyeuristic glimpses into private lives made public, and facing the depths of his shadow personality. Come along for the bumpy ride as this sharp-tongued observer shares the always wild, sometimes dark, often humorous, and surprisingly touching side of Chicago nightlife in the smart-phone generation. Hop into the Back of Patrick's Silver Benz and Buckle Up!

Dog Ear Publishing, LLC 2015

Moving from corporate board rooms to city streets became an unexpected adventure when a business consultant spends three months operating a ride share car in Chicago. Author Pat White drove more than six hundred people in his Mercedes in the spring and summer of 2014, experiencing every aspect of humanity. Buzz Ride showcases the nocturnal journeys he made to spectacular homes and dive bars, covering neighborhoods from Wicker Park and Humboldt Park to the Gold Coast and everything in between. Readers serve as silent co-pilots as Pat gets people where they need to go, discussing relationships, careers and the weather while navigating potholes and following GPS to hot night spots, quaint corner taverns, mansions and studio apartments. He's especially intrigued by the dating (and mating) habits of young people armed with technology and desire, looking for alcohol- and drug-fueled trysts with total strangers. Ultimately, his experiment with an emerging sharing business proves exhilarating, humbling and-at times-truly terrifying.