Did you know Chicago is home to absolute scads of wonderful authors? We here at The Book Cellar love supporting local, and here you can find books written by your fellow Chicagoans in addition to titles that'll teach you The Windy City has a richer history than you'd even guess!
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Chicago Books!
A brief, cogent analysis of gentrification in Chicago ... an incisive and useful narrative on the puzzle of urban development.--Kirkus Reviews
In the years after World War II, a movement began to bring the middle class back from the Chicago suburbs to the Lincoln Park neighborhood on the city's North Side. In place of the old, poorly maintained apartments and dense streetscapes of taverns and butchers, rehabbers imagined a new kind of neighborhood--a renovated, modern community that held on to the convenience, diversity, and character of a historic urban quarter, but also enjoyed the prosperity and privileges of a new subdivision.
But as the old buildings came down, cheap studios were combined to create ever more spacious, luxurious homes. Property values swiftly rose, and the people who were being evicted to make room for progress began to assert their own ideas about the future of Lincoln Park. Over the course of the 1960s, divisions within the community deepened. Letters and picket lines gave way to increasingly violent strikes and counterstrikes as each camp tried to settle the same existential questions that beguile so many cities today: Who is a neighborhood for? And who gets to decide?
A riveting historical look at gentrification and urban renewal projects that still resonates across every American city today.
For Chicago Bears fans, anyone who ever wore the uniform is like family. Bears by the Numbers reintroduces readers to some of their long-lost ancestors, even those they think they already know. What do Al Campana, Frank Dempsey, Stan Wallace, Don Mullins, Gale Sayers, and Steve Trimble all have in common? They all wore number 40 for the Chicago Bears, even though more than four decades passed between the last time Campana last pulled on his jersey and the number was retired for Sayers in 1994 (along with 51 for Dick Butkus). Since the Chicago Bears first adopted uniform numbers in 1932, the team has handed out only 99 numbers to more than 1,000 players. That's a lot of overlap. It also makes for a lot of good stories. Bears by the Numbers tells those stories for every Bear since '32, from Red Grange to Pernell McPhee. This book lists the players alphabetically and by number; these biographies help trace the history of one of football's oldest and most beloved teams in a new way.
A one-stop record containing everything Bears fans want to know about their favorite football team, this resource is packed with anecdotes, history, explanations of traditions, statistics, trivia, and photos.
When the Beat Cop pauses from taking a bite out of crime, he takes a bite out of donuts, polish sausage, fried chicken, enchiladas, and omelettes
Lake Claremont Press's 2004 award-winner, "The Streets & San Man's Guide to Chicago Eats," delivered tongue-in-cheek style and food-in-mouth expertise by a certified expert of the City of Chicago's Department of Lunch: streets & sanitation department electrician Dennis Foley.
Now, Sgt. David J. Haynes of the Chicago Police Department, and his partner-in-crime, humorist and blogger Christopher Garlington, want to take on Foley's street-level guide to the best mom-and-pop food bargains in Chicago with their follow-up: "The Beat Cop's Guide to Chicago Eats": "We're funnier, better-looking, and have the street smarts, girth, and weaponry to meet him in any alley, taqueria, or rib joint."
Beer lovers and hiking enthusiasts, these 30 Chicago hikes are for you!Explore Chicago and its suburbs one hike and one craft beer at a time. This guide features 30 unforgettable hikes through urban parks, forest preserves, riversides, and sand dunes, each ending near a local brewery or brewpub.Includes:
This guide is part of the Beer Hiking book collection--bestsellers around the globe.
Skilnik takes readers back in time to the beginnings of an industry that once wielded tremendous influence, wealth, and power over Chicago. He goes on to describe a contemporary Chicago, where some of the biggest national breweries battle to fill the void
Where schnitzel meets ahi tuna for a beer." --New York Times In The Berghoff Family Cookbook, the fourth generation of Chicago's Berghoff clan presents traditional favorites from the city's famed Berghoff Restaurant alongside contemporary culinary creations. The history of Chicago's Berghoff Restaurant spanned three generations and 107 years. It was one of America's oldest family-owned restaurants. To commemorate such a rich culinary history, Carlyn Berghoff and her mother, Jan Berghoff, collected 150 of the restaurant's most popular recipes, including classics such as Creamed Spinach, Berghoff Rye Bread, and Wiener Schnitzel. They paired them up with more contemporary offerings such as the Shrimp Martini, Grilled Vegetables with Red Pepper Aoli, and Brie and Raspberry Grilled Cheese Sandwiches to create The Berghoff Family Cookbook: From Our Table to Yours, Celebrating a Century of Entertaining. * Recipes are presented alongside tempting four-color photographs and informative sidebars that offer tips on dressing salads, serving soups, pairing culinary flavors, and more. * The book's introductory narrative tells the Berghoff family's story and introduces the next generation of the Berghoff legacy. Fourth-generation entrepreneur Carlyn Berghoff operates her own catering company, Artistic Events, out of the famous Chicago building at 17 West Adams. She has also opened 17/West at the Berghoff, more casual fare is still offered at the downstairs Cafe, and the Berghoff Cafe still operates out of locations at O'Hare International and Midway airports.
Written for the cyclists of all stripes, Best Bikes Rides Near Chicago marks the debut of a new series that offers a diverse array of scenic tours in some of America's largest urban destinations--from easy excursions for the Sunday cyclist to challenging treks for the veteran. Here, veteran author and cyclist Ted Villaire presents 35 diverse rides in and around the Windy City.
As amply demonstrated by this guide, Chicago's heritage as a transportation hub has reaped huge rewards for local cyclists. Twenty miles of lakeshore parkland and an elaborate system of leafy boulevards connect a series of mega-parks throughout the city. Coupled with this is an ever-expanding cycling infrastructure featuring more than 100 miles of bikes lanes. The Illinois Prairie Path, which runs between the Des Plaines River and Wheaton, was one of the first linear trails in the nation converted from a railroad line--and today it is part of the most extensive collection of rail trails in the Midwest, perhaps the nation.
Who says you have to travel far from home to go on a great hike? In Best Hikes Near Chicago author Adam Morgan details the best hikes within an hour's drive of the greater Chicago area perfect for the urban and suburbanite hard-pressed to find great outdoor activities close to home. Each featured hike includes detailed hike specs, a brief hike description, trailhead location, directional cues, and a detailed map.
For the outdoor enthusiast, Illinois has it all: rivers to canoe, lakes to fish, trails to hike and bike, and plenty of quiet places to camp. This indispensable guide is aimed at the tent camper who wants to enjoy these things up close. Unlike other guides that merely list all campgrounds, The Best in Tent Camping: Illinois profiles in detail the 50 best sites in the state for campers who seek the serene and secluded. Here is essential information about each campground (including season, facilities, rates, directions, GPS coordinates, and websites), as well as a description of the campground, the best sites, and nearby activities such as hiking, canoeing, fishing, and mountain biking. The guide covers well-known parks as well as some campgrounds that are local secrets that can't be found on Internet searches.
Best Rail Trails Illinois is the complete guide to walking, jogging, biking, and cross-country skiing more than forty of the most popular rail trails in Illinois. Written by an author with expert knowledge of the Prairie State, this easy-to-use book provides mile-by-mile descriptions of the top rural and urban rail trails--from the Chicago area's Prairie Path, one of America's first rail trails, to trails in the St. Louis area and those set in the breathtaking beauty of the Shawnee National Forest, as well as numerous other urban, suburban, and rural rail trails statewide.
Look inside to find:
- Full trail profiles, including length, access points, difficulty rating, and surface type
- Detailed trail maps
- At-a-glance icons for easy identification of rail trails that best suit one's interests
- Information on wheelchair accessibility, parking, restrooms, where to rent bikes, and points of interest along the trail
- Location of ranger stations, visitor centers, and depot museums
- Local trail support organizations and how to get involved
- Directions to each trailhead including public transportation access
Beyond Burnham provides a fascinating account of a century of visionary planning for metropolitan Chicago. From Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett's famed 1909 Plan of Chicago to the push for superhighways and airports to battles over urban sprawl, the book showcases an illustrated portrait of the big personalities and the "big plans" they espoused.
The human face of planning appears in the interplay between public officials and citizen advocates. Powerful institutions--the Chicago Plan Commission and Regional Transportation Authority, among others--emerge to promote metropolitan goals. Some efforts succeed while others fail, but the work of planners lives on in efforts to shape new visions for the region's future.
Winner of 2006 Illinois State Historical Society Book Award-Certificate of Excellence To some he was a humanitarian and builder. Others scorned him as a fake and friend of gangsters with "the carcass of a rhinoceros and the brain of a baboon." This rollicking history traces the rise of William Hale "Big Bill" Thompson, Chicago's famous reform mayor, from his upper class roots to his years as a teenaged cowboy, from his fame as a star athlete to the years as a master politician in a world where the ward boss ruled and whiskey for the voters cost a quarter a shot. Big Bill of Chicago profiles the whole brawling arena of city politics from the turn of the century to the Prohibition Era. It is a primer in the way American politics worked-and works-and a map along the countless winding ways even the dirtiest deal can lead to something great.
Hauntings lurk and spirits linger in the Prairie State Reader, beware! Turn these pages and enter the world of the paranormal, where ghosts and ghouls alike creep just out of sight. Author Troy Taylor shines a light in the dark corners of Illinois and scares those spirits out of hiding in this thrilling collection. From a gallows tree in Greene County where an apparition can still be seen hanging, to the lingering spirits of warring mobsters at the site of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, these stories of strange occurrences will keep you glued to the edge of your seat. Around the campfire or tucked away on a dark and stormy night, this big book of ghost stories is a hauntingly good read.
Disillusioned newspaper reporter-turned-private detective Ray Dudgeon isn't trying to save the world. He just wants to do a little good, but, as he's about to be reminded, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
From Chicago's magnificent lakefront to the mountain trails of the Shawnee National Forest, no state has more varied terrain for the cyclist than Illinois. Large, full-detail maps guide you confidently on city streets or prairie back roads, and concise, entertaining trail descriptions make your bicycle adventure come alive. Includes 60 rides for cyclists of all ability levels, tips on where to find water, snacks, lodging, repairs, fascinating notes that help you appreciate the nature and history along the trail, and much more.
Unexpurgated and uncollected poems, many of which remained unpublished because their language was too raw, their attitude and politics too daring. Edited and with an Introduction by George and Willene Hendrick; photographs.
Identifying more than 250 top sites for birding within a 65-mile radius from downtown Chicago, this useful guide provides maps, directions, and other information essential for discovering the birds of the area in their natural habitats. The most thorough guide of its kind, it covers nineteen counties of the greater Chicago area.
A Birder's Guide to the Chicago Region includes detailed descriptions of local habitats and maps that show where to find birds in nearby Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan, as well as Illinois. While providing a wealth of practical information, the guide is enriched with insightful accounts of the natural history and ecology of particular areas.
An essential guide for either beginning or experienced birders, this book will appeal to anyone who appreciates nature and wants to learn more about the natural history, ecology, and especially the birds of the Chicago area.