The same guys who were afraid of Virginia Woolf, that's who. Shirley Leckie has written a fine biography in the conservative biography tradition. It is published by the same press that gave Angie Debo the runaround back when she was doubting her own significance as a writer in mid-career. When she was in despair. Published by the same university, who, in the heyday of history department chauvinism, chose to groom and tenure by far less accomplished male scholars rather than to throw a crumb to Miss Debo, the one whose work would be of supreme importance. Leckie's version of the story is balanced in tone, raking no muck and slinging no mud, but the truth comes glimmering through, even so. Handled especially well is the relationship Debo shared with her mentor, Dale. He might have actually been a two-faced jerk who wouldn't have rescued her or her manuscripts from a criminal Faulkner fire. Leckie veers away from harsh judgement and leaves it to the reader to decide how much he really cared. Many things come to mind from reading this insightful book, especially the fact that men who ran history departments could get by with a lot of crap, like promoting their publish-nothing buddies while placing one of the century's outstanding and memorable historians such as Debo on the back burner. Is there any doubt that she may have scorched back there? Angie Debo was the last of the old maids in many respects. Never married, never encouraged flirtation. Lived with and lived for her mother in the little town of Marshall. Pretty much given the cold shoulder by the universities during her 30s and 40s. Finally, in her fifties, the Old Boys loosened up a little. Leckie does make it clear that Debo was more of a lone wolf than a team player, especially when the team-players were a little thick. And yeah, I guess I wanted more from a bio, wanted Debo to be more than an old maid, jilted by the academic system, as far as personal relationships go. Perhaps if the biographer had focused upon the truly intense relationship Angie Debo had for her own writing and research of the Creeks and Choctaw tribes, the drama of the bio would have been heightened. When the life and the work is one and the same, as it was with Debo, the life had to have higher highs and lower lows. I think her early childhood illnesses which nearly killed her probably altered her ways that the biographer did not explore. Maybe the Debo soup was actually a little thicker than that which has been served here. The biographer chose to be choosy, to write a tasteful and conservative assessment of a life. Maybe Miss Debo wouldn't want anymore said than that. Could it be I suffer from some kind of popular misconception about the life of such a significant writer, believing like Dolly Pardon, who said: "Some people think less is more, but I say more is more"?

I thought this map was actually more informative than the "Streetwise" version. This also includes good information on the Hyde Park area, and has information on the subway and bus lines. A good general map of the city. It's not big, so you can throw it in your pocket.

This book was very helpful in planning our canoe trip. It breaks it down into day trips for each river. Problem areas of each river were pointed out so you could avoid them. The maps were clearly marked for camping and park areas. I couldn't have asked for a better book.

The collection itself is mediocre, however, read the last story first. Diswell Crinkle's Bumps in the Night is a refreshingly witty and funny tale of a zombie. The tale sneaks in charming father/daughter interactions as an added bonus. A must read for fans of horror...and of great stories!!!!

Carolyn Lieberg's tribute to the Midwest is a very enjoyable book. It is primarily a collection of quick facts -- no more than a couple of lines long each -- that will amaze even the life-long Midwesterner (such as myself). It is more than just a list of factoids, though. Liberally scattered throughout the book are letters from real-life Midwestern folks, describing their lives in the central part of the nation. Many times they reminisce about when they were children, often in the early parts of this century. Ms Lieberg also begins each chapter with glowing description and praise of that chapter's topic, and how it is uniquely Midwestern. After reading this book you'll be searching for a recipe for sauerkraut chocolate cake and telling everybody how many Nobel prize winners are from your state, or even your town (if you are lucky enough to live in one of the twelve states covered in the book). If you live outside of the Midwest and want to know more about it, or if you love the Midwest but have relatives who have never been here, or if you know people on "the coasts" who think Midwesterners are just a bunch of rubes, THIS IS THE BOOK TO BUY. The only reasons I didn't give the book a perfect ten (I gave it an 8) were because there are a few errors in the book, and Ms Lieberg's little quips at the end of many of the facts were slightly annoying. But don't let that stop you from enjoying this book!

Norbert Blei has been chronicling the landscape of such Midwester cities of Cicero and Chicago and the coutryside of Door County for years. In CHI TOWN he brings the reader home to a place that is solid and real. He fills the book with portraits of people and places, the scenes of Chicago with all the heartbreaking beauty and sorrow of a scene that is passing. Blei is the great nostalgist and he gives us full measure here. This book is a tribute to a city and its people and to an author who cares to put it down with love

I liked this book. I think it gave a exceptional description of "chicago heights" I think it could have gone into more detail though.

Another in a group of "history" books that relies mostly on photographs of the past.

I bought this book because I am very interested in the way Chicago has changed visually over the years. Like most of this style of book, the actual range of years represented is not large, but there is a feeling that much of the city is represented.

The photographs in this book tend to be of a high quality and the printing and paper stock help to make the book visually pleasing.

A good book for fans of picture histories.

"Chicago's, Historic Pullman District" is a compilation of rare photographs that capture the quaintness of this industrial town and era. The construction began in the early 1880's and continues today as restoration. The saga of the Pullman Company and the Pullman family is only a backdrop for the images of this unique town. The industrial, commercial and residential architectural views and the essence of a hard working people establishing a close knit permanent community is captured pictorially throughout the book. The Pullman district has acqired National, State and City Landmark status. The book is a valuable supplement to any tour of the area or any serious research on the history of Chicago.

I recommend this book to you because it has large pictures, but keep in mind most of these ones were taken about last 80's and doesn't show the actual city skyline.