Customer Reviews

Revealing Chicago: An Aerial Portrait

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This collection of photos is not designed to celebrate the tall, pretty buildings of Chicago; this is not a glorification of the wonderful architecture. Conceived of on one of the most important cusps in Chicago history, a point in time when the life force of the town could either have remained stagnant (as it had for the last half of the 20th century), or taken a new direction and improved itself through knowledge of its own being, this collection serves to illuminate some very real issues in Chicagoland concerning the environment, industry, commerce, sociality, and recreation. It is a beautiful mending of form and function to fill even Louis Sullivan with envy. Perhaps one won't understand the beauty of "steel mills [and] deserted beaches" if one does not live in, love, and fully embrace the Chicagoland area. But, for those who do, this collection should prove to be a wonderfully insightful and uncouthly beautiful profile of this beloved Second City.

I'm a Chicago native but I have never seen Chicagoland like this. This is an amazing collection of breathtaking photos from the air of the Lake Michigan shoreline, Sammy Sosa batting a homer in Wrigley Field, the Loop skyscrapers, the Chicago River being dyed green, Goose Lake Prairie, Cantigny Golf Course, the buffalos roaming through Fermi Lab, the island at the Botanic Garden .... wow. It makes me proud to be a resident of this beautiful place.

This is a spectactular set of photographs, mostly taken from the air, of the city of Chicago. Having visited there many times, I think that from the ground I saw too little. I especially saw too little of the beauty and too much of the trash, dirt, and wear. And I don't know when the pictures were taken, but I never saw the freeways look so empty.

Ms. Evans is a well known landscape photographer. I'd think of these pictures more as a cityscape, but she has an amazing eye to to point the camera exactly in the right place for maximum impact.

In addition to the downtown metro area, she has also been able to find scenes of wilderness, of parks, of residential area, even of the U-505 submarine at the Museum of Science and Industry and in all seasons of the year. This book is obviously the work of a lot of time, and the pictures are dated in 2003 and 2004. A marvelous book that shows Chicago in it's most favorable light.

This book is a perfect gift for any occasion. I personally chose to give it to my dad on Father's day. It is a must buy if you are from the Chicago area. Terry Evans' photographs depict Chicago from an entirely new viewpoint. Above. The photos in "Revealing Chicago" not only highlight Chicago's prominent skyline, but the greater metropolitan area, linking the suburbs to the city. I am more attuned to the beauty of Chicago after seeing Evans' photos. The text by Charlie Wheelan is on point. By simply reading the captions to the photos I learned how certain architects had an impact on the design of Chicago (e.g. Daniel Burnham, Mies van der Rohe, Rem Koolhaas, and the like). I recommend going to Millennium Park where Evans' photos will be on display until October 10th. Viewing the photos amidst skyscrapers and in the middle of a beautiful park is quite the experience.

Terry Evans has given us another gem. The book is an artful combination of familiar images (such as many of the downtown Chicago buildings) and new and surprising views. The book depicts well the tremendous variety of landscapes we have in the greater Chicago region, from pristine natural areas to historic urban neighborhoods. Charlie Wheelan's text also tells a compelling story of how the region has developed. I highly recommend the book.

Terry Evans has done a great job revealing just how land is used in Chicago. This overview is similar to, as well as different from, other cities which are battling sprawl. Readers are able to get a glimpse at both green and non-green spaces and how they impact and encompass our lives.

These are beautiful and interesting pictures of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. A great book for those that love the city.

This book makes one feel that they have just visited Chicago. I was there in July and took a second vicarious trip via the book. There are very unusual views of familiar places. It is a real treat!

I highly recommend this book for anyone wishing a collection of up-to-date aerial photographs of Chicago and environs. The eclectic collection runs the gamut from the most prosperous sections of the city to the run-down sections. It also highlights industrial sites and farmland in the surrounding area. My favorite photo showcases the neo-Gothic University of Chicago campus in the foreground and the city's ultra-modern skyline in the background. If nothing else, this book will serve as an excellent tabletop book (and conversation starter) for the living room.

Not only does the book serve as an aesthetic gem, but also, looking beyond the beauty of Terry Evans' photographs, the book subtly "reveals" Chicago's unique history as well as some of the issues facing the region. I thought the way the book was arranged to exhibit the positive, without completely neglecting the negative, was refreshingly realistic. As a native Chicagoan, I gained a new appreciation for the city and was reminded of why I have always loved living here.