Revealing Chicago: An Aerial Portrait (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Charles Wheelan (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Dramatic aerial images by renowned photographer Terry Evans celebrate one of the world's foremost cities at the outset of the 21st century. One hundred and twenty sumptuous four-color photographs take the reader on a fascinating tour of Chicago and its environs in all four seasons, revealing its unique features: its incomparable lakefront, cutting-edge skyscrapers, and diverse residential neighborhoods, as well as the lush farms and landscapes beyond the city's borders.

With the population of the Chicago region expected to increase by two million over the next 25 years, ensuring that the city grows in a manner that adds to rather than detracts from its beauty, desirability, and prosperity is essential. In Revealing Chicago, Evans's spectacular photographs and Charles Wheelan's thoughtful text not only tell the current story of the city but also expose the challenges-environmental, economic, and social-it faces with continued development. An aesthetic tour de force, this singular volume highlights the importance of making decisions today that will enable Chicago to sustain its prominence into the future. AUTHOR BIO: Terry Evans, a Chicago resident, is one of the world's foremost landscape photographers. Her work has been exhibited widely and is in the collections of many major museums. She is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship. Charles Wheelan, also a resident of Chicago, is the former Midwest correspondent for The Economist and author of Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science. He is a lecturer in public policy at the University of Chicago.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams; First edition. edition (June 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810958740
• ISBN-13: 978-0810958746
• Product Dimensions: 13.2 x 10.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #341,217 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #48 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Travel > United States > Midwest
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Meaning of It All, June 13, 2005

By	Seth White (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful photographs, June 8, 2005

By	RHA (Chicago) - See all my reviews

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.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A look at land use in Chicago..., June 7, 2005

By	Jaime Z - See all my reviews

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.