Chicago Then and Now (Then & Now) (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "View toward the north-northeast, 1936..." (more)
Key Phrases: archival photo, Michigan Avenue, Lincoln Park, State Street (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The latest installment in the popular Then and Now series showcases the capital of the Heartland and one of the premier cities in the nation and the world: Chicago. Chicago's change and growth over the last century is captured in this photographic history. Modern color photos sit side by side with black and white archival photographs. Every important building, avenue, neighborhood, and point of interest is documented. It covers all of Chicago's landmarks from Navy Pier to the Stockyards and from the Southside all the way up the Magnificent Mile. Take in a game at Wrigley Field, then take it all in from the top of the Sear's Tower. The Water Tower and all the other architectural features that make Chicago great are also included.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Thunder Bay Press (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571452788
• ISBN-13: 978-1571452788
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #53,243 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #2 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Travel > United States > Midwest
  #2 in	Books > Travel > United States > Regions > Central
  #5 in	Books > Travel > United States > States > Illinois > Chicago

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars flawed but fun Chicago historical pictorial, February 12, 2003

By	audrey (white mtns) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I have several of these "then and now" books, and I would say this is the weakest of the bunch. I dearly love Chicago, and some of the old photographs were very interesting, but the book has a few problems. First, the photographic perspectives are rarely in synch, so it is difficult to compare the two pictures directly; either the angle is off to the side, or it's at a different distance. This seems rather to defeat the purpose of a "then and now" theme, which is to facilitate comparison. Secondly, a great many of the buildings and scenes are virtually identical to what they were, so one wonders why they were included. Finally, a map should have been included.

On the positive side, many of Chicago's key spots are targeted, such as the Water Tower, the stockyards and Hull House, and the paragraphs that accompany each picture do convey a lot of interesting information.

If you are interested in Chicago or urban history you will undoubtedly still enjoy this volume, but lower your expectations a bit before the book arrives so you won't be disappointed.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A look at old Chicago, January 21, 2002

By	Timothy J. Mccarthy "Mongo" (Chicago) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

An interesting look at Chicago as it appeared in the past, compared to now. More than just a picture book, it also gives some historical perspective for each location. If you're a Chicagoan, this is a must have. There are two problems that keep this from getting a top ranking. First, the focus of a "then and now" book should be to compare and contrast, so we can see how much has changed. There's several locations shown here that haven't really changed, and you wonder why they were included. Also, the "then" and "now" pictures should be shot from roughly the same location, showing the same perspective. That's not always the case here, and you may have to spend some time figuring out how to get things lined up. Still, it's a good way to see how the city used to look, and a rare look at some of the now-missing architectural treasures.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Review of Past and Present, September 15, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

I enjoyed this book. Some of the pictures do not compare well because they were taken at different angles or from a different side of the street. Nevertheless, this is a great book. I found lots of stuff to compare. Native Chicagoans, who take an interest in the city, will like it. I purchased it for my brother for Christmas...liked it so much I purchased one for myself.