Chicago. That toddling town. City of Big Shoulders etc. If Chicago is your home town, how about helping out those kossacks for whom YearlyKos 2007 will be their first visit? I'm thinking there should be a suggested reading list for those interested in learning more about Chicago.
I'll go first. I'm not originally from this area. Now I live in the suburbs, so that hardly makes me an expert on Chicago. I am, however, an avid reader and enthusiastically recommend the two books below. I hope others with an interest will recommend some others.
Never a City So Real: A Walk in Chicago, Alex Kotlowitz
Kotlowitz has written two other wonderful books that many of you may have read (The Other Side of the River, There Are No Children Here). He is a transplanted New York City native who has lived in Chicago for 20+ years. He clearly loves the city and its people. This is a quick read (158 pages) and will whet your apatite for more Chicago info. Kotlowitz does not see Chicago through rose-colored glasses. The city has problems, but the people who live there are sure a lively bunch!
To Sleep With the Angels: The Story of a Fire, David Cowan
The story of the Our Lady of the Angels catholic school fire in 1958 in which 92 children and 3 nuns died. Gives you a real feel for the times, the neighborhood, etc. Chicago is a city of neighborhoods. This book gives you some insight into that. Also makes you appreciate all the fire-safety regulations (regulations!) that have made life safer for all of us.