Drawing on years of living and working in Chicago, journalist and travel writer Ver Berkmoes presents a compact guide to 31 walking tours of the city he calls home. Ranging in distance from 1.5 to 6.5 miles, the walks span all parts of the city. Each entry includes a map; list of public transit serving the location; general description of the area and sites; step-by-step instructions for each stage of the walk, with detailed descriptions of what can be seen along the route; linking points to other walks found in the book; points of interest, with address, phone number, and website, where applicable; and a simplified route summary. The appendices include listings of the walks grouped into nine themes--such as architecture, classic Chicago neighborhoods, history, shopping--and points of interest, also thematically grouped. Illustrated with b&w photographs. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Walk the streets of Chicago and discover why the town that brought us Michael Jordan, Al Capone, and Oprah is anything but a Second City. Chicagos diverse neighborhoods represent a true melting pot of America. Its also the most walkable city in the country, with flat streets and 21 miles of stunning lakeshore. Here you can get ethnic culture in Little Italy or high culture at the Art Institute, listen to the blues on the South Side or catch a ballgame on the North Side, and marvel at the Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in Oak Park or at the natural landscape of the citys many leafy parks. Portable guide features 31 walks with maps, fascinating trivia, and helpful Points of Interest summaries