A story-based travel guide for the best experience of Chicago.

"Chicago is a city of contrasts, and the Wildsam Chicago city guide presents a balanced and beautiful collection of stories and intel that spotlights the unvarnished place. Inside you'll find stories from heralded locals and lesser known heroes including poets, restaurateurs, novelists, comedians, artists, and more. Chicago stories, travel intel & modern lore including: Interviews with chef Rick Bayless, comedian Susan Messing, artist Amanda Williams, hot dog expert Doug Sohn and more ; Expert picks for deep-dish pizza, contemporary art, writing supplies, Lake Michigan parks and architecture ; A Michael Jordan timeline, historical dive into Chess Records and tribute to the 1985-1986 Chicago Bears ; An illustrated map of of the city's best record stores Archival treasures about Gwendolyn Brooks, Saul Bellow, Mavis Staples and Al Capone ; How to revel in Chicago's legendary long winters ; Original essays and poetry from Rebecca Makkai, Davy Rothbart, Patricia Smith and Roger Reeves. "Chicagoland. City of nobodies nobody knows, in Nelson Algren's words. Sweet home Chicago, in Robert Johnson's 1936 croon. Glacial winters and miracle summers. Howling trains and lapping Lake. Every great city has its contrasts, but, as its many poets know, Chicago maximizes them. And as Algren wrote: 'Once you've come to be part of this particular patch, you'll never love another.' That's the Chicago way." -THE EDITORS" -- Provided by publisher.