Chicago is in the throes of change on every corner. Politically, we have a more progressive body that is hopefully moving in a more desired direction; deindustrialization and gentrification are jolting forces hitting both North, West and South Side communities; displacement and business turnover is common. ... Belt Publishing's new book The Chicago Neighborhood Guidebook, edited by journalist Martha Bayne, features short essays, poems, articles and photo essays that capture the city's change and personal stories of just about every Chicago neighborhood. The stories reflect the city's change by diving into the identity of each neighborhood from a personal perspective and with a deep love of how place influences a person. -- Ariel Parella-Aureli, LoganSquarist

It's a daunting task to capture the city in its fullness; tellingly, one of Chicago's greatest spokesman, Studs Terkel, managed to portray the city's richness in his weekly radio show and books by interviewing Chicagoans from all walks of life. It's that same spirit of open mindedness and eclecticism that animates The Chicago Neighborhood Guidebook, a collection of 45 essays, poems, and photographs from Belt Publishing, where contributors from all corners of the city share space, each individual neighborhood weaving together into an evocative tapestry. -- Tanner Howard, Curbed Chicago

You would be a fool not to have this on your bookshelf; it will introduce you to Chicago today. ... An essential and tremendously enjoyable book. -- Rick Kogan, After Hours With Rick Kogan

A stirring, entertaining and informative collection of works ... [Brings] to vivid life the diverse people and wildly divergent experiences that populate Chicago. The Chicago Neighborhood Guidebook is a symphony of the city - unharmonious, often tragic, sometimes ridiculous, yet always home. -- Alex Bean, Chicago Detours

Required reading. ... Reinforces what an amazing and interesting place [Chicago] is, filled with talented writers and artists who contributed to the book. But it also requires the reader to see the city anew, to confront its problems and not fall back on empty sentiment. -- John Warner, Chicago Tribune

In their varied voices, however, the Guidebook's authors go deeper than reiterating the neighborhood notion by hitting at the power of place and describing how a neighborhood can shape us, often from a young age. ... The Guidebook offers a buffet of places you might want to visit, interesting facts, and memorable moments. It leaves you on your own to piece the map together, which is a welcome challenge. -- Max Budovich, South Side Weekly