| | Forgotten Chicago, by John Paulett and Ron Gordon.
Part of Arcadia Publishing's "Images
of America" series, Forgotten Chicago is a visual account
of Chicago buildings and neighborhoods that are gone forever
or have been altered beyond their original look or function.
Written by Paulett, and with black-and-white photographs
by Gordon, the book five chapters look at train stations,
sports and entertainment centers, diners and SRO hotels,
Soldier Field, Cook County
Hospital, Tree
Studios, and Maxwell Street. The variety of projects
presented is refreshing, pointing to the realization that
the smaller buildings are as important as larger structures
in how we experience and remember a city. Images showcase
the buildings and areas before, during, and after their
destruction or renovation, while the informative text gives
the reader enough background to realize the importance of
each loss, but without passing judgment. While it is sad
to flip through the book knowing that what's on the pages
will never be again, in most cases our loss is from progress
and change, but hopefully a book like this will temper the
decisions of what we choose to save in the future.
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