A review by jane_henningsen
Nature's Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West by William Cronon

5.0

A well-researched economic history of the city of Chicago and its hinterlands.

This book illustrates the interdependent relationship between urban and rural areas through case studies of Chicago’s commodities trade: corn, grain, lumber, and meat.

Highly recommend if you are a fan of the city of Chicago, if you’re interested in economics, or if you love a good illustrative chart or map. Some amazing exhibits in here!

It also helped me understand the mutual dependence and distrust between urban and rural populations, which has been a signature of American culture for as long as we’ve had cities.