47 pages • 1 hour read
Nature's Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West
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Book Brief
592
Book • Nonfiction
Chicago, Illinois • 19th Century
1991
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Nature’s Metropolis by William Cronon is a historical analysis that explores the intertwined economic and ecological development of Chicago and the American West during the 19th century. Cronon examines how natural resources, the railroad network, and agriculture played crucial roles in transforming Chicago into a pivotal metropolis, detailing its symbiotic relationship with the rural hinterlands and the implications of this interdependence.
Informative
Contemplative
Reviews & Readership
3,749 ratings
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Review Roundup
William Cronon’s Nature’s Metropolis is widely commended for its innovative examination of Chicago's environmental history and its role in America's economic expansion. Critics praise Cronon’s interdisciplinary approach and prose, yet some find the narrative dense and overly detailed. Overall, it's a significant contribution to urban and environmental historiography.
Who Should Read Nature's Metropolis?
A history enthusiast or urban studies scholar intrigued by the interplay between environment and economy would relish Nature's Metropolis by William Cronon. Fans of The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs or The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson may find it equally captivating for its insightful take on Chicago's transformation.
3,749 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Frederick Jackson Turner
Frederick Jackson Turner
A historian known for his frontier thesis, which is used as a framework to understand the influences of westward expansion on American development and character.
The Boosters
The Boosters
A group of writers engaged in promoting idealized visions of Chicago, often depicting it as a hub of prosperity and attracting people to the city.
Johann Heinrich von Thünen
Johann Heinrich von Thünen
A 19th-century economist whose model of agricultural land use and transportation forms a theoretical basis for analyzing the expansion of Chicago and its economic geography.
592
Book • Nonfiction
Chicago, Illinois • 19th Century
1991
Adult
18+ years
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