City of the Century: The Epic of Chicago and the Making of America

From its turbulent beginnings to its current status as one of the world’s most dynamic cities, City of the Century tells the story of Chicago—and the story of America, writ small. From its many natural disasters, including the Great Fire of 1871 and several cholera epidemics to its winner-take-all politics, dynamic business empires, breathtaking architecture, its diverse cultures, and its diverse population of writers, journalists, and artists, Chicago’s story is violent, inspiring, passionate, and fascinating from the first page to the last.

The winner of the prestigious Great Lakes Book Award, given to the year’s most outstanding books highlighting the American heartland, City of the Century has received consistent rave reviews and was made into a six-hour film airing on PBS’s American Experience series. Written with energetic prose and exacting detail, it brings Chicago’s history to vivid life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Donald L. Miller is the John Henry MacCracken Professor of History at Lafayette College and author of nine books, including Supreme City: How Jazz Age Manhattan Gave Birth to Modern America (May 2014); City of the Century, winner of the Great Lakes Book Award and the Victorian Society's Presidential Book Award; Lewis Mumford, A Life, a New York Times Notable Book; and the critically acclaimed Masters of the Air, which is being made into an HBO dramatic series by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. He has hosted, co-produced, or served as historical consultant for more than 30 television documentaries and has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, and other publications.