An oversized, engaging book that details 50 cities in the U.S.A. with key facts, inspiring people, neighborhood spotlights, city icons, and much more! Includes Publisher’s Note, Index, Key References.

This book dedicates a page to a specific city in each state in the U.S.A. Each page provides a map, popular places, famous people, etc.
2 books

This delightful gazetteer takes us on a tour of fifty cities of the U.S. Since I love both infographics and state trivia, it’s as if this book were made just for me, for it combines both of those features into one big book. The author and illustrator explain in the introduction that they “want to paint a picture of each city’s story.” They then show you how the book is organized: for each city, you get a “welcome box” with a quick introduction to the city, a map full of interesting trivia as well as key facts about the city, inspiring people, city icons, a neighborhood spotlight, and what a perfect day would be like in each city. There is one city profiled from each state in the Union.

Of course, like Gabrielle Balkan’s previous book highlighting the fifty states, you can always find people from the area objecting to what you did not choose to include. For example, Chicago is referred to by its nickname, “The Windy City” but most people assume this relates to the weather. People from outside the area always ask us about “all the wind.” I wish she would have mentioned that the term "Windy City" came into common usage when it was popularized by New York City editor, Charles Dana, during the bidding for the 1893 Columbian Exposition, and actually referenced the “windbags” (braggarts) from the area, not the weather. (Or maybe it's better if people don't know that!)

In Boston, under “inspiring people” the author includes, among others, Matt Damon and Mindy Kaling! Really? None of the Adamses (John, Abigail, and John Quincey)? And what about Susan B. Anthony? No offense to the actors, but I think the others are a bit more inspiring.

In Tucson, there is a picture of a saguaro, but one of our most famous denizens (and my favorite), the javelina, is omitted. (Full Disclosure of Bias: I even have a javelina cookie cutter!)

The author highlights some local foods in Tucson, like the Sonoran Hot Dog and the Raspado (shaved ice soaked in fruit syrup and toppings), but what about margaritas and mojitos? I don’t think you can go anywhere in Tucson without encountering these latter two drinks - in particular that Tucson favorite, the Prickly Pear Margarita. (Perfect for downing one of the 30 different types of Tucson Tamales!) In fact, Tucson has such great things to eat and drink that in 2015 it became the first city in the U.S. to be designated a UNESCO World City of Gastronomy.

Milwaukee is one of my favorite cities too. The author mentions the Milwaukee Art Museum, but how can you not refer to the amazing building in which it is housed?

The Quadracci Pavilion is a sculptural, postmodern addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum completed in 2001, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The hall’s chancel is shaped like the prow of a ship, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking over Lake Michigan. The signature wings, the Burke Brise Soleil, form a moveable sunscreen with a 217-foot wingspan. The entire structure weighs 90 tons. It takes 3.5 minutes for the wings to open or close, which happens Tuesday through Sunday around noon. It is truly one of the wonders of the country.

Washington, D.C. is my most favorite city of any city. How can you beat having so many museums and monuments, all with free admission? But again we have some rather odd choices for “inspiring people.” I love Taraji P. Henson, but is she really more inspiring than Frederick Douglass?

Also, the focus is very much on national, rather than local, aspects of the city. D.C. residents are proud of what the locals have to offer, from the legendary blueberry pancakes at the Saturday Eastern Market to the Maine Avenue Fish Market - a D.C. institution - to the glorious nature on display at Rock Creek Park and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, better known as the C&O Canal.

In addition, because African Americans make up more than half of the city's population, D.C. offers a cornucopia of places to learn about, celebrate, and enjoy black history and culture, as well as contemporary black life. To name just one of these wonderful resources you can find in D.C., there is the Lincoln Theater (not to be confused with Ford's Theater, where Lincoln was assassinated, and where you can also visit). As the Lincoln Theater website explains:

"The Lincoln Theatre, built in 1922, was a cultural center of D.C., predating and influencing Harlem’s renaissance. Washington natives Duke Ellington and Pearl Bailey were joined by nationally acclaimed artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday, Nat King Cole, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, and Sarah Vaughn who performed regularly on the storied stage. President Franklin D. Roosevelt celebrated his birthday parties at the Lincoln Colonnade, a party hall once located at the Theatre."

The Howard Theater in the "U Street Corridor" of D.C. has a similar history. (All three of these theaters still feature regular performances.)

She also omits some of the most popular tourist attractions, including the Watergate Hotel (she mentions the Watergate Steps, but these are different: the steps are by the Lincoln Memorial and were originally intended to act as a dock for visiting dignitaries and politicians disembarking off the Potomac River); the stairs from the climax of the movie “The Exorcist” in the beautiful and historic neighborhood of Georgetown (which could have well provided a fascinating “neighborhood focus”); and the Dupont Circle area, where you can see locals playing chess and also visit one of the best indie bookstores specializing in history and politics, Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe. The Dupont Circle fountain, built by sculptor Daniel Chester French, is an iconic landmark of the city.

Then there is the 2-mile stretch along Massachusetts Avenue known as Embassy Row, which I think is a must-see area. There are dozens of gorgeous buildings that house diplomatic missions, each proudly displaying that country's flag (usually with no other identifying marks so it's a fun teaching opportunity). Often they also feature sculptures in front of the building highlighting one of the country's heroes, ranging from the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial outside the Indian embassy to the statue of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk outside of the Turkish embassy.

Finally, I should mention that my favorite museum in Washington, D.C. is not one of the Smithsonian museums (rightfully) highlighted by the book but is rather the off-the-beaten-track National Geographic Museum. Not many tourists know about it, but it is a treasure with outstanding rotating exhibits.

But each city only gets a two-page spread, and the author and illustrator Sol Linero do a great job in packing the two pages with as much as they can. Moreover, as anyone knows, you can put ten people from a city in a room, and come up with ten totally different lists of its most iconic features. It doesn’t really matter; I love the parts that are included, and I love learning new things about all of these cities.

Evaluation: I may have my own personal preferences for what to include, but nevertheless, I love this book; it’s very fun, and would make a great gift. ( )