CITY OF BIG SHOULDERS distills all the grit and glory of Chicago's past into one compact volume. This brisk account illuminates key events and people in the city's evolution from a marshland to today's robust metropolis. Synthesizing a vast body of literature, Spinney traces formative events in the city's history, illuminating people, events, and institutions that are most important for understanding Chicago's story. From Fort Dearborn to Cabrini-Green, Marquette to Mayor Daley, CITY OF BIG SHOULDERS draws together diverse threads of the city's development, shedding light on underlying social and economic causes of major events and, especially, on the roles of common people.

Highly readable, this account will interest students and teachers of urban history, as well as everyone looking for a brisk and engaging overview of Chicago's history.