Kevin Coval

Named "Best Chicago Poet" by The Chicago Reader, Kevin Coval channels Howard Zinn to celebrate the Windy City's hidden history.

A People's History of Chicago

Ellie Younger

Art has the power to change lives- to enlighten, to empower, to empathize. This book of poetry does it all. Kevin Coval intelligently weaves history into poetry in a way that will leave your mouth hanging open. Chicago has always been the windy city to me, home of cloud gate, and Sears tower (it will always be Sears tower), a place I’ve vacationed year after year. Chicago marked the existence of my family members, but I idealized what existing there was like. Coval begins the Shikaakwa, who lived in Chicago long before it was Chicago, and ends with an ode to the city- despite all its flaws. “I witness until the world does / until ghost stories are documented/ & irrefutable, until America is haunted / by the spirits of those it says never happened.” (78) Coval will educate, and activate.

John Balek

I'm not someone who usually reads poetry but I thought a history of Chicago would be a great way to start. As someone who has lived in or around Chicago my entire life this was a great read. There were many relatable moments and even some things I wasn't aware of. I cannot think of a better way to express the anthropological history of Chicago than through poetry. The only point I thought was lacking was that it was mainly focused on events of the last 30 years. I get that its easier to write about things that have happened during the author's lifetime but there are a lot of other events that I thought could have been of value to a collection like this.

A People's History of Chicago

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