Drawing on years of living and working in Chicago, journalist and travel writer Ver Berkmoes presents a compact guide to 31 walking tours of the city he calls home. Ranging in distance from 1.5 to 6.5 miles, the walks span all parts of the city. Each entry includes a map; list of public transit serving the location; general description of the area and sites; step-by-step instructions for each stage of the walk, with detailed descriptions of what can be seen along the route; linking points to other walks found in the book; points of interest, with address, phone number, and website, where applicable; and a simplified route summary. The appendices include listings of the walks grouped into nine themes--such as architecture, classic Chicago neighborhoods, history, shopping--and points of interest, also thematically grouped. Illustrated with b&w photographs. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)