If I were a teacher, I would
- assign reading any 20 pages of this book, Walking Chicago’s Coast by Michael McColly
- having student walk 45 minutes in any direction from their home
- write a report about what they have observed
- do research on at least one thing they have observed and weave that into their report

This book was so well written and interesting. I thought that the author would be walking strictly at the coastline around from Chicago to Indiana Dunes. Probably not possible, he walked through neighborhoods and crossed major thoroughfares.

Michael McColly was a college professor and Peace Corps worker in Senegal. This book is very well written and insightful. Michael McColly walked a tremendous amount in Africa but was 50 some years old when he decide to take this 60 mile (ish) walk and immerse himself in his immediate area and record his observations.

I’m definitely biased, being from the Midwest and having a brother who lives in the Chicago Loop, but I think this book will be eye opening to anybody reading this book. We all overlook the details of what is around us as we are zooming around in our automobiles, oblivious to our surroundings.

Several pictures throughout Walking Chicago's Coast: A 63-Mile Journey to the Indiana Dunes.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Cornell University Press for approving my request to read the advance review copy of Walking Chicago’s Coast in exchange for an honest review. 186 pages, Sept 15, 2025 publication date.

Was surprised though; walking from the state park to the beach there is a marker “At Le Petit Fort, near this site, a battle was fought on December 5, 1780 between American forces under the command of Lt. Thomas Brady and Jean Baptise Hamelin and British forces under command of Dahreau de Quindre.” Resulting in a British victory and the only Revolutionary War battle fought in Northwest Indiana. I really expected to read about it in this book, oh well. Ther are only so many paths taken. 😊 (We just happened to have camping at the Indiana Dunes State Park already scheduled and I made sure to go by the marker and take a picture. Indiana Dunes State Park really is first class!)

Also another advance reviewer criticized (and stopped reading) because of the author's description of some women on his journey. I don't even remember reading what she described; probably 5 words over 186 pages that struck her objectionably. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, one of my opinions is that I don't think it is fair to review a book that you did not finish.

I received a free copy of, Walking Chicago's Coast, by Michael McColly, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book until I got to the part of the overweight women, really not needed and in very poor taste. I stopped reading at that point.