“I give you Chicago. It is not London and Harvard. It is not Paris and buttermilk. It is American in every chitling and sparerib. It is alive from snout to tail.” ―H. L. Mencken

I give you Chicago. Not in the form of a stainless-steel bean, an Italian beef, or even daaa bears or Wrigley Field. I give you Chicago via biographies. From Lieutenant Dan to First Lady, here are two reads that may make you crave the Windy City.

Becoming, the top-selling book in 2018, celebrates Michelle Obama’s accomplished life. Naturally, I succumbed to the hype. Her life story is intriguing. From her humble beginnings on Chicago’s south side to her time spent in the most elegant White House. But (in my opinion), Becoming was not overly compelling. If you are a Michelle Obama fan, you will love her walk down the memory lane. She did find the yellow brick road after all. As a casual admirer of Michelle, you may find yourself looking for something a little more.

Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service highlights another famous Chicago native: actor/humanitarian Gary Sinise. As a somewhat rebellious youth, Sinise was on the brink of becoming a drop-out. School just wasn’t his thing. Fortunately, the high school drama teacher saw something in the uninterested boy. She asked him to try out for a part in the school play—West Side Story. Let’s just say Sinise was a Jet All the Way. He was on his way to becoming Lt. Dan, which led him to a lifetime of service on behalf of veterans everywhere. I guess it’s true: Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.

Guest Post by Tracy’s sister (whom we affectionately refer to as Schmellie)