Glamorous and Grim

Abstract

This chapter talks about the best-selling author and native Chicagoan Scott Turow, who wrote “The Capital of Real Life” that characterized his hometown in Chicago in 1991. It analyzes Turow's admission that Chicago was not a sparkling, world-class city, but rather an unassuming home for average working-class people. The chapter describes the Chicago of 1991 as America's foremost second-class city that could not compete with the glamour, jive, and winning of first-class New York City and Los Angeles. It highlights how Chicago became a key player in the increasingly global economy after 25 years, frequently serving as the conduit between Chicago-based U.S. corporations and partners in Europe and Asia. It also mentions the new international stature that led to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that convened a summit in Chicago in 2012, the first U.S. city to ever host the international meeting other than Washington, D.C.