Richard Nickel's Chicago: Photographs of a Lost City

by Michael F. Williams, Richard Cahan

Richard Nickel is an urban legend of sorts. He is remembered for his brave and lonely stand to protect Chicago's great architecture, and for his dramatic death in the rubble of the Stock Exchange Building. He is remembered, too, for the photographs he left behind. This is a book about one man's relationship with his city, a remarkably personal story told through compelling photographs. Richard Nickel's Chicago is for people who love the city, and for people all over the world who value city life.

Genres: Photography, Architecture, Art, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published November 15, 2006

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing. Nickel's photographs of people are just as compelling as his better-known photos of architecture. I'll be re-reading this often, even though some of the demolition photos made me feel ill.

[Debbie Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me mourn everything thatChicago has lost including the spirit of Richard Nickel.

The photography is stunning and this is a must for any Chicagoan or anyone who appreciates history, black and white photography or architecture. It is mostly pictures and captions.

[Chet Slonina · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book of black and white photography showing the world of Chicago through the eyes of Richard Nickel. The book is a personal vision to the beholder of a photographer/photojournalist giving you his perspectives that he truly literally dug deep for to make his finds a part of history that would be forgotten without his efforts. I especially appreciated those of Riverview Park as it touched a nostalgic set of memories that depicted the early 1950s. Nickel was an architectural photographer Working over 20 years especially on Louis Sullivan’s works until his unfortunate demise cancelling his life short.

[Sean Doerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, giving a look into Nickel's life. Loved the snippets. I just wish they would have touched more on his biography throughout. As a photo book though, it is amazing stuff and worthy of a book!

[Naberius]

Chicago,Richard Nickel,photography

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous black & white photography of a Chicago that doesn't really exist anymore.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nickel's photographs are fabulous historical documents. I knew nothing about him before reading this, but he belongs in a Chicago hall of fame with Terkel, Royko, Algren and Maier.