Maybe the title says it all; this book seems to be written for "natives,"
people who already know and love Chicago but need a handy reference for
city resources and attractions. 
Chapters are laid out in brief, A to Z descriptions. For example, if you want to visit places for their animal, architecture, or art content, you find listings of such in chapter 2 "Touring." Similarly, you can quickly pinpoint other pastimes such as boat rides, factory tours, gardens, and museums; likewise for other chapters covering restaurants, entertainment, shopping, and lodging.
This is all useful, although beyond giving you an address and a letter designating in which of nine districts an attraction is located, this book does not tell you how to get where you might want to go. That means a stranger to the city must also have a good map and transportation guide to have any idea of getting from one place to another.
As a solo traveler, I was pleased to see a listing for the Chicago Greeter Program. These volunteers take visitors on a 2 to 4-hour orientation tour, a great help in getting started in a new city.
Lacking, however, is the romance factor that would make me, as a Chicago neophyte, yearn to vacation in the "windy city."
I have some sketchy notions, gained from songs and movies, that Chicago is a vibrant city with a storied past writ large in colorful characters. I thought I'd find more about those allurements in the chapter "Walking," but that desire went unfulfilled in the brief descriptions allotted to each of the city's "Neighborhoods, Historic Districts, and Ethnic Enclaves."
Certainly, at 478 pages, the book covers a lot of territory. If it neglects historic insight it does do justice to city oddities. For instance, I was immediately drawn to the item "Lawn Frenzy," which turns out to be someone's idea of an "artistic tribute" to certain movie stars and other notables such as "the Pope, Joan of Arc, and former mayor Jane Byrne." Well, I'm not yearning to go to Chicago yet, but maybe I'll rent the movie.
Details: A Native's Guide to Chicago published by Lake Claremont Press, 2004, (US$15.95)