Planning a visit to Detroit, or have a Detroit-loving friend who wants to know all about the city? If so, then my book, A History Lover’s Guide To Detroit, is the perfect guide or gift for you and your friend.

After giving many tours of the city, I discovered a pattern. Visitors consistently came to Detroit with such low, and often, no expectations of the city. They also had no real clear idea of where to go or what to see. Once on tour, they were pleasantly surprised, and rather overwhelmed, by all they saw, heard, and experienced. Suddenly, they asked a million questions and wanted to know much more about this fascinating city, all while trying to remember what they originally learned on the tour.

That’s when the idea of writing a book hit me. A book that would not only reinforce what they discovered on the tour, but also fulfill their desire to know more about Detroit. Written in a guidebook fashion so visitors could easily tour the city with or without a guide.

I must admit that it took me a few years and several false starts to write the book. After talking about the city nearly every day, sitting down and writing about it was the last thing I wanted to do in my free time. Finally, much to even my surprise, A History Lover’s Guide To Detroit came together and was published by The History Press in late 2018(opens in a new tab).

The book offers an intimate tour of the city that not only put the world on wheels but possesses a long, amazing history of innovation, philanthropy, social justice, and culture. It takes you to the location where Dr. King first gave his “I have a dream” speech, or the studio where Berry Gordy created the Motown sound. It provides the backstory to the famous Diego Rivera murals at Detroit Institute of Arts and the many skyscrapers and monuments visitors will encounter.

While the downtown section is packed with entries that will keep visitors busy, the additional chapters go beyond the central business district for those who want to extend their tour.

A History Lover’s Guide To Detroit is filled with great vintage photos, reprints of postcards I’ve collected, and beautiful contemporary photos by local photographer Rodney Arroyo.

I originally designed the book to complement to our See The D tours, but it turns out A History Lover’s Guide To Detroit, is a useful, stand-alone resource, especially when read prior to your visit. In fact, a recent Amazon reviewer referred to the book as a Detroit Visitor’s Guide and a great book to have.

“It was great to have this book when going around Detroit. We just used it to reinforce our knowledge of my mother’s hometown and my cousin’s hometown. It was a Great Book.”

Heck, even Santa approves!

A History Lover’s Guide To Detroit can be purchased directly from the publisher(opens in a new tab), or the major online publishers. Regional Barnes and Noble and select Target stores carry the book too! If you prefer to shop small businesses, many local and regional stores carry it as well. Or, you can purchase a signed copy at a significant discount when you register for a See The D tour.

Karin Risko is the founder of City Tour Detroit(opens in a new tab) and author of A History Lover’s Guide To Detroit. For more information on tours or to book her as a speaker, please email Karin at info@citytourdetroit.com.

© 2019. Content copyrighted by Karin Risko and City Tour Detroit. Feel free to share article if it’s published in its entirety including author bio and photographer credits.