by Allan Eckert. Softbound, 688 pages, 6" x 9". This volume traces the settling of the Illinois region from 1763 to 1816 and focuses on the "gateway" -- the Chicago Portage, a vital link between the East and the untapped riches of the West. This rich and readable story centers around Tecumseh, the Shawnee war chief and John Kinzie, successful American trader. Extensively researched, historically accurate, and containing voluminous footnotes. Eckert's books provide hours of pleasant reading and a detailed history lesson all in one.