You know the culture of carfree is gaining momentum when you see two books come out within months of each other catering to the carfree folks of Chicago. And it's just as exciting to see the web community in Chicago take note of these books with great interviews with the authors.

Carless in Chicago, by Jason Rothstein
Head over to John Greenfield's blog Vote with Your Feet for an interview with Jason Rothstein, whose new book, Carless in Chicago: Live and Thrive in Chicago Without Owning a Car, comes out this summer from Lake Claremont Press. Back in 2006, Lake Claremont Press posted an announcement on this site that they were seeking an author to write a book on carless living in Chicago -- it's great to see they found one. Rothstein also has a new companion website and blog at www.carlessinchicago.com.

24 Great Walks in Chicago, by Max Grinnell
Over at Gapers Block, Katherine Raz chats with author Max Grinnell about walkability and his new book, 24 Great Walks in Chicago from Frommer's. The walking tours in the book are aimed at locals and tourists alike, exploring some of Chicago's lesser-known neighborhoods.