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Old Posted Jul 6, 2010, 6:09 PM
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LASpaceCadet LASpaceCadet is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
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Books

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Originally Posted by sopas ej View Post
I'm finally starting to read that book by John Buntin, "L.A. Noir." But I'm also reading a very interesting book by Jeremiah Axelrod called "Inventing Autopia." That's my problem, often I don't just read one book at a time, but several at a time. But anyway, it's a fascinating book, it basically chronicles LA's development during the 1920s Jazz Age, when LA's population really exploded and people really took to driving, and the city itself started decentralizing away from downtown.
I recently finished LA Noir which was pretty interesting. My only complaint is that the dual narratives unravel a bit by the end of the book, but it’s an interesting read nonetheless. Inventing Autopia looks interesting, but its going to have to wait until I can pick it up and get to it. (Bohemian LA is just one of many books collecting dust on my bookshelf at the moment.) However, along the same lines, you might enjoy Richard Longstreth’s City Center to Regional Mall: Architecture, the Automobile, and Retailing in Los Angeles, 1920-1950. I can’t think of any other book that makes better sense of LA’s sprawling landscape. It’s also copiously illustrated with old photos, drawings, and advertisements from the period he writes about.

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