The Thumbnail Book Reviews
by John Q McDonald --- 21 September 1998
by Mike Davis
The author of this "peoples' history" of Los Angeles was born in Fontana and is a professor of urban theory at the Southern California Institute of Architecture. This book is an intense combination of social history and urban design, with in-depth emphasis on the former. Davis convincingly postulates the links between social power structures in LA and the urban landscape. Particularly, he considers the mania for control over what was once considered public space. Though his is a somewhat biased, ornery, and highly critical viewpoint, it is a challenging, absorbing and intensely researched work. The prodigious notes and bibliography offer the reader an excellent jumping-off point for further reading on southern California cultural and urban history. Highly recommended, probably Davis' best work.
Also by Mike Davis: [Ecology of Fear]