Paul Haddad Book order

The book explores the transformative journey of Los Angeles from a small pueblo to a sprawling metropolis, driven by six influential visionaries. It uncovers the myths surrounding the city's growth, detailing the triumphs and scandals of figures like Harry Chandler and William Mulholland. Key historical events, such as the controversial expansion of trolley systems and the construction of the aqueduct, highlight the complex interplay of power and policy. Haddad also addresses the environmental and social costs of this rapid development, revealing the darker side of L.A.'s creation.

It is October 1957. A time of Eisenhower conformity, police and mob strongholds, and Red Scare paranoia. A relic of Hollywood's Golden Age, the aging Paradise Palms Hotel is on the brink of change. David Shapiro-eldest son of recently widowed Max Shapiro-has assumed a leadership role. But the more he digs into the hotel's business, the more he questions who his father is. It's not just the tenuous ties to gangster Mickey Cohen, who is trying to commandeer "the Palms," but also the sudden appearance of a mysterious African American guest named Rae Lynn, who improbably rises in stature. As long-buried secrets come to light, David's battle to keep the family intact takes a tragic turn. His actions mirror an America lurching from the surface simplicity of the '50s to the turmoil of the 1960s in this riveting neo-noir family saga.

"Freewaytopia: How Freeways Shaped Los Angeles explores how social, economic, political, and cultural demands created the web of freeways whose very form--futuristic, majestic, and progressive--perfectly exemplifies the City of Angels."--Back cover