More comprehensive than any other book on this topic, Los Angeles and the Automobile places the evolution of Los Angeles within the context of American political and urban history.
Los Angeles and the Automobile
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Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
As the first great auto-age metropolis, Los Angeles deserves study to understand the public choices that were made and the pattern that other cities followed. Unlike some books, like Howard Preston's Automobile Age Atlanta ( LJ 8/79), Bottles's does not focus on social consequences. Instead, he deals with public policy, particularly as it was influenced by public attitudes toward mass transit alternatives. For Bottles automobiles came to dominate Los Angeles because the public believed cars met their personal and economic needs better than street cars or trains. He rejects the idea of a conspiracy of car-related industries or the mere technological superiority of the automobile as reasons for the outcome. A well-argued but controversial scholarly defense of the automobile-age city. Charles K. Piehl, Associate Dean, Arts & Humanities, Mankato State Univ., Minn.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"Bottles skillfully interweaves twentieth-century urban trends as they applied to Los Angeles with the politics involved in public transportation policy and the control of motor vehicle traffic. . . . [He] is to be congratulated on a fine study of a much misunderstood and misrepresented situation." -- John B. Rae, Pacific Historical Review
"The book provides a very good history of the Los Angeles experience. Urban sociologists, among others, will find it an important addition to their shelf on urban social change." -- James R. Hudson, Contemporary Sociology
"Well written, extremely well documented, and enjoyable to read. . . . Scott Bottles presents a compelling argument against the belief that the automobile was imposed on the residents of Los Angeles. Futhermore, he does an excellent job of demonstrating the human dynamics accompanying technological change." -- Lynn Lonnquist, International Social Science Review
"[A] stimulating case study for those concerned with understanding the automobile metropolis at its early formative stages. The author successfully relates developments in Los Angeles to developments elsewhere in the United States, giving his arguments the potential of universal application." -- John A. Jakle, Growth and Change --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
"The book provides a very good history of the Los Angeles experience. Urban sociologists, among others, will find it an important addition to their shelf on urban social change." -- James R. Hudson, Contemporary Sociology
"Well written, extremely well documented, and enjoyable to read. . . . Scott Bottles presents a compelling argument against the belief that the automobile was imposed on the residents of Los Angeles. Futhermore, he does an excellent job of demonstrating the human dynamics accompanying technological change." -- Lynn Lonnquist, International Social Science Review
"[A] stimulating case study for those concerned with understanding the automobile metropolis at its early formative stages. The author successfully relates developments in Los Angeles to developments elsewhere in the United States, giving his arguments the potential of universal application." -- John A. Jakle, Growth and Change --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
How did transporation in LA die?,
By
This review is from: Los Angeles and the Automobile: The Making of the Modern City (Paperback)
Why did the urban transportation system in Los Angeles die? This book takes a very multifaceted approach and looks beyond the automobile as its cause. The title is a little misleading. The book covers the downfall of public transpiration in California and how the car impacted life in southern California. There is actually very little urban analysis done here but it covers the public policy of early 1900's very well. You get a sense for how the municipalities and federal government responded in California and see the way in which the auto shaped those policies. The auto was very influential in the downfall of public transportation and I was surprised to see how many auto related interests owned stakes in public transport companies. For those just getting started on urban history this is a good book to start with and he sites the great source on suburbs Crabgrass Frontier (well worth the time to read). Very well written and fun especially if you grew up around LA.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Some good background of early urban sprawl,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Los Angeles and the Automobile: The Making of the Modern City (Paperback)
I have been researching the development of modern cities and this book provided a different perspective than most in this category. Provides excellent background of the social, economic and political forces that made America's first major auto dependent city. This book was written during the Reagan administration and takes a sympathetic and somewhat idealized view of the automobile and sprawl with no discussion or acknowledgement of draw backs even though it is quick to point out the failings of mass transit and New Deal policies. Bottles assumes the supremacy of the automobile and does not seem to be aware that in Asia and Europe there are several examples which contest his ultimate conclusion. Still it is a valuable book and worth reading and study.
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Book!!,
By Kim Bottles "cyclist/sailor" (Bainbridge Island, WA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Los Angeles and the Automobile: The Making of the Modern City (Paperback)
OK, I have to issue a full disclosure here; the author is my brother. But that said Scott has written a great little book. We grew up in LA and had always heard stories about how the auto companies ruined public transportation in LA in order to sell more cars. Scott decided to check that story out while he was studying for a PhD in history at UCLA. The result is this book. So if you want to know the truth about how LA came to be the automobile centered city it is, read his book. Cheers!
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Perhaps no technological innovation has affected the character of American cities as much as the automobile. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
union station controversy, parking controversy, crowded traffic conditions, streetcar patrons, rapid transit plan, parking crisis, parkway plan, automobile movement, parking ban, railroad proposal, streetcar riders, automobile transit, traction companies, public utilities commissioners, crosstown lines, automobile congestion, street car service, streetcar traffic, downtown congestion, residential dispersion, downtown business interests, traffic relief, downtown business community, automobile usage, elevated system Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Los Angeles, United States, Railroad Commission, Board of Public Utilities, Major Traffic Street Plan, Traffic Commission, World War, Automobile Club, New York, Kelker-De Leuw, Pacific Electric, Richard Sachse, Central Business District Association, Donald Baker, Engineering Department, American City Lines, Business Men's Association, Rapid Transit Committee, Southern Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific, City Planning Department, National City Lines, San Fernando Valley, Transportation Engineering Board, Frederick Law Olmsted New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Perhaps no technological innovation has affected the character of American cities as much as the automobile. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
union station controversy, parking controversy, crowded traffic conditions, streetcar patrons, rapid transit plan, parking crisis, parkway plan, automobile movement, parking ban, railroad proposal, streetcar riders, automobile transit, traction companies, public utilities commissioners, crosstown lines, automobile congestion, street car service, streetcar traffic, downtown congestion, residential dispersion, downtown business interests, traffic relief, downtown business community, automobile usage, elevated system Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Los Angeles, United States, Railroad Commission, Board of Public Utilities, Major Traffic Street Plan, Traffic Commission, World War, Automobile Club, New York, Kelker-De Leuw, Pacific Electric, Richard Sachse, Central Business District Association, Donald Baker, Engineering Department, American City Lines, Business Men's Association, Rapid Transit Committee, Southern Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific, City Planning Department, National City Lines, San Fernando Valley, Transportation Engineering Board, Frederick Law Olmsted New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 21
books:
See all 21 books this book cites
35
books
cite this book:
See all 35 books citing this book
- Metropolitan Los Angeles by Automobile Club of Southern California on 7 pages
- Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies by Reyner Banham in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Public Works: Student Writing as Public Text by Emily J. Isaacs in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- The Electric Interurban Railways in America by George Hilton in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- The Suburban Myth by Scott Donaldson in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
See all 21 books this book cites
- The City: Los Angeles and Urban Theory at the End of the Twentieth Century by Allen J. Scott on page 104, and page 157
- The Great California Story: Real-Life Roots of an American Legend by Carl Palm in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Literature and Race in Los Angeles (Cultural Margins) by Julian Murphet in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Suburbanising the Masses: Public Transport and Urban Development in Historical Perspective by Colin Divall in Front Matter, and page 187
- Planning the City upon a Hill: Boston Since 1630 by Lawrence W. Kennedy in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
See all 35 books citing this book
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