Kevin Roderick carries the torch for the City of the Angels in this magnificently written, illustrated, and produced paean to Los Angeles, and he comes to the finish line a complete winner. Whether you live in Los Angeles and long for a meaningful history of the city, or you live elsewhere and just wonder what all the glamour of the West is about, this book is one of the finest in publication.
Roderick, with the skilled help from researcher J. Eric Lynxwiler, puts forth the premise that the history of Wilshire Boulevard IS the history of the essence of LA. He approaches his history chronologically from the initial grand idea of a path of dignity and wealth simply hinted at by the trail through a barley field to a gradual expansion from downtown to the west all the way to the Pacific Ocean. With entertaining writing and a vast collection of photographs we are allowed to observe the transformation of a dream into the reality of the boulevard that became the Miracle Mile, boasted eclectic architectural icons such as the Ambassador Hotel with its infamous Coconut Grove, the Brown Derby and Perinos, the exclusive shops and buildings catering to the wealthy, the sumptuous neighborhoods of Hancock Park, MacArthur Park (yes, once it was elegant before it melted in the rain!), to Holmby Hills and the glories of living with a Pacific Ocean view.
Roderick sees the process of development of Wilshire Boulevard as the matrix for the growth of Los Angeles as an important cosmopolitan presence. With writing of this fine caliber and nostalgic photographs such as these he crosses the final line with a winner of a book. Highly recommended for a very broad audience. Grady Harp, December 05