Los Angeles A to Z

Few cities captivate the imagination as does Los Angeles. It is the locus of spectaculars: movies, earthquakes, freeways, riots, sunsets. In this fascinating desk reference, Leonard and Dale Pitt have gathered a sweeping array of information on the City of Angels. Bolstering their historical and humanistic approach with scientific and technical information, the Pitts include alphabetically arranged entries on history, geography, automobile culture, sports, movies, current events, architecture, flora, fauna, scandals, biography, the arts, politics, neighborhoods, and ethnic, racial, and religious groups. Opening with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and ending with Zuma County Beach, this A-to-Z general reference is written in an easygoing and engaging style that will appeal to casual readers and serious researchers, history buffs and government officials, and visitors and residents. It includes a chronology, a list of selected readings, a filmography, and over 300 illustrations. Quotations peppered throughout provide provocative and amusing tidbits about the city that has been called "the fulfillment of the American Dream." Copiously illustrated and wonderfully anecdotal, this a book for anyone with a question--large or small--about Los Angeles.