Sunset Boulevard: Cruising the Heart of Los Angeles

Rating:
Summary: An astonishing story and a captivating read
Review: From start to finish, this remarkable book captures the essence of the legends that have shaped both the lore and the reality of Los Angeles. Sunset Boulevard literally crosses the heart of Los Angeles, touching along its route to the Pacific Ocean many neighborhoods that define the city's diversity and drama both past and present. This book culls stories of the past and ties them to the present, explaining every step of the way how Sunset Boulevard helped make Los Angeles what it is today. The maps of each neighborhood show both present-day landmarks as well as those gone-but-not-forgotten. Each chapter is devoted to a specific neighborhood along the 23-mile route and contains lists (including, happily, addresses and phone numbers!!) of restaurants, museums, nightclubs and hot shopping sites worth visiting. All in all, this is a book for both tourists and locals alike.

Rating:
Summary: Visual feast and rich tales about a fascinating thoroughfare
Review: Sunset Boulevard lives large in legend and lore (did I say that?), and this book presents myriad facets of the long and meandering street, one of the most famed in America. From interesting anecdotes (including the story of how an entire school was buried beneath what is now Dodger Stadium) to hundreds of elucidating and entertaining photos and illustrations, some historical and many contemporary, the book is a compelling and engaging treatise. While some of the subject matter isn't of inherent interest to me, the author's writing pulled me in to many a tale, and rewarded my attention handsomely. The maps and address/phone information are useful for touring the boulevard and its many neighborhoods, as listings present to the visitor and native alike lots of places to eat, drink and otherwise acculturate. Sunset Boulevard itself is, of course, but one stretch of asphalt, but there's a wealth of history -- and plenty of current interest -- that lies along its 23-mile length.