The Mirage Factory: Illusion, Imagination, and the Invention of Los Angeles
ISBN-13:
9780451496386
ISBN-10:
0451496388
Edition:
First Edition
Author:
Gary Krist
Publication date:
2018
Publisher:
Crown
Format:
Hardcover
416 pages
Category:
United States
,
Historical
,
State & Local
,
United States History
,
Urban
,
Sociology
FREE US shipping
Book details
ISBN-13:
9780451496386
ISBN-10:
0451496388
Edition:
First Edition
Author:
Gary Krist
Publication date:
2018
Publisher:
Crown
Format:
Hardcover
416 pages
Category:
United States
,
Historical
,
State & Local
,
United States History
,
Urban
,
Sociology
Summary
The Mirage Factory: Illusion, Imagination, and the Invention of Los Angeles (ISBN-13: 9780451496386 and ISBN-10: 0451496388), written by authors
Gary Krist, was published by Crown in 2018.
With an overall rating of 4.4 stars, it's a notable title among other
United States
(Historical, State & Local, United States History, Urban, Sociology) books. You can easily purchase or rent The Mirage Factory: Illusion, Imagination, and the Invention of Los Angeles (Hardcover) from BooksRun,
along with many other new and used
United States
books
and textbooks.
And, if you're looking to sell your copy, our current buyback offer is $0.47.
Description
From bestselling author Gary Krist, the story of the metropolis that never should have been and the visionaries who dreamed it into reality
Little more than a century ago, the southern coast of California—bone-dry, harbor-less, isolated by deserts and mountain ranges—seemed destined to remain scrappy farmland. Then, as if overnight, one of the world’s iconic cities emerged. At the heart of Los Angeles’ meteoric rise were three flawed visionaries: William Mulholland, an immigrant ditch-digger turned self-taught engineer, designed the massive aqueduct that would make urban life here possible. D.W. Griffith, who transformed the motion picture from a vaudeville-house novelty into a cornerstone of American culture, gave L.A. its signature industry. And Aimee Semple McPherson, a charismatic evangelist who founded a religion, cemented the city’s identity as a center for spiritual exploration.
All were masters of their craft, but also illusionists, of a kind. The images they conjured up—of a blossoming city in the desert, of a factory of celluloid dreamworks, of a community of seekers finding personal salvation under the California sun—were like mirages liable to evaporate on closer inspection. All three would pay a steep price to realize these dreams, in a crescendo of hubris, scandal, and catastrophic failure of design that threatened to topple each of their personal empires. Yet when the dust settled, the mirage that was LA remained.
Spanning the years from 1900 to 1930, The Mirage Factory is the enthralling tale of an improbable city and the people who willed it into existence by pushing the limits of human engineering and imagination.
Little more than a century ago, the southern coast of California—bone-dry, harbor-less, isolated by deserts and mountain ranges—seemed destined to remain scrappy farmland. Then, as if overnight, one of the world’s iconic cities emerged. At the heart of Los Angeles’ meteoric rise were three flawed visionaries: William Mulholland, an immigrant ditch-digger turned self-taught engineer, designed the massive aqueduct that would make urban life here possible. D.W. Griffith, who transformed the motion picture from a vaudeville-house novelty into a cornerstone of American culture, gave L.A. its signature industry. And Aimee Semple McPherson, a charismatic evangelist who founded a religion, cemented the city’s identity as a center for spiritual exploration.
All were masters of their craft, but also illusionists, of a kind. The images they conjured up—of a blossoming city in the desert, of a factory of celluloid dreamworks, of a community of seekers finding personal salvation under the California sun—were like mirages liable to evaporate on closer inspection. All three would pay a steep price to realize these dreams, in a crescendo of hubris, scandal, and catastrophic failure of design that threatened to topple each of their personal empires. Yet when the dust settled, the mirage that was LA remained.
Spanning the years from 1900 to 1930, The Mirage Factory is the enthralling tale of an improbable city and the people who willed it into existence by pushing the limits of human engineering and imagination.
We would LOVE it if you could help us and other readers by reviewing the book
Book review
Congratulations! We have received your book review.
{user}
{createdAt}
by {truncated_author}