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176 pages, Hardcover
Published October 3, 2017
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
I couldn't help feeling that Charles Phoenix's very personal love of nostalgia definitely comes from having grown up in Southern California, especially the inland areas that saw such a huge growth in the mid century. The area was heavily shaped by 1950s and 1960s future-forward, idealistic, and consumer driven consciousness. From Palm Springs modernism to Disneyland escapism, it was a great place to come of age. And although there are references to other locations (e.g., Route 66), Southern California is definitely the heart of the book. And while I loved it, it also felt very indulgent and a bit too personalized. I was left wanting more even as I enjoyed what was there.