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Dreamers and Schemers: How an Improbable Bid for the 1932 Olympics Transformed Los Angeles from Dusty Outpost to Global Metropolis
How one man brought the Olympics to Los Angeles, fueling the city's urban transformation. Dreamers and Schemers chronicles how Los Angeles’s pursuit and staging of the 1932 Olympic Games during the depths of the Great Depression helped fuel the city’s transformation from a seedy frontier village to a world-famous metropolis. Leading that pursuit was the “Prince of Realtors,” William May (Billy) Garland, a prominent figure in early Los Angeles. In important respects, the story of Billy Garland is the story of Los Angeles. After arriving in Southern California in 1890, he and his allies drove much of the city’s historic expansion in the first two decades of the twentieth century. Then, from 1920 to 1932, he directed the city’s bid for the 1932 Olympic Games. Garland’s quest to host the Olympics provides an unusually revealing window onto a particular time, place, and way of life. Reconstructing the narrative from Garland’s visionary notion to its consequential aftermath, Barry Siegel shows how one man’s grit and imagination made California history.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published October 29, 2019
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941 people want to read
About the author
Barry Siegel
25 books42 followersBarry Siegel is a former national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times who won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing in 2002 for his piece "A Father's Pain, a Judge's Duty, and a Justice Beyond Their Reach". He is an expert on literary journalism and was recruited by the University of California, Irvine to chair that school's new English program in Literary Journalism. Siegel is the author of the influential true crime novel A Death in White Bear Lake, which is considered by many to be a seminal document regarding child abuse. Siegel lives in Sherman Oaks and Irvine, California.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 8, 2020
What a great 5***** effort by Barry Siegel, who has put together a great history about the early years growth and urban planning in and about Los Angeles, and all of which has an eye on the 10th Olympiad in 1932. While not a complete biography of real estate promotor/salesman, Billy Garland, it is obvious that Garland was one of the prime movers and shakers in the early years of the 20th century. He came to LA due to a lung condition and within years he became one o its biggest boosters. We see the good and the bad of Los Angeles, and while much of the focus is on the constant promotion of Los Angeles as the next great mecca, we also see some of the problems that had to be overcome. Eventually Billy decides that LA should host the 1924 Olympics and is rebuffed by head of the Olympic committee and the games go to Paris, 1928 games to Amsterdam, and finally Los Angeles got its chance and by that time the Depression had hit worldwide. Again, through Garlands sheer energy things finally come around for the 1932 games, which produces the first surplus for an Olympic game city, plus the innovating Olympic Village, the story of which is truly amazing. We meet the athletes, the newspaper owners and editors, celebrities and big wigs who all helped make this a successful Olympic games. A really fine book, and a fun non-fiction read. I found it informative, as well as being a fast and easy read. Barry Siegel really gives us a great look into the life of Billy Garland and the rise of Los Angeles, as well as the inner workings of the Olympic committees.
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December 2, 2019There is so much to like about “Dreamers and Schemers” by Pulitzer-winning author Barry Siegel. Reading his account of the years leading up to the 1932 Olympic Games, I can easily see why he was attracted to the subject and the force behind it. He tracks the event back to its origins with the arrival of William May Garland in Los Angele, decades before it became known as a major city on the world stage, long before “Billy” made his rise to the loftiest heights of wealth and influence.
It didn’t take Billy long to figure out Southern California—and Los Angeles in particular—had much to offer that couldn’t be found anywhere else. He quickly started buying real estate at the lowest rung, parlaying each purchase into something grander. He married well and was a shrewd negotiator, especially when buying up what would become prime Southern California real estate.
What started as a ploy to attract more people to Los Angeles as a direct means of increasing his own wealth, soon became an all-consuming mission for Billy. He was convinced that hosting the Olympic Games would make people flock to his adopted hometown in droves, thus pushing up the value of his land holdings while garnering the recognition the nascent city deserved.
Hell-bent on convincing the power brokers of Los Angeles County and the International Olympic Committee that LA offered the most ideal weather and amenities for hosting the Olympic competitions, Billy made numerous trips to Europe by land and sea. He never let his victories or defeats slow him down.
What I loved the best about the author’s narrative is the depth of his research and his ability to create a vivid and captivating chronicle of events that had huge impacts not only on Southern California, but also the way the world would come to view the City of Angels. I so enjoyed learning about LA’s founding fathers and the indelible mark they made on California and the world. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history, as so many world events are covered along the way.
It didn’t take Billy long to figure out Southern California—and Los Angeles in particular—had much to offer that couldn’t be found anywhere else. He quickly started buying real estate at the lowest rung, parlaying each purchase into something grander. He married well and was a shrewd negotiator, especially when buying up what would become prime Southern California real estate.
What started as a ploy to attract more people to Los Angeles as a direct means of increasing his own wealth, soon became an all-consuming mission for Billy. He was convinced that hosting the Olympic Games would make people flock to his adopted hometown in droves, thus pushing up the value of his land holdings while garnering the recognition the nascent city deserved.
Hell-bent on convincing the power brokers of Los Angeles County and the International Olympic Committee that LA offered the most ideal weather and amenities for hosting the Olympic competitions, Billy made numerous trips to Europe by land and sea. He never let his victories or defeats slow him down.
What I loved the best about the author’s narrative is the depth of his research and his ability to create a vivid and captivating chronicle of events that had huge impacts not only on Southern California, but also the way the world would come to view the City of Angels. I so enjoyed learning about LA’s founding fathers and the indelible mark they made on California and the world. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history, as so many world events are covered along the way.
February 10, 2020
This book follows the machinations of Los Angeles real estate mogul William May Garland as he attempts to bring the 1932 Olympic Games to Los Angeles. Barry Siegel, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and UC Irvine Professor, rewards the reader with an enjoyable account of a winsome individual with a dogged determination to bring an international spotlight to a city that was still struggling for recognition.
William Garland, like most early Angelenos, was a transplant, in this case from Maine. He arrived in Los Angeles around 1890 and became involved with the real estate business which segued into a role within the booster community to help “sell the sunshine” narrative of Los Angeles. He ingratiated himself among the ranks of the Los Angeles oligarchy eventually becoming an important figure in L.A. civic life. Garland became particularly close to Harry Chandler of the Los Angeles Times who would prove to be an influential ally in times of crisis. As part of his booster obligations, Garland would zero in on what he felt would be the ultimate booster event that would sell L.A. to the masses: the Olympic Games.
When USC athlete Fred Kelly walked away with a gold medal at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, boosters began circulating the idea of bringing the games to Southern California. The problem was that the Los Angeles of the 1910s and 1920s was nothing more than a “dusty outpost” making the prospect of hosting a colossal event like the Olympics a far-fetched fantasy. Garland was nevertheless convinced that the games could bring Los Angeles the international attention that boosterism was struggling to wrangle in. The games were an international spectacle that would bring in more publicity than any of the cheap ephemera that the Chamber of Commerce was churning out ad nauseam. Garland proceeded to take the proverbial bull by the horns and began his quest to charm, schmooze and cajole anyone and everyone who stood between the Olympic Games and the City of the Angels.
For each step Garland took forward, a litany of setbacks seemed poised to stop the process in its tracks. As he was negotiating with Olympic committee officials, Garland was sideswiped by scandals that caught national and international attention including the murder of film director William Desmond Taylor; Asa Keyes prosecution of all five County Supervisors on bribery charges; Edward Doheny’s involvement in the Tea Pot Dome scandal; the murder of Ned Doheny; the LAPD’s bumbling of the Walter Collins kidnapping and the illegal detention of his mother, Christine--just to name a few. Garland managed to navigate past these very public snafus, and was able to charm the International Olympic Committee members until an unprecedented and seemingly insurmountable roadblock hit: the stock market crash that brought on the Great Depression. Five months prior to the games not a single country had accepted the invitation to participate and “groceries not games” protests were beginning to grow from everyday people throughout Los Angeles. Talk of abandoning the 1932 games altogether became serious.
The denouement of the book is a given. Los Angeles did, of course, host the 1932 games but much of the meat in Siegel’s story resides in the account of how the Los Angeles oligarchs of yesteryear were able to force Los Angeles into the role of a modern metropolis that the Olympic Committee would recognize in a very short period of time. In particular, Garland’s ability to overcome the elephantine impediment of the Great Depression, and effectively negotiate with business and civic leaders to make the games a reality is truly remarkable. Garland left no stone unturned and called upon every imaginable resource within Los Angeles’ arsenal of civic holdings to ensure that the world would know that Los Angeles was the venue best suited to host the 1932 games.
It’s worth mentioning that the book does not talk around the games without actually recounting the events themselves. Siegel details the outcome of the individual events and focuses on many of the “star” athletes who emerged like uber-athlete Babe Diderikson, hurdler Evelyne Hall, as well as swimmers Helene Madison and Clarence “Buster” Crabbe. Siegel details how the “against all odds” stories of many of these athletes helped to craft a narrative that the ‘32 Games were a rousing success.
Siegel’s journalistic slant in relaying the story makes the book engaging, accessible to the average reader and helps to overcome what could easily be a dry, overly academic read. The book should be of interest to those who appreciate sports history and how sporting events have shaped international and domestic politics. More than that, the book is a welcome addition to books on the cultural history of Los Angeles and puts a long overdue spotlight on a compelling character from L.A's past, William Garland.
Reviewed by Nicholas Beyelia, Librarian, History and Genealogy Department
William Garland, like most early Angelenos, was a transplant, in this case from Maine. He arrived in Los Angeles around 1890 and became involved with the real estate business which segued into a role within the booster community to help “sell the sunshine” narrative of Los Angeles. He ingratiated himself among the ranks of the Los Angeles oligarchy eventually becoming an important figure in L.A. civic life. Garland became particularly close to Harry Chandler of the Los Angeles Times who would prove to be an influential ally in times of crisis. As part of his booster obligations, Garland would zero in on what he felt would be the ultimate booster event that would sell L.A. to the masses: the Olympic Games.
When USC athlete Fred Kelly walked away with a gold medal at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, boosters began circulating the idea of bringing the games to Southern California. The problem was that the Los Angeles of the 1910s and 1920s was nothing more than a “dusty outpost” making the prospect of hosting a colossal event like the Olympics a far-fetched fantasy. Garland was nevertheless convinced that the games could bring Los Angeles the international attention that boosterism was struggling to wrangle in. The games were an international spectacle that would bring in more publicity than any of the cheap ephemera that the Chamber of Commerce was churning out ad nauseam. Garland proceeded to take the proverbial bull by the horns and began his quest to charm, schmooze and cajole anyone and everyone who stood between the Olympic Games and the City of the Angels.
For each step Garland took forward, a litany of setbacks seemed poised to stop the process in its tracks. As he was negotiating with Olympic committee officials, Garland was sideswiped by scandals that caught national and international attention including the murder of film director William Desmond Taylor; Asa Keyes prosecution of all five County Supervisors on bribery charges; Edward Doheny’s involvement in the Tea Pot Dome scandal; the murder of Ned Doheny; the LAPD’s bumbling of the Walter Collins kidnapping and the illegal detention of his mother, Christine--just to name a few. Garland managed to navigate past these very public snafus, and was able to charm the International Olympic Committee members until an unprecedented and seemingly insurmountable roadblock hit: the stock market crash that brought on the Great Depression. Five months prior to the games not a single country had accepted the invitation to participate and “groceries not games” protests were beginning to grow from everyday people throughout Los Angeles. Talk of abandoning the 1932 games altogether became serious.
The denouement of the book is a given. Los Angeles did, of course, host the 1932 games but much of the meat in Siegel’s story resides in the account of how the Los Angeles oligarchs of yesteryear were able to force Los Angeles into the role of a modern metropolis that the Olympic Committee would recognize in a very short period of time. In particular, Garland’s ability to overcome the elephantine impediment of the Great Depression, and effectively negotiate with business and civic leaders to make the games a reality is truly remarkable. Garland left no stone unturned and called upon every imaginable resource within Los Angeles’ arsenal of civic holdings to ensure that the world would know that Los Angeles was the venue best suited to host the 1932 games.
It’s worth mentioning that the book does not talk around the games without actually recounting the events themselves. Siegel details the outcome of the individual events and focuses on many of the “star” athletes who emerged like uber-athlete Babe Diderikson, hurdler Evelyne Hall, as well as swimmers Helene Madison and Clarence “Buster” Crabbe. Siegel details how the “against all odds” stories of many of these athletes helped to craft a narrative that the ‘32 Games were a rousing success.
Siegel’s journalistic slant in relaying the story makes the book engaging, accessible to the average reader and helps to overcome what could easily be a dry, overly academic read. The book should be of interest to those who appreciate sports history and how sporting events have shaped international and domestic politics. More than that, the book is a welcome addition to books on the cultural history of Los Angeles and puts a long overdue spotlight on a compelling character from L.A's past, William Garland.
Reviewed by Nicholas Beyelia, Librarian, History and Genealogy Department
February 28, 2021
It was really great to see Billy Garland's perspective in the L.A. Games. He really endures a lot with the Great Depression and some lawsuits. He's a Renaissance man, as he picks up many trades and professions. The Games themselves are mostly good representations of sportsmanship, except two instances that are mentioned about someone passing someone else in the track and field event unfairly and about the Brazilian team for one of the events/sports. It's a shame that Billy advocates for Nazi Germany to host the 1936 Games. Still, Billy is complimented by President Hoover on his Olympic successes.
May 24, 2020
Los Angeles’ 1932 Olympic games marked a significant shift in form and style; the second of 10 (although we should also include the 1906 Intercalated Games, so 11) to be held outside Europe, the first time there was an Olympic village (in this case as a depression era cost saving mechanism) and despite very sluggish ticket sales up until a month before the whole shebang got underway, one that made a tidy profit. It’s not surprising that interest is turning to this event, with Los Angeles due to host its third Olympic games in 2024, we should expect more (re)considerations of the games of 1932 and 1984.
In this case we have the story told through a biographical focus on entrepreneur, property developer and local man of influence, William May Garland. Siegel weaves the relevant elements of Garland’s life into the story in a compelling manner. He builds an engaging and in places engrossing account of the bid for and development of the games against the backdrop, initially of uncertainty about the USA (the St Louis games of 1904 are more noted in their being forgotten, although the issue of distance and cost was a greater factor) and growing political turmoil in Europe, although after 1929 the global economic crisis, the Great Depression, was more of a factor.
The story becomes one of Garland’s force – often presented as the ‘optimism of a salesman’ in defiance of evidence and/or received wisdom – as driving the games, overcoming the obstacles and enacting a form of will to power. That said, Siegel is quite good at noting Garland’s networks, especially the coalition of newspaper magnates and property developments that acted as LA’s principal boosters, often noting when they acted in concert and in places the constraints on that, notably their differing political views and allegiances. Even so, I can’t help but think he might have been more assiduous in considering this network, although it may well be a question of the constraints imposed by sources where the less formal aspects of this coalition may well simply have been part of their everyday life as corporate leaders. Siegel does, however, highlight Garland’s close working and personal relationship with Harry Chandler of the LA Times as his key alliance even within this group’s common class outlook.
Part of the limitation of this focus on a leading individual, however, is the narrative then becomes very much one of Garland’s will against the forces of European aristocratic conservatism and a global capitalist crisis. That is, Siegel falls into the trap of his biographical focus becoming a kind of Great Man view of the project. Although he makes an effort to contextualise the events (the act of the games for instance juxtaposed to a campaign for US veterans of WW1 to increased support and the violent repression of that movement) the Olympic focused narrative has very little context to build a greater understanding of the era. This is especially notable in the references to the exclusion of Catholics and Jews from the institutions of social influence, both corporate and civic, which are little more than references – as if readers know and understand the significance of those exclusions. This limitation may be seen also in his sources, especially the contextual secondary sources on most aspects other than southern Californian history.
As to the core argument with its Garland-centric emphasis, Siegel makes good use of both primary and secondary sources, in places using newspaper reports as sources or the detail of individual events. Even so, I suspect he could have brought a more critical eye to some of the material, but that may be an aspect of the relatively weak contextual aspects of the case and that Siegel describes the book as a “nonfiction chronicle” (p199).
Despite these limitations this is a welcome and valuable addition to the currently very small body of serious study of the 1932 Olympics. Siegel has challenged us to think more carefully about those games and consider the contradiction of the global mega-event in the midst of the global economic crisis.
In this case we have the story told through a biographical focus on entrepreneur, property developer and local man of influence, William May Garland. Siegel weaves the relevant elements of Garland’s life into the story in a compelling manner. He builds an engaging and in places engrossing account of the bid for and development of the games against the backdrop, initially of uncertainty about the USA (the St Louis games of 1904 are more noted in their being forgotten, although the issue of distance and cost was a greater factor) and growing political turmoil in Europe, although after 1929 the global economic crisis, the Great Depression, was more of a factor.
The story becomes one of Garland’s force – often presented as the ‘optimism of a salesman’ in defiance of evidence and/or received wisdom – as driving the games, overcoming the obstacles and enacting a form of will to power. That said, Siegel is quite good at noting Garland’s networks, especially the coalition of newspaper magnates and property developments that acted as LA’s principal boosters, often noting when they acted in concert and in places the constraints on that, notably their differing political views and allegiances. Even so, I can’t help but think he might have been more assiduous in considering this network, although it may well be a question of the constraints imposed by sources where the less formal aspects of this coalition may well simply have been part of their everyday life as corporate leaders. Siegel does, however, highlight Garland’s close working and personal relationship with Harry Chandler of the LA Times as his key alliance even within this group’s common class outlook.
Part of the limitation of this focus on a leading individual, however, is the narrative then becomes very much one of Garland’s will against the forces of European aristocratic conservatism and a global capitalist crisis. That is, Siegel falls into the trap of his biographical focus becoming a kind of Great Man view of the project. Although he makes an effort to contextualise the events (the act of the games for instance juxtaposed to a campaign for US veterans of WW1 to increased support and the violent repression of that movement) the Olympic focused narrative has very little context to build a greater understanding of the era. This is especially notable in the references to the exclusion of Catholics and Jews from the institutions of social influence, both corporate and civic, which are little more than references – as if readers know and understand the significance of those exclusions. This limitation may be seen also in his sources, especially the contextual secondary sources on most aspects other than southern Californian history.
As to the core argument with its Garland-centric emphasis, Siegel makes good use of both primary and secondary sources, in places using newspaper reports as sources or the detail of individual events. Even so, I suspect he could have brought a more critical eye to some of the material, but that may be an aspect of the relatively weak contextual aspects of the case and that Siegel describes the book as a “nonfiction chronicle” (p199).
Despite these limitations this is a welcome and valuable addition to the currently very small body of serious study of the 1932 Olympics. Siegel has challenged us to think more carefully about those games and consider the contradiction of the global mega-event in the midst of the global economic crisis.
December 27, 2019
Brilliant writing by Barry Siegel in this well researched , interesting book about the wide open time of Los Angeles and its major boost in putting on the 1932 Olympics.
Our protagonist is the whirlwind of a realtor named Billy Garland. Mr Garland is quite an operator, a right-winger who thought everything he did was right, and anyone who stood in front of him was wrong. If this sounds contemporary, not much changes with time.
To his credit, he did get things done, by hook or by crook, first for himself , in getting very wealthy in real estate and then, through, sheer force of will, bringing the Olympics to Los Angeles.
Mr Siegel goes into great detail in the negotiation segment of the games. The ups and downs of the worlds political state, and then the despair of the depression frames the pulling off of the games as an impossibility.
But, as we all know, the games went off, and to amazing success.
However, framing it all is the great pathos of the American populations struggles, and indeed the participating athletes struggles.
The stories of gold medal winner, American George Roth had to "thumb a ride home" only to join the breadline, and triple gold medal winner Helene Madison returning home to Seattle and being refused a job by the city as a swimming instructor !!!
Its a packed 200 pages, of sports , politics, city planning, and human behaviour at its best and worst.
Our protagonist is the whirlwind of a realtor named Billy Garland. Mr Garland is quite an operator, a right-winger who thought everything he did was right, and anyone who stood in front of him was wrong. If this sounds contemporary, not much changes with time.
To his credit, he did get things done, by hook or by crook, first for himself , in getting very wealthy in real estate and then, through, sheer force of will, bringing the Olympics to Los Angeles.
Mr Siegel goes into great detail in the negotiation segment of the games. The ups and downs of the worlds political state, and then the despair of the depression frames the pulling off of the games as an impossibility.
But, as we all know, the games went off, and to amazing success.
However, framing it all is the great pathos of the American populations struggles, and indeed the participating athletes struggles.
The stories of gold medal winner, American George Roth had to "thumb a ride home" only to join the breadline, and triple gold medal winner Helene Madison returning home to Seattle and being refused a job by the city as a swimming instructor !!!
Its a packed 200 pages, of sports , politics, city planning, and human behaviour at its best and worst.
November 10, 2024
I picked up this book because Los Angeles is once again preparing to host the next Olympic Games -- and I wanted to know how the first one went in 1932. As a graduate of the University of Southern California and a member of the Trojan Marching Band, I spent a lot of time in the LA Memorial Coliseum, and it's an imposing, beautiful space -- like a poem for sports. Billy Garland is the main focus of this history. He is part of the shadow government of that time in Los Angeles -- antisemitic, alcoholic, anti-labor, and a lifelong supporter of Republican policies. But as a founding member of the LA Athletic Club, he had a dream to make Los Angeles a desired destination for people all over the world. (Of note -- Garland was disappointingly enamored with fascism, given his ardent support for Japan, Italy, and especially Germany's Olympics in 1936.) Along with Harry Chandler and Edward Downey, these men succeeded in boosterism for the entire region. This book also spends a good amount of time talking about the athletes, especially the brash Babe Didrickson, a Texan sporting phenom.
This book is for anyone who has an interest in the backdoor workings of the International Olympic committee and how one wins an Olympic bid. The 1932 Olympics changed the face of the modern games, bringing in the Olympic Village, shortening the games, and introducing a huge number of women's sports.
This book is for anyone who has an interest in the backdoor workings of the International Olympic committee and how one wins an Olympic bid. The 1932 Olympics changed the face of the modern games, bringing in the Olympic Village, shortening the games, and introducing a huge number of women's sports.
May 10, 2023
The true story of how Los Angeles grew from a sleepy suburb of Hollywood to one of the biggest cities in the world—thanks to the 1932 Olympics. Lots of backroom drama and men being catty.
Also they didn’t allow ties back then so two would-be gold medalists in the high jump had a “jump off.”
The epilogue of the book, where Billy Garland idiotically parrots Nazi propaganda about Jewish citizens not be athletic enough to make it to the Olympics (rather than Germany preventing them from competing), shows that this dude was sketchy.
He did add a lot of the drama to the Olympics in 1932–medal ceremony, Olympic village, athletes in an opening ceremony. These are still part of the ceremony in present day. But the crappy anti-Semitism at the very end (plus some Nazi anti-Black and other assorted bigotry) ends the book with a true portrait of this flawed man.
Also they didn’t allow ties back then so two would-be gold medalists in the high jump had a “jump off.”
The epilogue of the book, where Billy Garland idiotically parrots Nazi propaganda about Jewish citizens not be athletic enough to make it to the Olympics (rather than Germany preventing them from competing), shows that this dude was sketchy.
He did add a lot of the drama to the Olympics in 1932–medal ceremony, Olympic village, athletes in an opening ceremony. These are still part of the ceremony in present day. But the crappy anti-Semitism at the very end (plus some Nazi anti-Black and other assorted bigotry) ends the book with a true portrait of this flawed man.
November 28, 2019
An excellent history of early Los Angeles and the struggle to obtain the 1932 Olympics and to promote them and finance them. The roadblocks were many including the Great Depression, the distance and difficult and expensive travel for the European and Asian athletes. Also, Los Angeles lacked the facilities for housing and venues for the games.
It was also a biography of the primary promoter and visionary of Los Angeles and the 1932 Olympics. The book has mini biographies of many of the athletes and a section about the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
A very readable and informative book for anyone interested in the history of Los Angeles and/or the Olympic Games.
It was also a biography of the primary promoter and visionary of Los Angeles and the 1932 Olympics. The book has mini biographies of many of the athletes and a section about the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
A very readable and informative book for anyone interested in the history of Los Angeles and/or the Olympic Games.
April 8, 2020
I chose this book to be purchased for my library in memory of my father. My dad was an attorney in Los Angeles who worked with the Olympics in negotiating TV contracts for the games from the 1980s for over 20 years. The subtitle of this book says it all ‘How an improbable bid for the 1932 Olympics transformed Los Angeles from dusty outpost to global metropolis.’
I really enjoyed reading about the late 1800s LA, and it’s growth in the those early years. I recognized a lot of the names & places, and my dad’s law firm was even mentioned!
I really enjoyed reading about the late 1800s LA, and it’s growth in the those early years. I recognized a lot of the names & places, and my dad’s law firm was even mentioned!
January 11, 2020
I wanted to like this more than I did. In fact, I ended up abandoning it about midway through it.
July 19, 2020
I wanted this to be as good as The Boys in the Boat.
While not, it was interesting and filled with great LA history.
While not, it was interesting and filled with great LA history.
October 24, 2023
So much more dramatic than I expected 😂 Billy a G
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews