Cities fascinate me – from being a very small child the bustle, noise and culture clash of a big city has been intoxicating, and it’s a buzz that is as addictive now as it’s ever been. I’ve never more happy than when I’m exploring a city – and Los Angeles is a world city I just can’t get enough of, so it was with great interest that I noticed a book by – former book critic of the LA Times – the great: David Ulin.
His book, Sidewalking Coming to terms with Los Angeles is a series of essays about how walking the famously pedestrian resistant LA has given him a new understanding of it’s history, it’s culture and it’s exciting developing history.
Now I will say straight out, if you’re expecting a guide book, you’re going to be disappointed, this is not a guide; it’s a dissection of how cities work, live and breathe using LA as the model: and how you can only learn the rhythms of a city on foot: an idea I’m all in favor of as a regular pedestrian explorer. If you love cities, Los Angeles, urban development issues and how histories are woven into the fabric of our built environment this will be a compelling read.
If you’re interested in picking up a copy you can purchase it from amazon here: Sidewalking: Coming to Terms with Los Angeles