People complain that Los Angeles is chaos, a massive tangle of freeways and boulevards, gangs, and movie stars. Leonard and Dale Pitt bring organization to the confusion with an encyclopedia that runs from Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem to Zuma County Beach, covering the people, places, events, and icons that make up the city and county of Los Angeles.

The famous neighborhoods of Hollywood and Watts are there, as are the lesser-known Winnetka and El Sereno. There are entries on when and where the smog began, how the movie industry was established, which trees are native, and just who the Black Dahlia was. With appendices covering chronology, the 1990 census, and government organizations, Los Angeles A to Z is an exceptionally well-done resource, and a welcome addition to the shelves of any Los Angelaphile, scholar, or visitor who seeks a self-guided tour.

. From Library Journal : One of the major cities of the world finally gets a one-volume encyclopedia. As slippery as Los Angeles is to define?some call it 100 suburbs in search of a city?L eonard Pitt (emeritus, history, California State Univ., Northridge) and brother Dale, a freelance writer and indexer, have managed to get a competent grip on the history and lifestyle of the oft-ridiculed, always-envied city. Scholars will have to search long and hard to find anything worthwhile missing from this compendium. The entries range from a few paragraphs (Engine House #18, O.J. Simpson) to in-depth articles filled with valuable statistics and general information. The text is liberally sprinkled with illustrations and humorous quotes about the city, and the entire work is like a leisurely stroll through the life and times of this fascinating place. Even if your library isn't located anywhere near LaLa Land, seriously consider purchasing this compelling reference work for all of your patrons who will eventually end up visiting or even relocating there.?

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