Everything Now

Lessons from the City-State of Los Angeles

De: Rosecrans Baldwin

Narrado por: Rosecrans Baldwin

America is obsessed with Los Angeles. And America has been thinking about Los Angeles all wrong, for decades, on repeat. Los Angeles is not just the place where the American dream hits the Pacific. (It has its own dreams.) Not just the vanishing point of America's western drive. (It has its own compass.) Functionally, aesthetically, mythologically, even technologically, an independent territory, defined less by distinct borders than by an aura of autonomy and a sense of unfurling destiny - this is the city-state of Los Angeles.

Deeply reported and researched, provocatively argued, and eloquently written, Rosecrans Baldwin's Everything Now approaches the metropolis from unexpected angles, nimbly interleaving his own voice with a chorus of others, from canonical LA literature to everyday citizens. Baldwin records the stories of countless Angelenos, discovering people both upended and reborn: by disasters natural and economic, following gospels of wealth or self-help or personal destiny. The result is a story of a kaleidoscopic, vibrant nation unto itself - vastly more than its many, many parts.

Perhaps no better place exists to watch the United States' past, and its possible futures, play themselves out. Welcome to Los Angeles, the great American city-state.

©2021 Rosecrans Baldwin (P)2021 Tantor

Has some interesting things to say but but also a lot of pointless rambling

It takes you out of LA geographically and thematically so often, that it makes you question whether it actually is a book about LA or not.
if you took out all the filler stuff that has nothing to do with Los Angeles, the book would be half its size.
Very mid overall.

Los Angeles is a City-State

Ms. Baldwin, who has been a resident of Los Angeles for 7 years, decided to write a handbook to introduce her concept of Los Angeles as a city-state. It is apparent she is considering the entire county of Los Angeles, interweaving stories of individuals within the essence of a city-state. Hollywood is in the right perspective. A splendid effort and starting point. I recommend reading this book with other travel information when visiting this gift of American life.

Stream of consciousness, dreadful narration

This could have been a better book if the author had employed an editor, who almost certainly would have insisted on some form of organization apart from the scattershot style found here. In addition, the author provides yet another confirmation that trained readers, not writers, should read Audible books. The author/reader seems to pause at the end of each line, regardless of whether or not a pause would be appropriate, and frequently places emphasis on the most unlikely words in each sentence.

Terrible narration

The author must be delusional to think he should be the reader of his book. It was so bad I was unable to finish it. His reading style is staccato with breaks at every phrase. I give the story two star only because the review I read liked it. I'm sure the reviewer didn't listen to it.