Book · 1990 · Political Science
City of Quartz
Excavating the Future in Los Angeles
Why people recommend it
City of Quartz by Mike Davis is a critical urban history and architectural critique that examines the social, political, and economic forces shaping Los Angeles. Robert Evans recommended City of Quartz by Mike Davis on the Behind the Bastards episode Part One: Daryl Gates: The Man Who Invented SWAT Teams and DARE, advising listeners to read it if they wanted to learn more about Daryl Gates and why Los Angeles developed the way it did. During Part Two of the series, Evans referenced Mike Davis's work to highlight severe criticisms of the LAPD and Chief Daryl Gates. He noted that in the book, the author luridly chronicled the systemic racism and trigger-happiness displayed by the blue knights toward ordinary Black citizens, while also detailing how Gates ridiculed those charges along with the liberals who listened to them. Listeners seeking a sharp, unvarnished look at the systemic inequities and dark political history underlying the glamour of Southern California often find Davis's analysis to be an essential and eye-opening historical resource.
Who recommended it
- Robert Evans Recommended
Robert Evans — 2 mentions
“In City of Quartz, the great Mike Davis describes how he would quote luridly chronicle the racism and trigger happiness of the blue knights towards ordinary blacks. Gates, the third Parker protege in a row to command the LAPD, ridiculed these charges and the liberals who listened to them.”
“And if you want to learn more about Daryl Gates and why Los Angeles be the way that it is, there's a book we'll be quoting from in our next episode called City of Quartz by Mike Davis.”