This book should mostly appeal to Angelenos (natives of Los Angeles, California), given that they have to regularly navigate the city’s notorious freeway system, and would recognize all of the allusions found throughout the pages. Indeed, the author, a native Angeleno himself, regularly exhorts his local readers to recall common experiences as they travel the various roadways. That said, this account will be highly informative to anyone who is interested in Los Angeles’s freeway system as a matter of formal or informal academic interest, as it is deeply informative and easy to digest. Chapters focus on individual freeways, and are chronologically ordered, creating a logical and overarching narrative. The pages are chockfull of facts, anecdotes and minutia that evince the amount of research that was required for this project, and which is listed in over 40 pages of reference material. Moreover, photographs and “off ramp” text boxes are interspersed regularly, adding to the reading pleasure. Haddad is a gifted writer who easily engages the reader with clever prose and quips that will be sure to delight. If I had any critique, it would be that occasionally his personal opinions on social and political events creep up (Christopher Columbus and Richard Nixon come to mind), marring an otherwise superb narrative.
Rafael Romero, PhD