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The Battle for Beverly Hills A City's Independence and the Birth of Celebrity Politics
Nancie Clare
St. Martin's Press, first edition, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-250-12134-9 |
The reader will not find any deep insights in this book, but for those interested in our local history it will be an easy and enjoyable read. As the title suggests, the book focuses on how Beverly Hills avoided being annexed to the growing city of Los Angeles early in the 20th century and remain independent. Perhaps what is less known is how celebrities from the nascent movie business got involved to influence public opinion on the vote that would determine the fate of the city. In the end you will learn about the relevant celebrities of the 1920's and on the reasons for even discussing annexation in the first place in what feels more like the first chapter on what could have been a much more substantive work.
