In the first book-length scholarly study of the San Fernando Valley--home to one-third of the population of Los Angeles--Laura R. Barraclough combines ambitious historical sweep with an on-theground investigation of contemporary life in this iconic western suburb. She is particularly intrigued by the Valley's many rural elements, such as dirt roads, tack-and-feed stores, horse-keeping districts, citrus groves, and movie ranches. Far from natural or undeveloped spaces, these rural characteristics are, she shows, the result of deliberate urbanplanning decisions that have shaped the Valley over the course of more than a hundred years. The Valley's entwined history of urban development and rural preservation has real ramifications today for patterns of racial and class inequality and especially for the evolving meaning of whiteness. Immersing herself in meetings of homeowners' associations, equestrian organizations, and redistricting committees, Barraclough uncovers the racial biases embedded in rhetoric about "open space" and "western heritage." The Valley's urban cowboys enjoy exclusive, semirural landscapes alongside the opportunities afforded by one of the world's largest cities. Despite this enviable position, they have at their disposal powerful articulations of both white victimization and, with little contradiction, color-blind politics.

Launching our new "Then & Now" series, Then & Now: San Fernando Valley showcases photographs of buildings and locales from decades past, contrasted with recent photographs of the same locations and today's inhabitants. Reminisce about the famous buildings that still stand, and visit the newer architectural and cultural contributions to California's beautiful San Fernando Valley in this visually rich documentation of memories and inevitable change. Jake Klein is a writer, photographer, editor, and creative director who has contributed to Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, US Weekly, and British GQ. He was the West Coast contributing editor to Wallpaper Magazine, and is currently an editor with Wink Media, Wallpaper's marketing and branding arm. He lives in Los Angeles.

A journalist and native son of the San Fernando Valley, arguably America's quintessential suburb, returns to his old neighborhoods and discovers a long, rich history filled with the sort of lore and traditions that make a place a home.

Mexican American Baseball in the San Fernando Valley explores the teams and players that dotted the valley landscape throughout the 20th century. In a time and place where Mexican Americans were closed off from many city recreation centers, neighborhoods formed their own teams. Baseball and softball reinforced community and regional ties, strengthened family bonds, instilled discipline and dedication that translated into future professional careers, provided women opportunities outside their traditional roles in the home, and fostered lifelong friendships. These photographs serve as a lens to both local sports history and Mexican American history.

When Truman Morrow decides that he's had enough of the movie business, a near-death encounter with a mysterious stranger reveals that this former Hollywood insider has been chosen for a dangerous mission, one far more important than fame and fortune. "Six Devils In The San Fernando Valley," is a novel about the mysterious land behind the Hollywood sign. From the historic mission of its patron saint, to the soul-crushing chief executive of a movie studio, Truman Morrow romances and fights his way through the dark shadows of the valley, weaving danger, love, mystery and history into a romantic thriller that will leave you questioning the very foundations of the entertainment business. ""Six Devils In The San Fernando Valley" is one of the best books ever written about Hollywood simply because it does what others haven't. It shows us that the road to hell is paved with gold and lined with movie studios and talent agencies. Ernie Mannix's novel belongs on my bookshelf right between Budd Schulberg's "The Disenchanted," and C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters." It's that good!" - Michael McGruther, screenwriter of "Tigerland" "If F. Scott Fitzgerald and Patricia Highsmith had a child, it would've been an author just like Ernie Mannix. His novel "Six Devils In The San Fernando Valley" is the singular combination of both styles and will forever change your perception of life in Hollywood." - Rick Tumlinson, writer, "The Huffington Post" A word from the author: What would you do if one day you were chosen to help clean up a dirty town, a town infamous for destroying souls and robbing countless young dreamers of their better years? I'm talking about Hollywood, California and this is where Truman Morrow, the hero in my debut novel, Six Devils In The San Fernando Valley, begins his incredible journey into the depths of the entertainment business. Hollywood is filled with tales of bad behavior, ruined careers, suicides, and overdoses-but these are all just the ugly dividends of a much deeper problem, a problem both terrifying and fascinating at the same time-a problem that makes one hell of a good setting for a romantic thriller. What if show business is in fact an evil enterprise? What if evil spirits are thriving on human misery like vampires thrives on blood? Is it then too hard to imagine that they've built an entire industry around keeping themselves fed? This is the world Truman encounters and what he discovers will startle you. - Ernie Mannix

Discusses the founding, building, operation, closing and restoration of the Spanish mission in San Fernando and its role in California history.

Images of Baseball: Mexican American Baseball in Los Angeles celebrates the flourishing culture of the great pastime in East Los Angeles and other communities where a strong sense of Mexican identity and pride was fostered in a sporting atmosphere of both fierce athleticism and social celebration. From 1900, with the establishment of the Mexican immigrant community, to the rise of Fernandomania in the 1980s, baseball diamonds in greater Los Angeles were both proving grounds for youth as they entered their educations and careers, and the foundation for the talented Forty-Sixty Club, comprised of players of at least 40, and often over 60, years of age. These evocative photographs look back on the great Mexican American teams and players of the 20th century, including the famous Chorizeros--the proclaimed "Yankees of East L.A."

"Set One of the series highlights work by some of the most creative and influential photographic artists active in Los Angeles during the 1970s"--Nazraeli Press website, viewed July 10, 2014 (http://www.nazraeli.com/new-page).

Whether regaled as "America's Suburb" or ridiculed as the capital of mini-malls and Valley Girls, the San Fernando Valley is one of Los Angeles's most misunderstood and stereotyped areas. Despite a population of more than 1.8 million living in a region that covers about 225 square miles, the Valley's sheer size has not garnered the place much attention, especially when it comes to LA's cultural history. The Valley's artwork has been all but overlooked. Even in the much-heralded Pacific Standard Time initiative sponsored by The Getty, which incorporated exhibitions in more than 60 art organizations in the region, no exploration of art from the San Fernando Valley was featured. Could it be that Valley Standard Time is a zone of its own when it comes to art? VALLEY VISTA answers this question for the first time. The book and the exhibition it catalogs examines the art history of the Valley, looking beyond all stereotypes.