Michele Zack, author of Altadena, presents another compelling urban history with Southern California Story: Seeking the Better Life in Sierra Madre. Sierra Madre provides an extraordinary, sharp lens through which to focus on Southern California's intense allure, its history as a real estate deal, and its racial ambivalence. Touching on all aspects of Sierra Madre's history, Zack explores all of the major issues:  the Industrial Revolution, Westward expansion after the Civil War, the role of illness in forming regional culture, Americanization policies of the Progressive Era, and post-war development.