“A major contribution to the urban history of the American West, along with environmental and Mexican American history. Before L.A. deepens our understanding of Mexican California and builds on the recent works that are invigorating the field of borderland history.”—Maria Raquel Casas, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
~Maria Raquel Casas
“An engaging and innovative study of nineteenth-century Los Angeles and the complex racial and ethnic relations that defined this time period, Before L.A. is remarkable for its originality in scope and depth of analysis. . . . A solid piece of scholarship that is brilliantly organized, analytically sound, and clear in its prose.”— Rudy P. Guevarra, Jr., Arizona State University
~Rudy P. Guevarra, Jr.
“Torres-Ruff’s first book is a good one that makes meticulous use of documents.”—Choice
~R. Acuna, Choice