The Golden Fortress

""I was stunned to learn about the events that transpired in 1930s California, as written about with style and clarity in The Golden Fortress. Bill Lascher makes history come alive in this tale of the LAPD, migrants, xenophobia, economic anxiety, and the ever-present myths of California and belonging. The past feels present in his cogent, compelling history and Lascher's analysis offers a renewed understanding of how the past echoes and informs today's most charged debates and issues."" --Edan Lepucki, author of California: A Novel ""Histories of Los Angeles often render the LAPD's 'Bum Blockade' as an amusing aside but dig no deeper. In this masterfully researched book, Bill Lascher finally gives us the full story--and what timing! This oft-forgotten episode from California's past has never been more relevant than today."" --Nathan Masters, host and executive producer, Lost L.A. ""The Golden Fortress is history at its most alive: gripping, detailed, and compassionate. The story of a big city and a small town in a standoff over what America should be. Bill Lascher will make you reconsider what you thought you knew about Los Angeles, California, and the United States itself."" --Eric Nusbaum, author of Stealing Home: Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between ""A lively narrative that touches on issues that are relevant to today's politics: the militarization of borders, freedom of movement, and the politics of fear. A great read."" --Kathryn S. Olmsted, author of Right Out of California: The 1930s and the Big Business Roots of Modern Conservatism