The Making of Urban America.
Edited by Raymond A. Mohl. Wilmington, Del.: Scholarly Resources, Inc., 1988. Index. 328 Pages. $9.75 Paperback.
The Making of Urban America is a collection of essays reprinted from various sources, with introductions by urban historian Raymond A. Mohl. There are several selections which might be of interest to San Diegans -- one on the drive-in/automobile culture of contemporary America, and the concluding article on the historiography of urban history, for instance. Of most value, however, will be Rogert W. Lotchin's article "The Metropolitan-Military Complex in Comparative Perspective: San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, 1919-41." The article provides a general setting for the distribution of military (mostly navy) installations on the California coast during the period covered, and is therefore helpful in putting the San Diego experience into a larger context. As for detailed information on San Diego and the acquisition of the military bases, the article offers little that is not available elsewhere.
