SKU: 88949015306

The Mirage Factory: Illusion, Imagination, and the Invention of Los Angeles

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The Mirage Factory: Illusion, Imagination, and the Invention of Los AngelesFrom bestselling author Gary Krist, the story of the metropolis that never should have been and the visionaries who dreamed it into reality Little more than a century ago, the southern coast of California bone dry, harbor less, isolated by deserts and mountain ranges seemed destined to remain scrappy farmland. Then, as if overnight, one of the world's iconic cities emerged. At the heart of Los Angeles' meteoric rise were three flawed visionaries:

From bestselling author Gary Krist, the story of the metropolis that never should have been and the visionaries who dreamed it into reality

Little more than a century ago, the southern coast of California--bone-dry, harbor-less, isolated by deserts and mountain ranges--seemed destined to remain scrappy farmland. Then, as if overnight, one of the world's iconic cities emerged. At the heart of Los Angeles' meteoric rise were three flawed visionaries: William Mulholland, an immigrant ditch-digger turned self-taught engineer, designed the massive aqueduct that would make urban life here possible. D.W. Griffith, who transformed the motion picture from a vaudeville-house novelty into a cornerstone of American culture, gave L.A. its signature industry. And Aimee Semple McPherson, a charismatic evangelist who founded a religion, cemented the city's identity as a center for spiritual exploration.

All were masters of their craft, but also illusionists, of a kind. The images they conjured up--of a blossoming city in the desert, of a factory of celluloid dreamworks, of a community of seekers finding personal salvation under the California sun--were like mirages liable to evaporate on closer inspection. All three would pay a steep price to realize these dreams, in a crescendo of hubris, scandal, and catastrophic failure of design that threatened to topple each of their personal empires. Yet when the dust settled, the mirage that was LA remained.

Spanning the years from 1900 to 1930, The Mirage Factory is the enthralling tale of an improbable city and the people who willed it into existence by pushing the limits of human engineering and imagination.



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Broadway Books
Published: 05/14/2019
ISBN: 9780451496393
Pages: 432
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.20w x 1.00d
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SKU: 88949015306

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Julian Hinojosa
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 5
Very good graphics.
Format: Paperback
For young and old Halo fans.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2026
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Jody
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
Love the added artwork
Format: Kindle
Just love these stories. Very different artwork of the flood than we are used to but you understand the real horror aspect of what the flood is.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2022
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Hoffdog
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 5
My son loved the story!
Format: Paperback
My son loved this story. He doesn't really like reading (age 11) so I had to get him started on the first few pages with the strange names etc. He loves the Halo world and proceeded to take the book to school and finished it there. That's a big step for him so this was a great idea!
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Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2025
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cj
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 4
Great graphic novel
Format: Paperback
Awesome graphic novel. I ordered 2 but one had a damaged cover page. Amazon quickly shipped another and it was better quality.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2025
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3k
Cuba, US
★★★★★ 5
Good book
Format: Paperback
My son loves this book great quality
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Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2025

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