The Los Angeles region is increasingly being held up as a prototype for the collective urban future of the United States. Yet it is probably the least understood, most under-studied major city in the US. Very few people beyond the boundaries of Southern California have an accurate appreciation of what the region is, who lives there, and what it does. This groundbreaking collection of essays brings together well-respected contributors to dispel the myths about Southern California and to begin the process of `rethinking' Los Angeles.