Pasadena Before the Roses: Race, Identity, and Land Use in Southern California, 1771–1890

This book has much accurate and historical insight. It is well researched, well written and thoughtfully crafted in unveiling southern Californias racialized historical land use underpinnings. If you are a SO cal native it is a must read! Through extensive research Savedra Y. breaks down the competing colonialist moves from racial, ethnic, and class perspectives to prove that the history of a place matters in current day land use!

If you are looking for an interesting and objective account of early Pasadena history, then avoid this book. It is a shallow, agenda-driven mess that attempts to argue that all events are "racialized." It reads like something a college sophomore would write to impress her "woke" professors at a second rate college.