Findlay, John M. Magic Lands: Western Cityscapes and American Culture After 1940. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992.
Findlay examines such urban landscapes as Disneyland, Silicon Valley, and the Seattle World's Fair in this very readable book about the modern West. His section on Disneyland is particularly interesting, as he charts the theme park's design and rise in popularity as well as paying attention to some of the lesser recognized debates over the park; i.e., issues of race and representation, including Native Americans hired to paddle canoes around the park and stereotypical images of African-Americans. His chapter on Sun City, Arizona, examines the development of the retirement community. Findlay's summary chapter well describes the larger picture of Western development in the past sixty-odd years and reveals many of the paradoxes inherent in such growth; from the celebration of development to an increased sense of "placelessness." [K. Smith]