Podcast
99% Invisible
The podcast highlighted Madrigal's new book, noting how it examined West Oakland's transformation by global trade and described vivid scenes of residents living under a highway that was later demolished.
In Alexis's new book, The Pacific Circuit, he writes about how this neighborhood has been shaped by the global economic forces that connect Oakland to the rest of the world.
— Episode: Beautiful West Oakland, California
Episode: Beautiful West Oakland, California
The podcast highlighted Madrigal's new book, noting how it examined West Oakland's transformation by global trade and described vivid scenes of residents living under a highway that was later demolished.
In Alexis's new book, The Pacific Circuit, he writes about how this neighborhood has been shaped by the global economic forces that connect Oakland to the rest of the world.
And we're talking about his new book, The Pacific Circuit. So Alexis, in the first part of our chat, we talked about how starting in the 1950s, West Oakland was segregated by this highway that ran down through the middle of the neighborhood, which, by the way, was adding to the pollution of the neighborhood in its own right.
I mean, you talk about this in your book, like people who have basically grown up in a literal shadow of a highway and they never heard birds because there was no nature around. And all of a sudden on day one, they see light. They see the sky. They hear birds.
There's a story in Alexis's book that really illustrates this dynamic, and it has to do with the battle over a decommissioned army base down by the port.
Alexis Madrigal's new book, The Pacific Circuit, is available everywhere right now. Go check it out.