An original approach to the iconic landscape of California--the beaches of Los Angeles--this book recovers untold stories of presidential jaunts, wild spring break celebrations, underground gay beaches, and engineering feats that enlarged the shores overnight. From the creation of a mini-Venice on the LA sands in 1905 to Baywatch's David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson captivating billions of television viewers worldwide in the 1990s, the book offers a comprehensive look at a landscape that is at once natural and artificial, but now under threat from climate change and rising sea levels.