Shelf Life: The Highs & Lows of Little Five by Robert Hartle Jr.
GENRE: A short but thorough neighborhood history
REASONS TO HAVE THIS BOOK: If youve ever wondered how a little neighborhood of former Confederate civil war soldiers, fiery Baptist preachers, and Inman Park bluebloods could transform into a destination for train hopping crusties, tattooed fashionistas and dreadlocked poets, this book has your answers.
SUBCULTURAL CURRENTS: While Hartles book is organized mostly around the business history of Little Five Points, that history often sheds light on the movements of Atlantas subcultural history. Atlantas hippie district in Midtown, we learn, was on the wane by the early sixties, leading many to relocate in L5P. Lesbians, health nuts, and skinheads all play pivotal roles in the neighborhoods development.
THE COP BEAT: Altercations with the cops are a common and entertaining theme. Lou Arcangeli, a former chief of police, recalls the time he walked into the notorious Redwood bar and a patron asked, “‘Whos that four-eyed fuck? So, I had to take him outside and hit him once or twice. The next night another guy said he was going to have to kick my ass. But the guy from the night before stood up and said, ‘Dont do that. Hes a good guy. He whipped my ass last night.”