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 you’ve 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 Hartle’s book is organized mostly around the business history of Little Five Points, that history often sheds light on the movements of Atlanta’s subcultural history. Atlanta’s 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 neighborhood’s 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, “‘Who’s 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, ‘Don’t do that. He’s a good guy. He whipped my ass last night.’”