"A book of extraordinary scope and extraordinary power." –Los Angeles Times
"Tobar exhibits a seismographic sensitivity to the tensions along the fault lines of his cultural terrain....His illuminations become our recognitions." –
The New York Times Book Review "Both timely and timeless...Tobar continually creates moments of uncommon magic." –
Elle "Tobar looks at Los Angeles like Tom Wolfe took on New York in
The Bonfire of the Vanities. Race, class, crime, immigration, marriage trouble, and tabloid-ready news stories–it's all here." –
New York Post "Each moment surprises....Darkly hilarious and moving." –
The Washington Post "That Tobar is so evenhanded, so compassionate, so downright smart, should place
The Barbarian Nurseries on everyone's must-read list." –
The Seattle Times