"In Mary Rizzo's latest book, she puts Baltimore in context, historically and culturally, through the lens of the arts, from film to literature to music dating back to the 1950s and up to present day. Through her research and synthesis, we learn how the arts shaped Baltimore's identity... As Rizzo weaves together narratives of a city long divided by race, she, too, helps to paint a picture of what Baltimore's identity was, what it is, and what it's becoming."