Over time the cross has become a giant palimpsest for me. I Love the complexity of kings cross's human interactions and streetscapes, The stunning juxtapositions of beauty and ugliness, Its tolerance and its almost arrogant sense that it is markedly different from the reset of Australia. Celebrated playwright, author and screenwriter Louis Nowra is a long-time resident of Kings Cross, the most infamous and misunderstood place in Australia. In a wildly energetic book that walks the streets, sits in bars, clubs and apartments and mingles with the locals, Nowra traverses the history and the future of his beloved neighbourhood. He also tells the extraordinary story of a different Cross, one that for half a century was the vanguard of modern architecture, design, fashion, music, sexual diversity, women's freedom and a haven for refugees. He burrows beneath stories and a cast of characters û some household names, others little-known û that not even a writer could conjure up. Book jacket.