Everyone loves to beat up on Los Angeles as a soulless metropolis with little in the way of cultural legacy. But America’s second-largest city has a rich history, and the architectural pedigree to go with it. You just have to look for it. A new book examines L.A. through the prism of its classic houses, even those which have been gone for years and left nearly no trace. “We don’t just tear down our treasures. We toss out all written records about them as well.”