Some people are defined by their times, and others redefine them. Agnes Edwards Partin was among the latter. Through Agnes’s letters spanning the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, World War II, and beyond, readers will discover firsthand accounts of the changing face of Los Angeles, from its modest roots to its postwar expansion. During her years in California, Agnes stepped away from the home, defying the traditions of her day, to seek employment and education—ever eyeing her goal of earning a doctorate. Alongside her husband, Leo, whose ideas were as progressive as Agnes’s, the Partin family faced numerous challenges and heartbreaks during the changing eras, but also many joys and accomplishments. Rising to the Challenge in Los Angeles: The Letters of Agnes Edwards Partin, 1926–1956 is the chronicle of a woman far ahead of her time, standing up against the societal expectations of gender. Her views, her thoughts, and her lessons are still as relevant today as when they were written decades ago.