Former La Mirada Mayor Ed Eng Releases Book ‘The Accidental Mayor’

From the Side Streets of Chinatown to the Main Street of City Hall

Ed Eng La Mirada Accidental Mayor

Former Los Angeles Times publishing executive and former mayor of La Mirada, Ed Eng, announces his debut as an author with the release of his first book, The Accidental Mayor.

The Accidental Mayor explores the Asian-American immigrant journey from the streets of Chinatown, Los Angeles to the unexpected boardrooms of American politics and corporate bureaucracy. Ed retells stories from his early life, surviving gang violence through basketball and humor, to his experiences as an engineer, executive and father that all led him to become the first Asian mayor of a city in Los Angeles County. The Accidental Mayor illustrates how difficult it is to immediately understand why things in life happen the way they do. Ed unpacks universal themes of perseverance, relationships, love, hardship and empathy to emphasize that only in hindsight, does the opacity of our ups and downs become more clear.

Daphne Harvey, Sr Vice President at NBCUniversal, states the book is “…riveting and insightful… The struggles and pain, blanketed in hope and determination, and delivered with humble sincerity is captivating. The raw emotion and endearing authenticity of the stories connect with your heart and soul. The Accidental Mayor is an instructive and compelling insight into the Chinese immigrant experience, and the winding road taken by one man in his quest for the American Dream. A must read!”

Yvette M. Walker, Executive Producer & Host ABC News & Talk Affiliate-Southern California Business Report commented “An odyssey of true grit, determination and an unyielding refusal to achieve anything less than greatness, as homage to humble immigrant parents that embodied loving sacrifice. This autobiography of transformation and success, illustrates an inspirational landscape that shows what is possible through discipline, focus and the unrelenting desire to succeed!”

Dr. Ed Eng was the Mayor of La Mirada (2017, 2022), a business professor, and a seasoned executive with 25+ years of diverse industry experience in government, media, consulting, and engineering. Previously, Dr. Eng was the Regional President of Los Angeles Times. During that time, he received the Innovator of the Year Award for his ethnic partnership strategy that catapulted the Times to become the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country.

His authentic style of leadership transcends across the public sector where he is currently an elected Councilmember of a medium-sized city recognized by California as the 11th best financially managed municipality in California. Dr. Eng is a Certified Management Consultant and has served as an advisory Board Member for a Fortune 100 company and several startups. Dr. Eng holds a doctorate in Organizational Leadership, an MBA, an MS, and a BS in Electrical Engineering. In conjunction with his academic work, Dr. Eng teaches Strategy and Management as an Adjunct Professor at several universities.

The softcover and audio versions of the book are available to purchase on Amazon. The Accidental Mayor recently became a best-seller in multiple categories on Amazon.

Click here for The Accidental Mayor website.

Reprinted with permission of La Mirada Chamber of Commerce.