Literary Los Angeles
Los Angeles has many wonderful bloggers that share profound and meaningful insights about our complex and expansive metropolis. While the "concept" of Los Angeles is known throughout the world, I have found that the actual city itself is widely misunderstood, even by many of its own residents. The challenge of bloggers, and writers in general, is to shine light on the opaque mysteries of our lives and our surroundings. In that regard, Los Angeles and its mythology will always be a compelling subject matter.One of my favorite local bloggers is Los Angeles City Nerd. Over the course of the last few months, he (or she) has been compiling a list of 225 unique ways to celebrate our city's impending 225th anniversary. As an homage to his (or her) efforts, I've decided to compile a list of my own. I would like to present a list of "Literary Los Angeles," namely the 22 books in my private library that discuss our city of triumph and tragedy, discovery and loss, dreams and nightmares. To my brethren who find themselves in a place where the written word long lost prominence to the moving picture*, I recommend all of these books wholeheartedly.
Bear in mind that this list is hardly exhaustive nor definitive. As you might expect, my selections reflect my own interests in local history and the built environment, and many are gifts. I present this list in the hope that others will add to it, beginning an exchange on what "Literary Los Angeles" is, if it even exists at all. Your thoughts are encouraged.
* N.B. Academy Award or not, Crash is not an accurate depiction of Los Angeles
by David Gebhard and Robert Winter
by Richard Longstreth
by Mike Davis
by Jonathan Gold
by Merrill Shindler
by Alan Hess
edited by Charles Salas and Michael Roth
by Scott Bottles
by Don Parson
edited by Tom Sitton and William Deverell
by Becky Nicolaides
by Not for Tourists
by Charles Phoenix
by Richard Longstreth
by Robert Fogelson
by Charles Bukowski
by Dana Cuff
by William Fulton
by Erin Mahoney
by William Deverell
by Catherine Mulholland
by Kevin Roderick with contributions by J. Eric Lynxwiler
posted by Mitch Glaser @ 9:40 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Funny you should mention this... stay tuned...
For now, I'll just throw two more at you:
The California I Love by Leo Carillo
The Owensmouth Baby by Cahterine Mulholland
That's apretty impressive collection of books on L.A. Have you read all of them?
I've read most of them Steve, but I only got through half of "William Mulholland and the Rise of Los Angeles," and haven't read all of Bukowoski's poems. Also, I haven't read every review in "Counter Intelligence" or every recipe in the cookbook.
For you, I definitely recommend Longstreth's books, especially "City Center to Regional Mall." It's a thorough history of retailing in L.A. with loads of classic photos. If you have a few bucks to spare, buy it. I promise you will love it.
What about The Next Los Angeles: The Struggle for a Livable City by Robert Gottlieb, Regina Freer, Mark Vallianatos, Peter Dreier?
Would appear to be right up your alley.
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