Staff Recommendations
Sheryn Morris
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Daughters of Latin America : an international anthology of writing by Latine women
October 3, 2023
Call Number: 808.8 D2385-2
Sandra Guzmán has compiled a monumental collection of writing by women, whom she designates as Latine, the gender-inclusive form of “Latino” and “Latina.” She states, "This is a journey into a luminous universe of texts that navigate across time and space, genres, styles, languages, and traditions. The Daughters gathered in this groundbreaking international anthology span five centuries of the written word, containing the wisdom, memory, and DNA of oral traditions more ancient than time itself.” Included are “140 Daughters of Latin America, recent and past, from 50 nations. The... Read Full Review
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Asada: The Art of Mexican-style Grilling
by Lopez, Bricia
September 18, 2023
Call Number: 641.76 L864
Bricia Lopez and Javier Cabral lay out the facts, “Carne asada is not just a taco . . . in millions of backyards across Southern California, asada means family, friends, memories, great music, cold drinks, good times, and the community you’ve built.”--in all its multivarious forms.This is a cookbook that is a feast for all your senses, from the book’s cover (original font), end papers (day-glo lime green); illustrations that are single or double-spread color photographs of Los Angeles, and of ingredients and finished dishes; and informative and personal anecdotes that precede each recipe.The... Read Full Review
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Chita : a memoir
by Rivera, Chita
September 11, 2023
Call Number: 812.092 R6194
Years ago, there was an advertisement for fur, “What Becomes a Legend Most?” For Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson, best known as Chita Rivera, this razzle-dazzle memoir/autobiography is far more becoming than all the high-end luxury goodies that money can buy. Hardworking, full of energy and talent, she cut a big wide swath in the entertainment world: predominantly live theater, but also movies and television. There are a few basic facts about her theatrical career and contritubtions that need to be acknowledged. In the following musicals Chita was the original star who... Read Full Review
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Brave the wild river : the untold story of two women who mapped the botany of the grand canyon
by Sevigny, Melissa L., 1986-
August 28, 2023
Call Number: 979.11 G751Se
The Colorado River was, and still is, one of the most dangerous rivers in the world: wild, unpredictable, and more challenging to navigate than skilled, seasoned river runners could imagine. In 1938 two botanists, Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter, joined a group of river runners in order to chart the plants of the Grand Canyon. Besides the Colorado River, there were additional challenges for the two botanists.Botany, as well as other scientific fields, was dominated by and exclusive to men. Some areas of botany were thought to be all right for the gentler sex: the gathering of plants for... Read Full Review
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Properties of thirst : a novel
by Wiggins, Marianne
August 21, 2023
Call Number:
This is a Bildungsroman that covers several generations of a family, some of whose origins are in the eastern part of the United States, but eventually take root in the western part, specifically California, on a sprawling ranch that has its existence perpetually challenged by the L.A. Water Corporation. The patriarch, Rocky Rhodes, has a twin sister, who, herself is a solidifying force in running the ranch. Rocky and his wife give birth to twins, who are not filled with that same sense of purpose, duty and commitment. The bombing of Pearl Harbor is a monumental turning point for the United... Read Full Review
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Piecing Together Los Angeles: An Esther McCoy Reader
by McCoy, Esther
July 18, 2023
Call Number: 720.910941 M131
For the most part, Los Angeles architecture has made its mark and numerous international and domestic architects will compete for an opportunity to design a residence, a public, or a commercial building. This was not always the case. There was someone who recognized the value, quality, originality and importance of the West and its architecture, at a time when it was not considered worth evaluating, predominantly by those in the East. In an interview Esther McCoy said, “ … Los Angeles has always been open to new ideas. Los Angeles is not rigid at all. It’s a plunger city. San Francisco... Read Full Review
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Sex, death, and God in L.A.
by
July 12, 2023
Call Number: 979.41 L881Sex 1994
This essay collection about Los Angeles includes the works of Eve Babitz, Alexander Cockburn, Mike Davis, Lynell George, Thomas S. Hines, Jeremy Larner, Rubén Martínez, David Reid, Carolyn See and David Thomson.This is an updated version (1994) of the previous edition (1992). The preface to this edition by David Reid offers a substantial analysis of Los Angeles. The preface and the essays are not at all dated and provide insights that are still wise and relevant. David Reid's comments state, “The plan of this book is to consider the character and customs of Los Angeles in relation to the... Read Full Review
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Paradise now : the extraordinary life of Karl Lagerfeld
by Middleton, William, 1802-
June 13, 2023
Call Number: 746.52 L174Mi
It is not necessary to be interested in the world of haute couture to find this biography of Karl Largerfeld compelling and engrossing. The creative genius of Karl Lagerfeld is the magnetic star that will captivate you. His childhood interests were drawing and painting until a fateful December, 1949 when, "The house of Christian Dior traveled from Paris to the still-destroyed city of Hamburg to stage a series of fashion shows," and the teenage Karl declared, "I am leaving to become a fashion designer in Paris." So began his career as a fashion designer, but that was not the only passionate... Read Full Review
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Empress of the Nile : the daredevil archaeologist who saved Egypt's ancient temples from destruction
by Olson, Lynne
May 30, 2023
Call Number: 932 O51
Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt was born in Paris, France, November 17, 1913, and her lifelong passion for Egypt began as a toddler when her grandfather took her to see the Luxor Obelisk in the Place de la Concorde. He told her about its history and connection with France. As a child the history did not interest her as much as the hieroglyphs. “Those images spoke to me.” A few years later, she became fascinated with the Egyptian antiquities at the Louvre. Eventually she became the world’s leading expert on ancient Egypt; a trained, experienced archaeologist; and also, during... Read Full Review
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Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed
by Balingit, Abi
May 24, 2023
Call Number: 641.8 B186
According to Abi Balingit, "From my childhood to my mid-twenties, one thing has remained the same: my insatiable desire for new combinations of sweet, salty, savory, sour and umami in desserts." In her cookbook/memoir, she writes about “what it means to be a Filipino American baker in New York, and to make sweets that taste like home in a tiny kitchen.” She never considered writing a cookbook until contacted by Emmy, who later became her agent. And Emmy discovered Abi because of her blog, The Dusky Kitchen - Baking Adventures, which is still... Read Full Review
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On the Curry Trail: Chasing the Flavor That Seduced the World: In 50 Recipes
by Iyer, Raghavan
May 10, 2023
Call Number: 641.6384 I97
According to Raghavan Iyer, “The sophistication of Indian cuisine, balancing six taste elements: hot, sour, sweet, bitter, salty, and astringent (umami was a much later discovery), is deeply embedded in the annals of ayurvedic medicine, from around the first century BCE, a science that dictated the role of spices, herbs, and other flavorings to regulate various body types for a sense of equilibrium. Temperature contrasts, colors, aromas, and textures were under consideration as well, as practitioners of ayurveda combined seemingly disparate ingredients with highly nuanced results,... Read Full Review
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Catching the light
by Harjo, Joy
April 18, 2023
Call Number: 811 H2816H-3
From 2019 to 2022 Joy Harjo was the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States, and was the first Native American in that position. She is a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation that is geographically located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Harjo is clear in affirming that the Muscogee Creek Nation Reservation is “at the border of three Native nations that also include the Osage and Cherokee. We honor and acknowledge those original keepers, past, present, and future, who care for these lands. We acknowledge the source of the gifts of... Read Full Review