L.A. is a huge city that has grown quickly, and represents a cross-section of the world in its history, people and places.
Inspired by the Los Angeles Public Library's autograph collection, this lavishly illustrated book, with an abundance of full-page photographs, documents the signatures of the famous and not so famous.The text by Josh Kun notes the significance of leaving your mark on the City of Los Angeles.
Knight digs deep into the turbulent 2013-14 seasons of the Los Angeles Dodgers as they emerged from the bankruptcy of the McCourt ownership to the untold wealth of the Mark Walter and company ownership. A fascinating behind the scenes look at a team that was both succeeding on the field and sometimes coming apart internally.
The aerospace industry, more than the entertainment industry, created a monumental population growth within a short period of time and changed the Southern California region in unimagined and unthought of ways which still have repercussions today. This unique collection of essays examines various aspects of the growth of that industry and brings attention to another major aspect of the history of Los Angeles.
Many African Americans migrated to Los Angeles during the first half of the 20th century in search of a better life, but frequently encountered segregated schools, racially restrictive housing covenants, and institutionalized racism. Flamming chronicles Los Angeles's black community and the fight for civil rights in Los Angeles through the Jazz Age, the Great Depression, and World War II.
Jon Weiseman, writer and Dodger maven, writes about a golden period of baseball pitching, and why we love those Boys in Blue, even though sometimes they drive us crazy.
A playful history of what makes Los Angeles unique. This looks at the cultural, economic, technological, social anomalies and literature of the City of Angels. From surfer-girls to the Manson murders to JPL.
Kipen explores Los Angeles as it appears in the letters and diaries of people living in, or at least visiting, the city. This is a fascinating compilation that spans centuries while stepping day by day through a year.
There was a time when art was happening elsewhere in the United States—not in Los Angeles. There was someone who had a different insight about this situation. Walter Hopps played a major role in promoting West Coast artists in the 1950s. This is a posthumous memoir documenting a man who was often erratic in his work habits but always passionate about all types of art and artists. This autobiography fills in major gaps in modern art history and the history of modern art in Los Angeles.
A vivid account of what it took to bring the 1932 Olympic Games to Los Angeles, focusing largely on the booster activities of real estate mogul, William May Garland. Siegel weaves a strong, fascinating story that illustrates how the games propelled the city into the role of a power player on the world stage.
There is nothing sweet, quaint, or gentle about the history of Los Angeles, especially during the last half of the 19th century. It was a city of mob rule, violence and murder. Historian John Mack Faragher's extensive research presents a portrait of a city that is a match for any modern horror film.
Bruckman Rare Book Friends Award, 2018
Painful memories of the devastating 1986 fire, which destroyed one-fifth of Central Library’s holdings, are starkly juxtaposed with euphoric feelings about the library's reopening in 1993. Moving photographs reflect how the institution came back—with sizable public support—to a bigger and better facility after being closed seven years for renovation and expansion. An architectural landmark built in 1926 was greatly expanded and modernized.
Bruckman Rare Books Friends Award, 2019
Great photos and maps grace this interesting book about L.A.’s early days as an agricultural town, as well as the “Victory Garden” years of WWII. Population boom, urban spread post-WWII due to GI Bill housing loans, and an end to wartime rationing of food squeezed out the farms, orchards, and dairies, leaving behind the sprawling metropolis we have today.
Smith shows how Los Angeles's Central Avenue was a hub for artistic, political, and civic life for African Americans in the 1940s.
Angeleno and rising star in the L.A. culinary landscape, Roy Choi chronicles--with charisma and sincerity--the story of his life and the Los Angeles food scene. From Korean taco inventor with his Kogi truck, to Chego to community-based inititiatives in the inner city, Choi is much more than a celebrity chef. Includes 85 recipes.
A meticulously researched book which covers the history of LACMA up to the date of the book's publication. It is very well-written, readable, and therefore will appeal to a wide variety of readers: the general public, scholars and others. In its coverage of how the museum came into existence, Muchnic provides a good deal of Los Angeles history from that time period and the present. The book has a table of contents, index, and reference notes; there are color, black and white photographs throughout the book.
Bruckman Rare Book Friends Award, 2017.
On the surface, The Library Book is about the history of the Los Angeles Public Library, particularly about the devastating fire in 1986 that destroyed 400,00 books and damaged hundreds of thousands more. This part of the book is a true crime story as she explores the possible origins of the fire, and the investigation at the time. It is also a book about the sometimes eccentric City Librarians of the past, and the role of the library in the rapidly growing City of Los Angeles.
More than that, the book is a love letter to libraries everywhere, highlighting the importance of libraries to the vitality of a city and the value they bring to individual lives. While it was a delight to read about colleagues, and the history of the institution all of us proudly serve, the book is a poignant reminder of the personal love of libraries and reading that was fostered by many of our parents, as well as the necessity and relevance of the profession we love.
The Turnabout Theatre was a unique theatrical experience, and its creators, ensemble of actors, writers and other artists were equally unique and talented. There is a wealth of history in this book about a Los Angeles theatrical gem. The Turnabout Theatre archive is kept at the Los Angeles Public Library's Central Library, and is the resource for the book and an exhibit that was planned for April 2020. For now, you can see the exhibit virtually, and it is absolutely fabulous! For aficionados of Los Angeles, for theatre lovers, and everyone else, the book is a great holiday gift and can be purchased at the Library Foundation's Library Store.
Writer Stephen Gee and photographer Arnold Schwartzman are perfect partners in creating this carefully researched and exquisitely photographed history of Los Angeles Public Library's Central Library. They cover the history of why it took more than 80 years, from conception to acutalization, for a building to finally appear. The result is a compelling and engaging history of the political and social leaders, artists and architects who created a building that is home to the largest public library collection west of the Mississippi.
The history of Los Angeles Central Library from 1872 to 1933, and how it changed and grew from a private library to become one of the largest public libraries in the United States.
When Los Angeles City Hall was completed in 1928 it was the tallest building in the Los Angeles basin. Stephen Gee presents a history of a building which some may take for granted, or not even consider as a significant work of architecture since it has been eclipsed by glitzier, larger and taller buildings in DTLA. There were various ideas about the proposed building, which provide insights into LA’s early history. In addition to the overall history of City Hall, Gee emphasizes the artistic features and functions of the building. Sandra Stojanovic’s contemporary photographs are sensational. The book also includes historical photographs in color, black and white, drawings and blueprints.
A lively cartographic history of Los Angeles featuring maps of everything from streetcars and sewers to stars' homes and Sleepy Lagoon.
Bruckman Rare Book Friends Award, 2015.
Krist contends that the narratives of William Mulholland, D.W. Griffith, and Aimee Semple McPherson were emblematic of the social, technological, economic and spiritual mythology that shaped the development of modern Los Angeles. The book is brought to life by an engaging cast of historical figures, some exciting storytelling, and a provocative thesis. A compelling and engaging book for anyone interested in Los Angeles history./p>
Esther McCoy was one of modern architecture's most important critics and writers. She was the first architectural critic to take Los Angeles architecture seriously. This is a new anthology which includes a variety of her work.
While researching the restaurant that her grandmother Doña Natalia opened, Natalia Molina discovered even more about the eatery, her grandmother, and the community that worked and ate there. The real-life experiences reflect a complex history of Los Angeles with more twists and turns than a suspense novel.
Morrison has updated her 2001 history of the L.A. River to reflect recent discussions about reestablishing it as a key feature of the city.
An overview of the art works in the Maguire Gardens at the Los Angeles Public Library's Central Library.
An absorbing account chronicling the dismantling of the Mexican American community of Chavez Ravine that paved the way for Dodger Stadium. Nusbaum revives the shady dealings and power players that have become part of L.A. lore, but his decision to focus on a single Chavez Ravine family instills a sense of humanity in this vivid and engrossing narrative.
Numerous archival photographs enhance the little known story of the Japanese fishing community on Terminal Island. With the issuance of Executive Order 9066, the residents had 48 hours to evacuate. Their homes and the community were subsequently destroyed.
Bruckman Rare Book Friends Award, 2016.
Los Angeles is a city not rich in water resources. Marc Weingarten documents the politics and intricacies of getting water to a city that does not have the type of water supply needed to support a huge metropolis.
There was a time when radio ruled new rock and pop music, and Los Angeles had dueling DJs and stations. Filled with a who's who of the rock and pop scene, lots of photographs, Kubernik gives us nostalgia and history.
Jean Stein masterfully uses oral history to convey five stories that have shaped the social history of Los Angeles. A strata of personalities ranging from average people to members of LA’s influential elite are interviewed in order to construct a book that is intimate, surprising and a welcome addition to LA’s cultural narrative.
After a review in LAPL Reads, there was and continues to be a phenomenal interest in this book. Librarian Andrea Borchert, who wrote the review, says it best, "Sometimes L.A. seems like an endless stretch of strip malls and freeways. But L.A. is more than that! L.A. is part of the California Floristic Province, a biodiversity hotspot. In its wide range of habitats, from deserts to beaches, there are many wonderful, fascinating plants, animals, and fungi figuring out how to live side by side with us."