Los Angeles Through the Ages: A Literary Journey Through the City of Angels
LOS ANGELES — What better way to understand the sprawling, multifaceted metropolis of Los Angeles than through the eyes of its writers?
For years, literary enthusiasts have debated and celebrated the best books ever written about Los Angeles. The question resurfaced at last year’s los Angeles Times Book Festival, where Alta Journal cheekily queried attendees about the perfect wine pairing for a Joan Didion anecdote, underscoring the city’s deep connection to its literary figures.
The debate isn’t new. Every few years, publications and organizations offer their own curated lists, often converging on a core group of authors who have indelibly shaped the literary landscape of L.A.: Didion, Mike Davis, Octavia E. butler, Paul Beatty, and Raymond Chandler.
However, 2023 saw a resurgence of interest in this topic. With the return of the in-person book festival, and perhaps a collective desire to disconnect from screens after the pandemic, Angelenos seemed ready to rediscover their city through the written word.
LAist, for example, polled autonomous booksellers across the city, resulting in an eclectic mix of recommendations. The list included John Fante’s gritty “Ask the Dust,” Wanda Coleman’s poignant “Mercurochrome: new Poems,” Luis J. Rodriguez’s powerful memoir “Always Running,” Kellie Jones’s exploration of “South of Pico: African American Artists in Los Angeles in the 1960s and 1970s,” Susan Orlean’s ode to libraries in “The library Book,” and the comprehensive anthology “Writing Los Angeles,” edited by David Ulin.
Hector Tobar, a journalist and novelist, contributed his own list to The New York Times, offering a personal reflection on the act of reading and writing about Los Angeles. Tobar’s picks included Didion’s seminal “Slouching Towards Bethlehem,” Anna Deavere Smith’s theatrical exploration of the 1992 riots in “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992,” John Rechy’s “City of Night,” Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road,” Vincent bugliosi and Curt Gentry’s true crime saga “Helter Skelter,” Chandler’s classic “The Long Goodbye,” Lisa See’s “On Gold Mountain,” and Walter Mosley’s “Devil in a Blue Dress.”
For those seeking a nostalgic trip through L.A.’s literary past, a 1981 Los Angeles Times literary quiz offers a fun, albeit dated, challenge. One sample question: Which of the following leading men has not played Philip Marlowe on screen? a) Humphrey Bogart b) Robert Montgomery c) Robert mitchum d) Paul Newman.(Answer: d) Paul Newman).
(See attached image of the 1981 Los Angeles Times literary quiz.)
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