L.A. Confidential is a noir novel and film set in 1950s Los Angeles. As in any noir film (Chinatown for example), the city is integral to the story. You spot places you know, learn a little history, or pick up a topic to research later. The movie is based on the best-selling book by James … Continue reading An Evening at the Los Angeles Theatre for a Noir Classic
Books
Just Another Angeleno’s Thoughts on Inventing Paradise
Have you ever wondered where the names of streets, neighborhoods, or schools in Los Angeles come from? The book Inventing Paradise tells the story of how Los Angeles went from a small town to the metropolis that it is today. And it tells this story through the architects of the city. No, not real architects, … Continue reading Just Another Angeleno’s Thoughts on Inventing Paradise
Just Another L.A. Read — Hitler in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is made up of people from all over the globe and we Angelenos take pride in that. But while we picture our city as progressive compared to others around the country, we sometimes forget just how conservative the city has been historically. The city as we know it today was built by conservatives, … Continue reading Just Another L.A. Read — Hitler in Los Angeles
Just Another L.A. Read — Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies
Think a 1971 book about Los Angeles isn’t relevant today? Think again. Reyner Banham’s Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies dives into how the city is constructed and how its architectural signatures shape how the people live within LA. What’s It About? Written by architectural critic Reyner Banham, the book separates the city into … Continue reading Just Another L.A. Read — Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies
Just Another L.A. Read: Central Americans in Los Angeles
In the midst of the 2025 ICE raids and people’s resistance to them, I found myself at the bookstore spinning the rack holding the Images of America book collection. That’s when I saw something rare in that line of books, a group of people that looked a lot like me and the rest of my … Continue reading Just Another L.A. Read: Central Americans in Los Angeles
What’s Good About Stephen King’s On Writing?
I hated reading in school. I’d read the first few chapters of a book, follow discussions in class, and read the last two chapters. That was usually enough for a "B" on a written test. One author who helped realize I didn’t hate reading, just being forced to read, was Stephen King. Over school summers, … Continue reading What’s Good About Stephen King’s On Writing?