Category Archives: Books and Authors

Slash and Burn History: Mike Davis on Gen. Otis

Posted on July 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Times President Gen. Harrison Gray Otis. Credit: Press Reference Library, 1912 Gen. Harrison Gray Otis, the favorite pinata of Los Angeles historians, is the subject of a new biography by Mike “City of Quartz” Davis, now being serialized in … Continue reading →

Posted in Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors, Downtown, History, Libraries | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

#history, #museum 7|17|2011

Posted on July 17, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Mail sent by airplane from the 1912 Aviation Meet at Dominguez Field.  Credit: New York Public Library   7|17|2011DEATHSArdis Butler James, 85, co-founder of the International Quilt Study Center & Museum at the University of Nebraska. Margalit Fox in … Continue reading →

Posted in 1912, Aviation, Baseball, Books and Authors, History, Museums, Music, Obituaries | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on #history, #museum 7|17|2011

Found on EBay – Louis Adamic and Aimee Semple McPherson

Posted on July 16, 2011 by lmharnisch

The disappearance and return of evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson made 1926 a prolific year for Los Angeles author Louis Adamic (d. 1951), best remembered today for his 1931 book “Dynamite.” Like Morrow Mayo and other writers in H.L. Mencken’s shock … Continue reading →

Posted in 1926, Books and Authors, Found on EBay, Religion | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Found on EBay – Louis Adamic and Aimee Semple McPherson

7|14|2011 #LA, #history, #museums

Posted on July 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Los Angeles Public Library. Credit: LAPL FEATUREDA celebration will be held at the downtown library on Monday at 9:30 a.m. as the L.A. library system restores Monday service at all branches. Sunday closures are continuing, however. Saturday will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Books and Authors, Coming Attractions, Crime and Courts, Film, History, Libraries, Museums, Preservation | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on 7|14|2011 #LA, #history, #museums

7|13|2011 #history, #museum

Posted on July 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Pierre Loti’s house. Credit: Discover Poitou Charentes RECOMMENDEDElaine Sciolino’s new travel column Lumiere in the New York Times takes a look at the house museum of Pierre Loti. Sciolino says: “On an unremarkable street in the unremarkable town, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Film, History, Hollywood, Museums, Religion, World War II | Tagged , , | Comments Off on 7|13|2011 #history, #museum

From the Stacks: ‘Just One More!’

Posted on July 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

I picked up the 1961 edition of “Just One More!” by the Los Angeles Press Photographers Assn. and I’ve been enjoying it more than I expected. It’s a time capsule of press photography as it was 50 years ago, so … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, Books and Authors, From the Stacks, Photography | Tagged , , | 19 Comments

7|11|2011 #history, #museum

Posted on July 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Nov. 26, 1936: Ambrose Schindler in The Times as USC and UCLA prepare to play for the first time in six years. My colleague Jerry Crowe at The Timeshas a nice profile of Ambrose Schindler, former USC quarterback, stuntman on … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Fashion, History, Museums | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Eve Golden: Queen of the Dead

Posted on July 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Queen of the Dead—dateline July 11, 2011   • Archduke Otto of Austria, pretender to the throne of the late Austria-Hungary, died on the Fourth of July, at 98. I must admit to a schoolgirl crush on his  . . … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Brain Trust, Eve Golden, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Obituaries | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Another Good Story Ruined – Mulholland and the Valley ‘Conspiracy’

Posted on July 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

My L.A. Times colleague Elaine Woo has a first-rate obituary on Catherine Mulholland, author of “William Mulholland and the Rise of Los Angeles.” One reason Mulholland took on the biography was to provide what she viewed as a more balanced … Continue reading →

Posted in 1963, Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors, Film, History, Hollywood, Obituaries, San Fernando Valley | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Another Good Story Ruined – Mulholland and the Valley ‘Conspiracy’

The FBI Thins Its Files

Posted on July 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

I had the strangest experience Saturday when I was going through Ernest Hemingway’s FBI file. I was sure the buro had posted Louis Armstrong’s dossier — it’s brief and not terribly interesting except for the fact that it exists. Or … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, African Americans, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, History, Homicide, LAPD, Libraries | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The FBI Thins Its Files

Zoot Suits in the News

Posted on July 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

Just as we were exploring the history of the Zoot Suit Riots comes news of Kathy Peiss’ book “Zoot Suit” from the University of Pennsylvania Press. Writing about the book in the New York Times’ Arts Beat, Patricia Cohen raises … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Books and Authors, Fashion, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Zoot Suits in the News

More Letters From J.D. Salinger

Posted on July 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

The New York Times’ City Room has a story about a group of letters between author/recluse J.D. Salinger and E. Michael Mitchell, the artist who illustrated the original cover of “Catcher in the Rye.” Mitchell put the letters up for … Continue reading →

Posted in Art & Artists, Books and Authors, Libraries, Museums | Tagged , , | Comments Off on More Letters From J.D. Salinger

#books, #Scientology

Posted on July 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

My L.A. Times colleague Kim Christensen has an interesting review of Janet Reitman’s “Inside Scientology,” the latest book on L. Ron Hubbard, who got his start in Los Angeles. Christensen, an investigative reporter at The Times, says: “Reitman’s book, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Religion | 2 Comments

Another Good Story Ruined! Stephen Jay Gould

Posted on July 3, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Janet Monge and Alan Mann Credit: Penn Museum, Philadelphia It’s always interesting to see research debunked – and even more interesting when a debunker is debunked, as in the case of Stephen Jay Gould’s 1981 “The Mismeasure of Man.” … Continue reading →

Posted in 1981, Another Good Story Ruined, Books and Authors | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Hemingway’s FBI File!

Posted on July 2, 2011 by lmharnisch

The 50th anniversary of Ernest Hemingway’s death has prompted a variety of articles, including an op-ed piece in the New York Times by A.E. Hotchner, who portrays the famous novelist as being obsessed about FBI surveillance. He told Hotchner: “It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Libraries, Suicide | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

From the Stacks: ‘The Big Picture’

Posted on June 29, 2011 by lmharnisch

I picked up “The Big Picture,” Melba Levick and Stanley Young’s 1988 book about Los Angeles murals, not realizing what a terribly sad book it would be. As Young notes: “Most artists are aware that, exposed as it is to … Continue reading →

Posted in 1988, Architecture, Art & Artists, Books and Authors, Crime and Courts, Downtown, From the Stacks, Hollywood, Latinos, Photography, Preservation, San Fernando Valley, Sports, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

‘Zoot Suit’ and history – Part 1

Posted on June 27, 2011 by lmharnisch

I was extremely fortunate to attend Wednesday night’s showing of “Zoot Suit” and hear remarks by the panel that preceded the show. Betto Arcos moderated a session with director Luis Valdez, Rose Portillo (Della), Edward James Olmos (El Pachuco) and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, 1943, 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Fashion, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Latinos, Music, Stage, Theaters, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Times and ‘The Deal From Hell’

Posted on June 26, 2011 by lmharnisch

Bryan Burrough reviews James O’Shea’s “The Deal From Hell” in the New York Times column “Off the Shelf.” Burrough writes: “Mr. O’Shea, a onetime top editor at both The Chicago Tribune and The Los Angeles Times, tells the story of … Continue reading →

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Location Sleuth: ‘Safety Last’

Posted on June 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

The Los Angeles Conservancy has posted a guide to filming locations for Harold Lloyd’s 1923 film “Safety Last” in conjunction with a showing of the film on June 29 at the Orpheum as part of the Last Remaining Seats series. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1923, Architecture, Books and Authors, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, Location Sleuth, Photography | Comments Off on Location Sleuth: ‘Safety Last’

Coming Attractions: ‘They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?’

Posted on June 15, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sydney Pollack’s 1969 film “The Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” will be shown as a tribute to Michael Sarrazin on June 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. Also showing, “Harry in Your Pocket” (1973). … Continue reading →

Posted in 1969, Books and Authors, Coming Attractions, Film, Hollywood | 1 Comment