Category Archives: books

Coming Attractions – Genealogy Research at the L.A. Public Library

Posted on May 20, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photo: Los Angeles Public Library Credit: Carolyn Kellogg/Los Angeles Times While we are discussing family research in Bullet of Mystery, the Los Angeles Public Library will present a program on getting started in genealogical research. The free presentation will be … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Coming Attractions, Pages of History | 1 Comment

From the Stacks: ‘The Los Angeles Book’

Posted on May 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

It has been years since I looked through “The Los Angeles Book” and even longer since I read it. Then several weeks ago, I bought a copy so I could point out a particular photo of Chavez Ravine to … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950, books, Columnists, From the Stacks, Zombie Reading List | 1 Comment

Another Good Story Ruined — The Black Dahlia

Posted on May 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

The Black Dahlia has become so thoroughly transformed into a myth about what happens to nice, small-town girls in big, bad Hollywood (“achieving in death the fame that eluded her in life”) that it’s almost impossible to write … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, books, Crime and Courts | 4 Comments

Coming Attractions — ‘Hollywoodland’

Posted on May 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

Readers will recognize Mary Mallory as a leading member of the Daily Mirror’s “brain trust.” She’s a photo librarian at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and in her spare time, she has been writing a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, books, Film, Hollywood, Real Estate | 4 Comments

From the Stacks — ‘The Long Season’

Posted on May 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

I haven’t read a baseball book since my mother gave away my trading cards of the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Braves. No, I’m not quite that old. I got them from a neighbor lady who was surreptitiously … Continue reading →

Posted in #Jim Murray, 1960, Baseball, books, broadcasting, Dodgers, Sports, Zombie Reading List | Comments Off

From the Stacks – ‘Portraits of Crime’ (1977)

Posted on April 29, 2011 by lmharnisch

Two years after writing about LAPD Det. Ector Garcia, I finally located a copy of his book, “Portraits of Crime,” which arrived in the mail from the U.K. while I was on vacation. No one will ever mistake … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1977, books, Crime and Courts, Downtown, From the Stacks, Hollywood, Hollywood Division, Homicide, LAPD, Pages of History, San Fernando Valley, Venice Division, West Hollywood, Zombie Reading List | 1 Comment

Jim Murray, April 26, 1961

Posted on April 26, 2011 by lmharnisch

April 26, 1961: Jim Murray writes about pitcher Jim Brosnan’s book “The Long Season,” calling it "The best book on baseball ever written and one of the best on any subject."

Posted in #Jim Murray, 1961, art and artists, books, Sports | Comments Off

Found on EBay – Louis Adamic

Posted on April 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

Louis Adamic’s “The Word of Satan in the Bible” has been listed on EBay in a lot of 40 Little Blue Books published by E. Haldeman-Julius. This is an intriguing item from Adamic, best known for “Dynamite,” which is frequently … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910 L.A. Times bombing, books, Religion | Comments Off

LAPL Is Hiring!

Posted on April 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

Photograph by Carolyn Kellogg / Los Angeles Times The Los Angeles Public Library website says: “We are accepting applications for the positions of as-needed Librarians, Clerk Typists and Messenger Clerks. Interviews will be conducted during the … Continue reading →

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From the Stacks – ‘Dancing Bear’ (1968)

Posted on April 20, 2011 by lmharnisch

Out of curiosity, I picked up Gladwin Hill’s “Dancing Bear” at the Southern California Library’s book sale. I never met Hill (d. 1992), the New York Times bureau chief in Los Angeles, but I had heard about him … Continue reading →

Posted in 1968, books, From the Stacks, Politics, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Zombie Reading List | Comments Off

Kennedy Names First Black U.S. Attorney

Posted on April 16, 2011 by lmharnisch

April 16, 1961: President Kennedy nominates Cecil F. Poole (d. 1997) as U.S. attorney for the Northern District California. He was the first African American U.S. attorney in the Continental U.S., the first black federal … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, Adolf Eichmann, art and artists, books, Columnists, Comics, JFK, Zombie Reading List | Comments Off

From the Stacks — ‘Ride the Pink Horse’

Posted on April 15, 2011 by lmharnisch

Out of curiosity, I picked up this paperback for 50 cents at the Southern California Library’s book sale because the 1947 movie based on Dorothy B. Hughes’ novel is often mentioned as a classic film noir, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1946, books, Film, From the Stacks, Hollywood, Zombie Reading List | 1 Comment

Matt Weinstock, April 13, 1961

Posted on April 13, 2011 by lmharnisch

April 13, 1961: The Mirror publishes a tough editorial on Robert Welch and the John Birch Society. A sample: "Welch's spurious reasoning went the full circle and came back to the familiar cry — if you are not … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, books, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Matt Weinstock | Comments Off

Matt Weinstock, April 10, 1961

Posted on April 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

April 10, 1961: Lawrence Clark Powell, head of UCLA’s library school, surveys students’ attitudes on reading and touches off an interesting exploration of their reading habits. Many say they don’t have time to read for pleasure or that … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, Adolf Eichmann, books, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Education, Matt Weinstock, Zombie Reading List | Comments Off

Paul Coates, April 10, 1961

Posted on April 10, 2011 by lmharnisch

April 10, 1961: Notice the Spade Cooley story. It vanished from later editions, and I couldn’t find the jump, just the Page 1 portion. Paul Coates writes about two Beverly Hills police officers' problems with Police Chief … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1961, books, Columnists, Crime and Courts, From the Vaults, Homicide, Paul Coates, Zombie Reading List | Comments Off

From the Stacks — ‘City of Angels’

Posted on April 6, 2011 by lmharnisch

Rupert Hughes’ “City of Angels,” 1941. How much of a book must one read before deciding that it’s going to be a dog? Does an author deserve a running start of the first chapter? Can one … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, books, Film, From the Stacks, Hollywood, Zombie Reading List | Comments Off

Found on EBay — ‘Headline Happy’

Posted on April 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo A somewhat distressed copy of “Headline Happy” by Florabel Muir has been listed on EBay. You may recall that Muir, above, has a terrific description of the Busgy Siegel crime scene and, yes, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950, books, Crime and Courts, Mickey Cohen, Zombie Reading List | Comments Off

Spade Cooley Held in Wife’s Death

Posted on April 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo April 4, 1961: Western music star Donnell “Spade” Cooley is accused of killing his estranged wife, Ella Mae, in a jealous rage after listening to tape recordings of her phone conversations about what the defense … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, books, Front Pages, Homicide, Music | 4 Comments

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, March 25, 1941

Posted on March 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

March 25, 1941: Tom Treanor has another column on Jan Valtin’s “Out of the Night,” which I have begun reading, thanks to the Los Angeles Public Library, and I must say that so far the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, art and artists, books, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Lee Shippey, Tom Treanor, Zombie Reading List | Comments Off

Remembering Elizabeth Taylor: 1932 – 2011

Posted on March 23, 2011 by lmharnisch

Feb. 6, 1945: “National Velvet” opens in Los Angeles. Photograph by John Malmin/Los Angeles Times March 27, 1957: Michael Todd poses with Elizabeth Taylor after “Around the World in 80 Days” won the Academy … Continue reading →

Posted in 1932, books, Film, Hollywood, Obituaries | Comments Off