Category Archives: books

On the Frontiers of Literature

Posted on August 28, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Aug. 28, 1910: If you’re a fan of mystery books, you may have heard of S.S. Van Dine, who wrote "The Greene Murder Case," "The Canary Murder Case" and other Philo Vance stories. Van Dine was the pen name … Continue reading →

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Matt Weinstock, Aug. 15, 1960

Posted on August 15, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Aug. 15, 1960: Remi A. Nadeau has a new book coming out: "Los Angeles — Conquistadors to Commuters," Matt Weinstock says. The final title was “Los Angeles: From Mission to Modern City.” CONFIDENTIAL TO SHORT ON LONG ISLAND: If … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, books, Columnists, Comics, Matt Weinstock | 1 Comment

Nixon Birthplace Revisited

Posted on August 4, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Aug. 4, 1960: Members of a Nixon club replace a sign that was stolen from Richard M. Nixon’s boyhood home in Yorba Linda, which brings us back to a story posted in 2009. Times reporter Art Ryon  covered  the … Continue reading →

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Matt Weinstock, Aug. 2, 1960

Posted on August 2, 2010 by lmharnisch

  A  cargo of stolen Caltechium? Aug. 2, 1960: What do you suppose is in Caltechium? Matt Weinstock looks at one family’s problems in having a swimming pool.

Posted in art and artists, books, Columnists, Comics, Matt Weinstock, Science, UFOs | 2 Comments

NSA Analysts Defect to Soviet Union

Posted on August 2, 2010 by lmharnisch

Aug. 2, 1960: William H. Martin and Bernon F. Mitchell of the National Security Agency defect to the Soviet Union. See David Kahn's classic work "The Codebreakers" and James Bamford's 1982 "The Puzzle Palace" for more details.

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Pages of History

Posted on July 30, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Notice how steep Bunker Hill used to be! I stumbled across a copy of “Los Angeles: A Guide Book,” produced for the 1907 National Education Assn. convention, listed on EBay for $9.99 and remembered that I had seen a … Continue reading →

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Republicans Fight Over Party Platform

Posted on July 25, 2010 by lmharnisch

 Los Angeles Times file photo July 25, 1960: Vice President Nixon greets well-wishers in Chicago.   Cartoonist Bruce Russell is sure the GOP has the election in the bag. July 25, 1960: "The issues that shaped the Republican Convention were … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960 Republican Convention, art and artists, books, Front Pages, Photography, Politics, Richard Nixon | 1 Comment

Pages of History

Posted on July 22, 2010 by lmharnisch

  "I was seeing Pershing Square, Los Angeles, now for the first time…the nervous fugitives from Times Square, Market Street SF, the French Quarter — masculine hustlers looking for lonely fruits to score from, anything from the legendary $20 to … Continue reading →

Posted in #gays and lesbians, art and artists, books, Downtown, Parks and Recreation | 2 Comments

Pages of History – The Medical Profession of Southern California

Posted on July 6, 2010 by lmharnisch

The other day while researching the 1910 Times bombing, I discovered a digitized book that I have been trying to buy for years: Dr. George H. Kress’ “A History of the Medical Profession of Southern California.” Notice that this is … Continue reading →

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Pages of History [Updated]

Posted on June 28, 2010 by lmharnisch

   Central Park, later named Pershing Square, and Philharmonic Auditorium.   One of the most influential books ever written about the city is Morrow Mayo’s 1933 “Los Angeles.” It is, in fact, easy to argue that Mayo was the father … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910 L.A. Times bombing, books, Parks and Recreation | 3 Comments

A Beat Fourth of July

Posted on June 26, 2010 by lmharnisch

  June 26, 1960: For the Fourth of July, the Beats of Venice plan to protest an ordinance against being on the beach between midnight and 6 a.m. by spending the night on the beach. Except there is no such … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, books, Comics, Nightclubs, Venice Division | 1 Comment

Pages of History

Posted on June 25, 2010 by lmharnisch

  ’m doing a fair amount of research these days on the Oct. 1, 1910, bombing of The Times and have been referring to W.W. Robinson’s slim 1969 book “Bombs and Bribery,” which is a good introduction to the incident … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1910 L.A. Times bombing, books, Downtown | 1 Comment

Los Angeles in 7 Days

Posted on June 23, 2010 by lmharnisch

I’ve been looking for a copy of “Los Angeles in 7 Days” since my friend Carolyn Strickler, former head of The Times’ History Center, showed me a copy of the 1932 book. Bookfinder has a few copies, but for more … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Downtown | 3 Comments

Landslide Closes Hill Street Tunnel

Posted on June 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

  A landslide closes the Hill Street tunnel, which was demolished when the “nose” of Bunker Hill was removed in June 1955.  June 13, 1910: Police find that the athletic burglar who was caught the other day has refined tastes … Continue reading →

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The Parkey Sharkey Story

Posted on June 8, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Parkey Sharkey, the terror of Palo Alto, with his taxi, about 1961. Readers frequently assume that Parkey Sharkey was a fictional character invented by Paul Coates to fill his Saturday letters column. I recently found a copy of Sharkey’s … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Columnists, Paul Coates, Photography | 3 Comments

Found on EBay – Thicker’n Thieves

Posted on May 26, 2010 by lmharnisch

Former Police Sgt. Charles Stoker’s “Thicker’n Thieves” has attained a measure of respect that it never had when it was published in 1951. Even five or six years ago, it was possible to pick up a copy for almost nothing … Continue reading →

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Matt Weinstock, May 20, 1960

Posted on May 20, 2010 by lmharnisch

  “UINUERLAOEJG!” May 20, 1960: "I've worked in local coffeehouses for over a year," a reader tells Matt Weinstock,  "and I've yet to see a beatnik. It's for un-real. A joke perpetuated by the press and perpetuated by coffeehouse owners. … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Columnists, Matt Weinstock | 1 Comment

Los Angeles With a Laugh Track – ‘The Natives Are Restless’

Posted on May 12, 2010 by lmharnisch

   “Side-splitting?” Not hardly. Cynthia Lindsay's "The Natives Are Restless" (1960) is not a great book about Los Angeles or even a particularly good one. A frothy mix of humor and sunshine, "Natives" floats to the bright end of the … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Downtown | 2 Comments

On the Frontiers of Education

Posted on May 9, 2010 by lmharnisch

I’ve been laughing about this all weekend and wanted to share it.

Posted in art and artists, books, Education | Comments Off on On the Frontiers of Education

Matt Weinstock, May 5, 1960

Posted on May 5, 2010 by lmharnisch

    May 5, 1960: Here’s another take on Cynthia Lindsay and “Procals.” Her term describes the people of the Southland, who are “pro California.” I’ll be taking a look at Lindsay’s 1960 book “The Natives Are Restless” in an … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, books, Columnists, Comics, Matt Weinstock | 1 Comment