Category Archives: From the Stacks

From the Stacks – ‘Death Valley the Facts’

Posted on November 23, 2011 by lmharnisch

Is it wrong to buy a book on the basis of one map? I suppose it is, but I couldn’t resist. I found this copy of W.A. Chalfant’s “Death Valley the Facts” the other evening at the Last Bookstore and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930, Art & Artists, From the Stacks, Nuestro Pueblo | Tagged , , | Comments Off on From the Stacks – ‘Death Valley the Facts’

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

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

From the Stacks – ‘In the Wrong Rain’ (1959)

Posted on June 8, 2011 by lmharnisch

Hope died in the opening lines of “In the Wrong Rain,” and optimism succumbed a few pages later. Duty ground stubbornly ahead for a chapter or two before collapsing as well. Curiosity thumbed randomly through the book and then tossed … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, books, Columnists, From the Stacks | 1 Comment

From the Stacks – ‘Facts You Should Know About California’

Posted on June 3, 2011 by lmharnisch

    Since March, when I examined Louis Adamic’s “The Truth About Los Angeles,” I have been hunting the other pamphlets he wrote for E. Haldeman-Julius. A box of a dozen musty tracts arrived Friday, courtesy of EBay, and I … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1927, 1928, books, Crime and Courts, From the Stacks, Hollywood, Zombie Reading List | 3 Comments

From the Stacks: ‘Bookmen and Their Brothels’

Posted on May 27, 2011 by lmharnisch

  “Bookmen and Their Brothels: Recollections of Los Angeles in the 1930s” by Ward Ritchie recently showed up on EBay for too much money, so I borrowed a copy through interlibrary loan and spent a happy hour or so reading … Continue reading →

Posted in 1970, art and artists, books, From the Stacks, Pages of History, Zombie Reading List | 2 Comments

Bullet of Mystery – Part 5

Posted on May 24, 2011 by lmharnisch

In case you just tuned in, I’m posting a small case study of research I did with Caroline Comport on her grandfather Lionel Comport for her master’s thesis. Researching Los Angeles is a treasure hunt, and every time I dig … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1901, Crime and Courts, Film, From the Stacks, health, Hollywood, Pages of History, Zombie Reading List | 3 Comments

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

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

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 on From the Stacks – ‘Dancing Bear’ (1968)

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

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 on From the Stacks — ‘City of Angels’