Book Description

Beyond L.A.'s self-promotional glitter is a hotbed of writers, bohemians, mad poets, exiles and refugees from every form of oppression -- and "Literary L.A." details their fascinating histories. The first book to chronicle the world-class writers who called Los Angeles home Lionel Rolfe's "Literary L.A." introduced the literary world to a neglected universe of writing, to major critical acclaim. Now, AirStream Books is proud to present this e-book version of "Literary L.A." to a new generation of readers. New to this edition are: bohemian and apocalyptic streams in L.A. writing • the thriving coffeehouse scene, including the new L.A. poets • additional chapters by noted archivist and literary essayist John Ahouse. Among the transients, literary gypsies, bohemians and writers in imposed or self-imposed exile whose stories are told in "Literary L.A." are Oscar Zeta Acosta, Charles Bukowski, Henry Miller, Ken Kesey, Carey McWilliams, Charles Lummis, Jacob Zeitlin, Louis Adamic, Nathanel West, Robinson Jeffers, Malcolm Lowry, Thomas and Heinrich Mann, Upton Sinclair, John Steinbeck, Aldous Huxley, Jack London, Theodore Dreiser, and many others. The first edition of "Literary L.A." was published by Chronicle Books in 1981. An expanded edition, on which this electronic edition is based, was published by California Classics Books in 2002. A documentary movie based on the book by KO Pictures is forthcoming.