L.A. Days, L.A. Nights [Hardcover]

Stephen Brook (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1993

Poised on the spiritual and physical edge of America, the city of Los Angeles offers many insights into this country, insights that are wittily explored in a collection of freewheeling essays on the complex and varied City of Angels.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Not the one-dimensional Tinseltown but a great city of uncosseted variety and beauty--as well as grunge and sleaze--emerges from this ebullient look at Los Angeles. Brook ( New York Days, New York Nights ) examines familiar landmarks and myths with respect, thoughtfulness and high humor. Little of L.A.'s vast geographic area and its manifold concerns escapes his energetic inspection and comment: he surveys old and emerging neighborhoods, housing, architecture and "trashitecture," theater, the police, cars, food, movie-making, religions. His informative comments accompany a multitude of lively interviews; meals with friends, relatives and acquaintances in dives, cafes, ethnic and high-life restaurants; visits to churches, temples, schools, Hollywood parties and movie sets; museums from Pasadena to Malibu (whose great new art collections he compares favorably with many of New York City's); and, of course, the beaches and the freeways. A cultivated European hotelier, now an ardent Angeleno, tells him that L.A. has become the real capital of the U.S. and Brook more or less agrees, concluding that it is at least "the most fluid and open of the great cities."
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Not a conventional travel guide, this book by the author of New York Days, New York Nights (Macmillan, 1985. o.p.) is an excellent way of learning about contemporary Los Angeles. There are no hotel listings or restaurant prices, just a tour through the many districts and sections of America's "city of dreams." As a result, readers learn more about the city, the museums to visit, and the restaurants to dine in than from any other guidebook. Architecture is Brook's special interest, and one could spend days with the book in hand, viewing the buildings and houses he describes. Londoner Brook is direct and curmudgeonly; he often uses trenchant comment, but his genuine fondness for L.A. comes through. Essential for all libraries and all visitors to L.A.
- George M. Jenks, Bucknell Univ., Lewisburg, Pa.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 372 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; First edition (July 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312093217
• ISBN-13: 978-0312093211
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,597,567 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the same book as "L. A. Lore", January 7, 2006

By 

Diego Banducci (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: L.A. Days, L.A. Nights (Hardcover)

Having enjoyed "L.A. Lore" by Brook, I bought this book, thinking it would provide more of his insights about the city. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the identical book, but with a different title. It remains a great book.

Los Angeles, like New York, is a city that people either love or hate, but nobody thinks it's boring. That is, unless your only exposure to it is reading the traditional travel guide with its listing of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Disneyland and Universal Studios.

Stephen Brook breaks out of that mold. An English writer who came to L.A. in the early Nineties, he proceeded to criss-cross the city, visiting virtually every major neighborhood, from Pasadena to Watts, from Beverly Hills to Long Beach. Not only did he bring an Englishman's fresh eye to the city, but he somehow arranged introductions to some of the most interesting people in it. In reading the book, one gathers that his open mind resulted in their opening their minds and hearts to him. He is simply a nice person, which comes through in his writing.

The writing is succinct. Each of the 32 chapters consists of approximately 10 to 12 pages discussing a different aspect of the city (His breakfast with Carver Mead at Caltech, in Chapter 20 is alone worth the price of the book).

Brook's forte is architecture. Los Angeles arguably has the finest architecture in America, and Brook provides addresses, the name of the architect, and a brief description of each building, yet somehow avoids sounding like a cataloguer. He is also strong in describing the various museums throughout the city, many of which I was not aware of.

At the same time, he is equally at home discussing the political, educational and gang situation in the city.

All in all, a fine book.