California Books

Although 13 years old, much of the info in this book is still relevant. Despite the youthfulness of Los Angeles, there are restaurants and markets that have managed to survive for decades. These places are invariably great and almost institutions in their community. Hence, many of the listings in Burum's book still survive in this megapolis. You'll have fun tracking down that obscure German sausage maker who has had his shop for some 30 years...as well as the occassional let down upon discovering that the old Japanese immigrant, who made fresh tofu daily at the back of his grocery store, decided to call it quits a few years ago.

This book is not only a guide to the ethnic markets in LA, but also serves as an introduction to the cuisine of LA's ethnic groups. Interspersed within the listings, you'll find glimpses into the history of LA's immigrant communities, and what they really eat that you don't get at the mainstream ethnic restaurants. If you're the type that prefers to eat where you're the only one not of the ethnic group the restaurant caters to, get this book. It lets you in on not just the basics of a people's cuisine, but makes you feel comfortable with the unfamiliar (and much more authentic] dishes.

The book is organized into the following chapters, which fairly represents the demographics of Los Angeles:
China; Japan; Korea; Thailand; Vietnam; Southeast Asian [Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Phillipines]; India; Mexico; Central/South America and Caribbean; Europe; Greece, the Middle East and Africa.

Overall, an indispensable introduction to LA's greatest asset: It's diversity of people and cuisine.

This is a fantastic compendium of ethnic food in LA. It gives you everything you'd ever want to know: best bakeries, best markets, best restaurants. It divides categories by geography (important in LA) & by ethnic cuisines.

While the 1992 printing will make some info out of date (restaurants for example), this book is one of a kind & the best in its genre.

This is the greatest book on the best ethnic restaurants in LA. Hopefully, the author will put out a new edition. I have it. It's about 10 years old, and I'm not going to sell it. It's better than any new guide out there. Even if you don't go to these places, it's an interesting read.

When this book first came out about 10 yrs. ago or more it was a revelation. In one collection it guided you through EVERY major ethnic community in the greater L.A. region and told you which were the best restaurants, bakeries, markets, etc. I don't know of any other book that comes to close to being this comprehensive & incisive.

If you ever spend any time in L.A. & you are interested in ethnic food, you must have this book.

Outstanding, useful guide to the coastal areas - greatly appreciate the tips on local conditions and access.

Outstanding, useful guide to the coastal areas - greatly appreciate the tips on local conditions and access.

If you like to paddle on the Calif coast, this is the book for you. My wife and I have paddled (we thought) most of the coast, this book brought us to places that we could only dream of. They way its laid out, you can plan for a part/full or overnight trip. Tips on where to go, what you might see, camping, lodging, ect are great. If you paddle the Calif coast, you will be happy to have this book.

Roger and Jan's book gives seakayakers invaluable information regarding some of the most beautiful paddling areas on the west coast. The maps included with the easily understood text allow the reader to easily visualize the targeted area. This guidebook will be of interest to paddlers of all skill levels since most of the featured paddles also include intermediate and advanced level alternative routes. The sidebars scattered throughout the book impart interesting information about the area. This book is a must have for those interested in exploring the coast of California.

One year ago LAPD homicide Kate Delafield was sent to the affluent neighborhood of Hancock Park to investigate the death of Victoria Talbot who was shot in the head at close range. The victim was also shot in the back. Victoria's son Allan who found the body is shook and wary as he must inform his two fragile sisters that their mom is dead. Kate learns that Allan has no intention of informing his father that his former spouse was murdered.

A neighbor informs Kate that she heard the shots, but is also careful to avoid mentioning Douglass Talbot though she implies that he is an abusive person who made his family's lives hell. Kate next learns that Douglass had an incestuous relationship with his youngest daughter and was stalking Victoria. Finally a Mercedes that matches the vehicle Douglass owns was seen in the vicinity around the time of the murder. Douglass is arrested, but at the trial Kate begins to believe that the defense has a ploy that will free a murderer if she does not find additional proof that he killed his ex.

The long wait for the return of Kate is worth it as readers receive a fabulous police procedural. Kate is a dedicated tough cop, but is also very vulnerable especially when her lover of thirteen years leaves her forcing her to look at what she has become. As the audience hopes Aimee returns to Kate, the murder mystery is cleverly executed so that the evidence is laid out one step at a time enabling the reader to form an opinion, but keep in mind Katherine V. Forrest is brilliant at the sleight of the hand or two.

Harriet Klausner

What makes reading the book rewarding for me is the controlled, spare, concise prose that in its stark simplicity conveys the dynamics between two people -specifically, between two women - in a long-term relationship with depth and feeling. Unfortunately Ms. Forrest's calibre of writing is painfully absent from the majority of amateurish works flooding the market. Authors I would recommend as exceptional, especially if you're interested chiefly in reading work written about women by women include Laurie R. King (Martinelli series), Ellen Hart, Sandra Scoppettone, Nicola Griffith, and Jenifer Levin.

Katherine Forrest has been writing the Kate Delafield mysteries for a couple of decades. For a while, they had become formulaic, but with Hancock Park, she has become a mystery writer worthy of the name. She's no P.D. James or Laurie R. King, but she has written a fine mystery with a surprise ending. Unlike some other writers, she shared all the clues with the reader, and still came up with an unexpected ending.

In addition to a terrific mystery, it is also a very good character study. Detective Delafield has matured over the years, and in this outing her partner walks out and forces Delafield to face up to her own shortcomings.

This story marks a shift for Katherine V. Forrest's fine detective series featuring Kate Delafield. One thing I love about these books is that Kate actually grows older and goes through the emotional and psychological shifts people experience as they mature. In this story Kate is investigating the killing of Victoria Talbot whose ex-husband has GUILTY written all over him. But the case is not as simple as it appears. At the same time, Kate is going through a personal crisis that results in self-examination. Ms. Forrest does not depend on melodramatic language and over-stated character interactions to make her point. Readers who have gotten used to this from reading the works of less skillful writers might find her style fairly spare. I wasn't sure whether to give this 4 or 5 stars, because I like some of the earlier Dalafield novels better. But this one is every bit as good, it's just different. You might not like it if you want a lot of action and less thoughtfulness, but Hancock Park is well worth reading.

I have not perused the section on historical instruments in depth, so none of my comments apply to it. However, the section regarding modern instruments impresses me continuously each time I open the book to look for references. I am a bass trombone player as well as a composer, and although the section on the trombone is rather brief (although accurate enough; and the listing of trombone family members, i.e. soprano, alto, tenor, tenor-bass, bass, and various contrabasses, grossly underdeveloped), Everything Else offers unparalleled information for the modern composer or arranger. Particularly useful is the citation of examples in contemporary music of instrumental prominence (where although certain composers are favored, this is perhaps done out of necessity given the slew of living composers today; and Stiller's choices of examples are superlative).
Dr. Stiller may underestimate the availability of certain instruments, however. The market for contrabassoons and contrabass trombones has increased greatly in recent years, and more slightly so for bass and tenor trumpets. As a rule, orchestral principal trombonists almost ALL own alto trombones (in alto clef, overtone series based on the Eb2 fundamental), and as aforementioned, the alto trombone is erroneously omitted from this book.
To create an inpenetrable weapon of scholarship, combine this book with Samuel Adler's "Study of Orchestration" and Kurt Stone's "Music Notation in the Twentieth Century", which is available at NPCimaging.com.

Stiller has created a fabulous reference source for the contemporary composer. He accurately covers information on almost every instrument and gives both detailed information as well as quick chart summaries. He spends a great deal of time dealing with modern and experimental techniques for many instruments, something which is not often dealt with in these kind of volumes. Its easy to use indexing system also makes it a wonderful "quick reference" source for when you might quickly need to know a piece of information like instrumental ranges. In my opinion, this is one of the best books of its kind available today.

unlike other orchestration texts, this states pretty much the facts and just the facts. very handy for impatient young composers or arrangers who just need to read about an instrument and not dig through endless examples of an instrument's usage through the ages (although that's always nice too). the information is quick and easy to find for the most part, but does not skimp in the least on detail. my only disappointment (and this is for an older edition, it may have been corrected since) in is in the slightly skimpy coverage of electronics and electric guitar while instruments like the crumhorn get comparatively massive coverage given their relative modern importance. worth every penny, and then some.

This is simply the best book of its kind I have ever seen. Each family of instruments receives an exhaustive chapter on its features amd capabilities. Impeccably accurate line drawings (with rulers showing the scale) illuminate the text in ways that no photographs could. Precise range charts include extended ranges, with a percentage estimate of how frequently the extended range can be produced, and maximum and minimum dynamics for each portion of the range. Detailed fingering charts for woodwinds are provided, including alternate trill fingerings. The book is oriented strongly to the contemporary composer. All musical examples are from contemporary or late 20th century pieces, and extended techniques receive thorough examination. If I have any complaint at all, and this is quite minor, it is that sometimes the author is rather aggressive in stating instrumental possibilities. The given maximum or minimum ranges are occasionally not universally accepted by all professional players, or the charts showing the maximum reaches for string double-stops include reaches that some players with smaller hands will refuse to execute. These are minor points. In most cases the book clearly distinguishes mainstream practice from advanced or extended practice, and personally I prefer a book that errs on the aggressive side. If you need to know how orchestral instruments work, including a wide array of percussion, look no further. The author rarely mixes opinions or dogma with facts (a rare feature for this kind of book), and when he does he clearly delineates which is which.

Although I loved and think everybody should read the book, "The Harvey Milk Story" by Kari Krakow, I have to admit in the beginning before I read the story I thought the story would be like "Harvey Milk was born in ? and died in ?" . I got a big surprise when the first sentence was "No one every guessed that the little kid with big ears would one day make history."
I think the book really changed how I thought about gay and lesbian. It must have been very hard for Harvey Milk not to tell anyone about how he felt. My favorite part is that Harvey actually makes a living at a camera shop and it sort of turns into a place where people can talk with him. He ends up getting a very nice partner. I won't tell you more, but I really, really hope kari krakow will write another book.

As a teacher, I highly recommend this book to young people who want to read about courageous Americans. The author did a good job of highlighting Harvey Milk, a man who stood for freedom for all people, regardless of life style. Children need to see more positive examples of people from diverse backgrounds making a difference in the world.

Finally, an engaging way to introduce children to Harvey Milk -- a moving story, told with sensitivity, and lively illustrations. One politician's life and untimely end are chronicled here with passion. This book will inspire children (and adults!) to make their world a better place for us all. I loved it.

A beautifully illustrated and wonderfully written book for children about an important figure in US History.
It is very good to have a book like this to help teach tolerance and diversity to younger children. Hopefully children from many backgrounds and family situations will read this book and appreciate the story

Hearst Over Hollywood is a book that could appeal to a large cross-section of readers - historians, movie buffs, those with interests in journalism and media, etc. Louis Pizzatola has done an incredibly admirable job in compiling sources and data on William Randolph Hearst and presenting him in a new light - something very difficult to do after over 100 years of Hearst representations in the media and popular culture. That in itself makes it a worthwhile read.

While I hate to be the one to knock down this book's perfect customer rating to date, I feel that an honest review on my part would require that I also point out some of the book's flaws. Because it is so densely filled with information, many chapters bog down over sequences that perhaps could have been better conveyed if streamlined. I can appreciate the fact that it would be hard to determine exactly where to streamline, so I suppose that some readers who possess some knowledge on the subject going in will be able to pick out what interests them.

The book is about as objective as any work on Hearst could be and it is a pleasure to re-think Citizen Kane from the context of knowing more about its erstwhile main character. If you've never seen it or haven't in a while, I would recommend watching the film, reading the book, and then watching it again.

Pizzitola's thoroughness does serve him very well in exploring how Hearst built his media empire from the publishing industry through the nascent Hollywood studio system and balances nicely the clinical examinations with the gossipy show-business scandal aspects of the man's life.

Very well done.

The author describes himself as a visual artist and amateur film maker. I've got news for him: he's a first rate scholar too. I cannot remember the last time I've read a book on history that was so well presented and so amply documented. If you want to understand how the US came to become a "wag the dog" TV-ocracy and how CNN could morph into a televised version of the National Enquirer, check out this masterpiece. The source of our present day media sewer can all be traced back to Hearst's turn-of-the-century and-beyond media 'experiments.' This book belongs on the bookshelf - in a featured location - of anyone who is interested in 20th century American history. It's an absolutely stunning work of scholarship, packed with well documented detail, and completely approachable.

I have never read such a well researched and detailed examination of any topic. There are many Hearst books out there and many books about the innner workings of Hollywood but this book really does have it all.

I just finished this terrific book which I just happened upon (has it been reviewed anywhere?). As a journalist myself (not yellow)I always thought of Hearst as a publisher. This book completely surprised me in the way it builds the case for Hearst as the world's first media mogul. There are great details about Hearst's controlling role in Hollywood and puts Citizen Kane in an entirely new light. Great reading.

I've used this book on countless trips up and down the California coast. It may have been an older version of this but years later now, other than price references, it's still a staple for me. The maps are great and much more detailed than you'd find in an atlas. I also used a Hidden Guide to the Pacific Northwest which I didn't find nearly as informative or easily used, but this California book is essential if you are going to be planning as you go, from the road, as I so often do.

"Hidden Coast of California" is a well written book-- very easy to read and divided into neat sections. The book goes from northern California to southern, from beginning to end, so it is especially helpful for those who are going on a "real" California roadtrip.

This book has been especially helpful with the planning of my future trip to California. Even though I haven't been able to test out the accuracy of the book, I feel as though I've lived there for years because of all the detailed information the book offers. Planning a trip down the coast of California isn't easy especially when you have a time limit, but this book has helped me sleep at night knowing that I have the knowledge to get the most out of my trip (and money).

I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is planning a trip to California and those who want to see some little known hideaways.

"The Hidden Coast of California" by Ray Reigert was a godsend that allowed New Yorkers to see a side of the California Coast that the residents appreciate every day. Starting with the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon and Mr. Riegert's tips on lodgings, sights, and restaurants added up to a great vacation. Mr.Riegert's recommendations surpassed the two (2) other well known travel books. The tip to see the "La Purisima Mission" as the best of the twenty-one missions was pure gold and saved us valuable time that we alloted elsewhere. The recommendation on restaurants was absolutely priceless and the "Sojourner Coffeehouse" turned our dismal one night stay in Santa Barbara around. Our stays at both the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Parks cottages and The Asilomar Conference Center on the Monterey Peninsula were on the money and gave us the chance to combine our overnight stays with scenic views. I am now waiting for the release of the 1999 "Hidden Florida" before planning my next vacation.

This is the most useful guidebook to the Golden State that this native Californian ever has seen. Riegert packs an astonishing amount of information into this conveniently-sized paperback. This guidebook, now in its eighth edition, clearly reflects extensive exploration and research. The book begins with general material on the California coast including a brief history, weather, wildlife, outdoor adventures, camping, a calendar of events, tips on what to pack, and advice to senior travelers, women traveling alone, gay and lesbian travelers, even foreign travelers. Each region of the California coast is introduced with a brief overview and capsule history, followed by details about scenic wonders, parks, beaches, hotels, restaurants, campgrounds, sports, shopping and nightlife. The author manages to maintain a lively style throughout five hundred pages of text. Included are colored AAA-style road maps of the most important coastal areas, supplemented by black and white maps of many regions and towns. Michael Michaud, Vienna, Austria

My son and I spent a week fishing in the high sierra before buying this book. The fishing was good but sporadic. When I read this book, I was amazed at how well Van Loek was able to explain why we caught fish when we did and vice versa. The principals will be of value to spin fishermen as well as fly fishers. Add to that, the book is written in a colorful, simple, well thought out, engaging manner, and I have come to consider this one of my indespensible reference works for western trout fishing, the High Sierra and beyond.

I've only glanced through "High Sierra Fly Fishing: Basics to Advanced Tactics" but already I know ....this is a superb book. It's far more than its title implies. How many times have you started to read a book like this and discover that it's 80% fluff and maybe 20% content? Van Loek is certainly an authority on the subject of high alpine trout fishing in the Sierra, and I have already learned much from my short time in his book. The photos of both the unbelievable country and it's wonderful trout make me ache to be there. Actually they take me there even now! This publication goes beyond it's peers and I'm going to enjoy digesting every word!

The intro says this book is meant primarily for folks new to alpine fishing. What is especially good is the de-emphasis on gear and strong emphasis on the natural history of both the Sierra Nevada and trout. Many of the ideas are new and original, such as the "Angler's Caloric Law." The author's approach leads readers right to the concepts that explain why good anglers cast where they do. You just couldn' beat this up-to-date book if you want to know how to catch a lot of trout on a backpacking trip. In fact, the excellent photos will whet your appetite for a summer trip!

This book is an artful blend of practical how-to fishing advice and wonderfully lyrical descriptions of the high Sierra. There are plenty of photos that will make you hanker for a fishing trip just as surely as using one of the handtied flies the author describes should lure an elusive golden trout out from his hideaway. I have a much better idea now of how inexpertly I have been fishing all these years. The author knows his fish and walks the reader through such useful info as the science of how trout see through the refraction of water and their favorite hangouts.

Armed with such really specific advice, I'm looking forward to a chance to outsmart some fish this summmer!

Best Big Sur Hiking/Backpacking Book Out There! I'm a local, I try to get into the mountains whenever possible & this book is the bomb. I've checked out a few others & this is the best by far.


It has detailed topographic maps with trails drawn in & great descriptions of each trail including elevations @ points along each trail. Elevations are critical because the Sur is all about elevation 0-5150 ft.

Great book, if your considering a book about all Big Sur has to offer beyond Highway 1 this is the book.

This is a great book. A friend and I had a trip to Big Sur planned and the book came several days before so that I was able to study up and enjoy the area even more!

This book isn't great, but it is very good.

Pros
1. It is inspiring. I feel like I want to go do the hike after I read the description
2. Good pictures. Some have people in them and these are done very well.
3. Good descriptions. These aren't little one page jobs.

Cons
1. Pictures - The pictures are black and white, not color and I think color pictures can mean everything. But this does not detract that much from this fine book

The book was wonderful to have on our trip to the Central Coast. Objective information with enough opinion and subjective information to help us decide where, how, when for each hike. The back of the book with the top list organized by theme was very helpful. One way the book could have been better is with a cross-reference chart... so if you want both "ocean" and "redwoods" as themes you could look it up, instead of a bunch of page flipping. The author does a good job appealing to a wide range, level of hikers, rare in a guide book.

Shirley and Jeff Lawrence worked for years in the entertainment industry and share their experiences in this 420 page book. The book contains 3 sections: Part 1 "My Story - His Story - Our Story". This section shares their collective and individual experiences. How they got in the business, people they worked with etc. Part II "Working in Movies". This section describes films in the beginning, the life of film extras, casting couch stories and stunt work etc. Part III "Extras, Directors and Stars". In this section Shirley and Jeff share more stories about people in the industry.

The book is written in a an easy to read style, with the names of the stars, extras etc in bold black text so they pop out.

It's a very interesting read. Shirley and Jeff name names and share the good, the bad and the ugly. Because of the era they worked in most of the names would be recognized by many baby boomers but not by today's younger generation. But though the names of the famous have changed the scenarios have not. Shirley and Jeff describe what it is like to work in the business with an emphasis on what it is like to be an "extra". They describe how extras are may be treated poorly, taken advantage of and not given that break because they uphold good values.Though I had heard about the "casting couch" in Hollywood, I never realized that it was so prevelent. They vividly describe the heartache and ups and downs of the business. One minute you think you have a deal and the next you don't.

It's an eye opening read and highly recommended if your intent is to try and make it in the industry or if you want to read about what goes on behind the scenes in Hollywoodland!

~Lee Mellott

Your wonderful book about Hollywood was by far THE most enjoyable, engrossing, delightful, romantic (J & S), funny, shocking book I have ever read! A real page-turner. Your style of writing is first class. I enjoyed every page!
Elaine Baum

Entertaining, easy to read, episodes in the lives of two Hollywood extras. Reveals facts and heresay about many famous movie personalities, actors, producers, directors, etc. It is refreshing to read of two people who fell in love and felt that living in accord with moral principles was more important than a quick way to success.

Barbara Morse

This is a fast enjoyable read. Through their eyes, we are exposed to a very different Hollywood. Vastly different from the one we fantasize about. Through the eyes of Hollywood extras, we are shown what it takes to "break" into show business. The ancedotes are light and entertaining, but also offer a darker picture of the realities of an actor. Many of the Hollywood elite consider an extra a moving prop. It is through Shirley & Jeff's eyes, that the every day humaness of the extra is shown to us.