Staff Recommendations
Sheryn Morris
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Camera girl : the coming of age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy
by Anthony, Carl Sferrazza
December 11, 2023
Call Number: 92 O575An-1
As First Lady of the United States (1961 - 1963), then as the wife of one of the world’s richest men (1968 - 1975), until the time of her death in 1994, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was among the most photographed and well known women in the world. But did the world really know that much about this enigmatic woman, who became an international celebrity? In a 1972 interview she stated,“People often forget that I was Jacqueline Bouvier, before being Mrs. Kennedy or Mrs. Onassis. Throughout my life I have tried to remain true to myself.” In this new biography Carl Sferrazza... Read Full Review
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George : a magpie memoir
by Hughes, Frieda
December 6, 2023
Call Number: 598.864 H893
In the prologue to this memoir Frieda Hughes says, “The things I longed for, other than health, happiness and wealth, probably in that order, were plants, pets, and a home of my own that I would never have to move from. The plants and pets were the embellishment and confirmation of the permanent home and, therefore, the sense of stability and belonging that I craved.”From her earliest memories, as a very young child, she craved and yearned for a stable permanent home, which for most of her life she did not have. She had a family, but they were never in one physical location for any length of... Read Full Review
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Seed to plate, soil to sky : modern plant-based recipes using Native American ingredients
by Frank, Lois Ellen
November 7, 2023
Call Number: 641.63 F828
Lois Ellen Frank is the Chef and owner of Red Mesa Cuisine, where she cooks and works with Chef Walter Whitewater. In this book she highlights basic indigenous foods: corn, beans, squash, chiles, tomatoes, potatoes, vanilla and cacao as starting points for scrumptious modern recipes. She refers to these ingredients as “the Magic Eight, [that] were given to the world by Native Peoples of the Americas. Part of Red Mesa Cuisine’s mission is to provide Indigenous foods and cultural education. We like to call it Native American Cuisine with a modern twist.” Pause for more than a few... Read Full Review
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Daughters of Latin America : an international anthology of writing by Latine women
October 3, 2023
Call Number: 808.8 D2385-2
Sandra Guzmán has compiled a monumental collection of writing by women, whom she designates as Latine, the gender-inclusive form of “Latino” and “Latina.” She states, "This is a journey into a luminous universe of texts that navigate across time and space, genres, styles, languages, and traditions. The Daughters gathered in this groundbreaking international anthology span five centuries of the written word, containing the wisdom, memory, and DNA of oral traditions more ancient than time itself.” Included are “140 Daughters of Latin America, recent and past, from 50 nations. The... Read Full Review
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Asada: The Art of Mexican-style Grilling
by Lopez, Bricia
September 18, 2023
Call Number: 641.76 L864
Bricia Lopez and Javier Cabral lay out the facts, “Carne asada is not just a taco . . . in millions of backyards across Southern California, asada means family, friends, memories, great music, cold drinks, good times, and the community you’ve built.”--in all its multivarious forms.This is a cookbook that is a feast for all your senses, from the book’s cover (original font), end papers (day-glo lime green); illustrations that are single or double-spread color photographs of Los Angeles, and of ingredients and finished dishes; and informative and personal anecdotes that precede each recipe.The... Read Full Review
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Chita : a memoir
by Rivera, Chita
September 11, 2023
Call Number: 812.092 R6194
Years ago, there was an advertisement for fur, “What Becomes a Legend Most?” For Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson, best known as Chita Rivera, this razzle-dazzle memoir/autobiography is far more becoming than all the high-end luxury goodies that money can buy. Hardworking, full of energy and talent, she cut a big wide swath in the entertainment world: predominantly live theater, but also movies and television. There are a few basic facts about her theatrical career and contritubtions that need to be acknowledged. In the following musicals Chita was the original star who... Read Full Review
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Brave the wild river : the untold story of two women who mapped the botany of the grand canyon
by Sevigny, Melissa L., 1986-
August 28, 2023
Call Number: 979.11 G751Se
The Colorado River was, and still is, one of the most dangerous rivers in the world: wild, unpredictable, and more challenging to navigate than skilled, seasoned river runners could imagine. In 1938 two botanists, Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter, joined a group of river runners in order to chart the plants of the Grand Canyon. Besides the Colorado River, there were additional challenges for the two botanists.Botany, as well as other scientific fields, was dominated by and exclusive to men. Some areas of botany were thought to be all right for the gentler sex: the gathering of plants for... Read Full Review
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Properties of thirst : a novel
by Wiggins, Marianne
August 21, 2023
Call Number:
This is a Bildungsroman that covers several generations of a family, some of whose origins are in the eastern part of the United States, but eventually take root in the western part, specifically California, on a sprawling ranch that has its existence perpetually challenged by the L.A. Water Corporation. The patriarch, Rocky Rhodes, has a twin sister, who, herself is a solidifying force in running the ranch. Rocky and his wife give birth to twins, who are not filled with that same sense of purpose, duty and commitment. The bombing of Pearl Harbor is a monumental turning point for the United... Read Full Review
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Piecing Together Los Angeles: An Esther McCoy Reader
by McCoy, Esther
July 18, 2023
Call Number: 720.910941 M131
For the most part, Los Angeles architecture has made its mark and numerous international and domestic architects will compete for an opportunity to design a residence, a public, or a commercial building. This was not always the case. There was someone who recognized the value, quality, originality and importance of the West and its architecture, at a time when it was not considered worth evaluating, predominantly by those in the East. In an interview Esther McCoy said, “ … Los Angeles has always been open to new ideas. Los Angeles is not rigid at all. It’s a plunger city. San Francisco... Read Full Review
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Sex, death, and God in L.A.
by
July 12, 2023
Call Number: 979.41 L881Sex 1994
This essay collection about Los Angeles includes the works of Eve Babitz, Alexander Cockburn, Mike Davis, Lynell George, Thomas S. Hines, Jeremy Larner, Rubén Martínez, David Reid, Carolyn See and David Thomson.This is an updated version (1994) of the previous edition (1992). The preface to this edition by David Reid offers a substantial analysis of Los Angeles. The preface and the essays are not at all dated and provide insights that are still wise and relevant. David Reid's comments state, “The plan of this book is to consider the character and customs of Los Angeles in relation to the... Read Full Review
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Paradise now : the extraordinary life of Karl Lagerfeld
by Middleton, William, 1802-
June 13, 2023
Call Number: 746.52 L174Mi
It is not necessary to be interested in the world of haute couture to find this biography of Karl Largerfeld compelling and engrossing. The creative genius of Karl Lagerfeld is the magnetic star that will captivate you. His childhood interests were drawing and painting until a fateful December, 1949 when, "The house of Christian Dior traveled from Paris to the still-destroyed city of Hamburg to stage a series of fashion shows," and the teenage Karl declared, "I am leaving to become a fashion designer in Paris." So began his career as a fashion designer, but that was not the only passionate... Read Full Review
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Empress of the Nile : the daredevil archaeologist who saved Egypt's ancient temples from destruction
by Olson, Lynne
May 30, 2023
Call Number: 932 O51
Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt was born in Paris, France, November 17, 1913, and her lifelong passion for Egypt began as a toddler when her grandfather took her to see the Luxor Obelisk in the Place de la Concorde. He told her about its history and connection with France. As a child the history did not interest her as much as the hieroglyphs. “Those images spoke to me.” A few years later, she became fascinated with the Egyptian antiquities at the Louvre. Eventually she became the world’s leading expert on ancient Egypt; a trained, experienced archaeologist; and also, during... Read Full Review