LA Review of Books on KCRW

LA Review of Books on KCRW

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Conversations on the written word from the Los Angeles Review of Books and KCRW.

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Reza Aslan's "Zealot" tops bestseller lists from Amazon to the New York Times. Also this week, new books by Aimee Bender, Niccolò Ammaniti, and Javier Marías.

Mike Davis, in "City of Quartz," famously said that L.A. is made up of equal parts sunshine and noir. Here are three recent books squarely in the diverse tradition.

Three new books on power and excess read like novels, full of larger than life characters, regular plot twists, conspiracies and connivances, reversals and revelations.

Percival Everett, Marisa Silver, and Alex Espinoza all write about Los Angeles and all have deep ties to Southern California.

Tom Lutz discusses two nonfiction books on tears and a collection of stories by one of our best known slacker authors.

Two important authors kick off book tours here this week, legendary fiction writer Jamaica Kincaid and nonfiction provocateur David Shields.

We've had William Frey, Mike Daisy, and John D'Agata, now it's Dave Eggers's turn.

Three new books, one an oral history of one of the most horrific events of the 1970's, and two novels -- one from England and one from Los Angeles.

More from KCRW

As more businesses are slowly opening back up, and more vaccinated people are stepping outside of their bubble, KCRW asked listeners who have received their shots: How are you living…

from Greater LA

"Judging California’s climate change policies by greenhouse gas emissions is backwards.

from Zócalo's Connecting California

A new Latinx-owned ice cream pop-up in Koreatown is using sweet treats to broach sensitive topics surrounding mental health and self care.

from Greater LA

The Latest

A tiny street with a fancy name and down-to-earth people can be a simple reminder that a safe, quiet, ordinary place is extraordinarily sacred to the people who live there.

What’s in a street name? Roslyndale Ave., known for ‘Back to the Future,’ has a uniquely enduring community

A tiny street with a fancy name and down-to-earth people can be a simple reminder that a safe, quiet, ordinary place is extraordinarily sacred to the people who live there.

from Greater LA

For Oakland resident Jenni Bregman, getting vaccinated meant she could rehearse with her dance troupe again.

For this dancer, getting vaccinated means a return to her troupe

For Oakland resident Jenni Bregman, getting vaccinated meant she could rehearse with her dance troupe again.

from Greater LA

David Lynch Theater Presents: Weather Report for April 16, 2021.

David Lynch Theater Presents: Weather Report for April 16, 2021

David Lynch Theater Presents: Weather Report for April 16, 2021.

from David Lynch Theater Presents: Weather Report

Two recent stories from “The Hollywood Reporter” examine the toxic work environment in Hollywood.

Bullying in Hollywood: Ray Fisher and other industry workers speak out

Two recent stories from “The Hollywood Reporter” examine the toxic work environment in Hollywood.

from Hollywood Breakdown

Jonathan Taplin joins Robert Scheer to discuss his new memoir about the time he spent among rock-and-roll royalty like Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin.

Capitalism Killed the Rock-and-Roll Star

Jonathan Taplin joins Robert Scheer to discuss his new memoir about the time he spent among rock-and-roll royalty like Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin.

from Scheer Intelligence

With so many unaccompanied minors crossing the U.S.-Mexican border, the federal government is scrambling to find places to house them.

LA County plans to take in migrant children, but some activists are concerned

With so many unaccompanied minors crossing the U.S.-Mexican border, the federal government is scrambling to find places to house them.

from Greater LA

Wayne Koestenbaum’s first book of short fiction, “The Cheerful Scapegoat,” is a spectacularly odd and original collection of whimsical, surreal, baroque, ribald, and heartbreaking…

Wayne Koestenbaum: “The Cheerful Scapegoat”

Wayne Koestenbaum’s first book of short fiction, “The Cheerful Scapegoat,” is a spectacularly odd and original collection of whimsical, surreal, baroque, ribald, and heartbreaking…

from Bookworm

California’s elementary and middle school students, English learners, and students from low-income backgrounds saw significant learning losses in math and English after more than a…

As kids return to physical classes, how can they recover from pandemic Zoom school?

California’s elementary and middle school students, English learners, and students from low-income backgrounds saw significant learning losses in math and English after more than a…

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand