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

Playwright Sarah Ruhl has spent 10 years recovering from Bell’s palsy, a mysterious and sudden facial paralysis, while juggling motherhood and a writing career.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

One woman says she spent approximately $19,000 to travel from Colorado with her teenage daughter to watch BTS live.

from KCRW Features

“Chicano I & II: The Mexican American Heritage Series” aired on KNBC-TV in July of 1971 and examined history from the Chicano perspective.

from Greater LA

The Latest

Students and staff at Anaheim High School voted to keep their mascot, “the Colonist,” despite accusations that it’s culturally insensitive and racist.

Anaheim High ‘Colonists’ vote to keep mascot name, despite criticism

Students and staff at Anaheim High School voted to keep their mascot, “the Colonist,” despite accusations that it’s culturally insensitive and racist.

from Greater LA

The period between Thanksgiving and New Year is often called the “most wonderful time of the year,” and it’s also the most wasteful.

In a landfill or someone’s belly? California steps up food rescue programs

The period between Thanksgiving and New Year is often called the “most wonderful time of the year,” and it’s also the most wasteful.

from Greater LA

The Marías use jazz, indie-pop and reggaeton to create a dreamy soundscape, with lyrics in both English and Spanish. The band was formed in LA by María Zardoya and Josh Conway.

The Marías wanted to make music for movies. Now they’re nominated for a Grammy

The Marías use jazz, indie-pop and reggaeton to create a dreamy soundscape, with lyrics in both English and Spanish. The band was formed in LA by María Zardoya and Josh Conway.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

David Lynch Theater Presents: Weather Report for November 29, 2021.

David Lynch Theater Presents: Weather Report for November 29, 2021

David Lynch Theater Presents: Weather Report for November 29, 2021.

from David Lynch Theater Presents: Weather Report

Why aren’t patients given useful information on the effectiveness of medications?

How do we know if a drug works?

Why aren’t patients given useful information on the effectiveness of medications?

from Second Opinion

Jonathan Bastian talks with Susan Orlean about our love and relationship with animals.

Why humans love, use, and abuse animals

Jonathan Bastian talks with Susan Orlean about our love and relationship with animals.

from Life Examined

The long holiday weekend calls for time to veg out.

Native American food sovereignty, Nicolas Cage’s ‘Pig,’ Bourdain, bao

The long holiday weekend calls for time to veg out.

from Good Food

Elvis Mitchell interviewed Quentin Tarantino on The Treatment about how the filmmaker uses food as a symbol of power in his movies.

Quentin Tarantino on food and power in film

Elvis Mitchell interviewed Quentin Tarantino on The Treatment about how the filmmaker uses food as a symbol of power in his movies.

from Good Food