Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey Among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See
by Bianca Bosker
A journalist's deep dive into the art world's obsession with contemporary art and why it matters.
The Getty Center: Richard Meier & Partners
by Text by Michael Brawne
A photographic tour of the Getty Center.
Ask the Dust
by John Fante
Fante's oft-forgotten classic novel of Arturo Bandini, a confused young man trying to make it as a writer in L.A.
The Art Book, Mini Edition
by Phaidon Press
A mini edition of the Phaidon classic. Marching through all periods and schools, the editors at Phaidon juxtapose salient examples of paintings, photographs, sculptures, video, installations and performance art with brief explanatory text.
Sidewalking, Coming to Terms With Los Angeles
by David L. Ulin
Growing out of a series of strolls, this smart, deeply affectionate portrait peels back the many layers of L.A., revealing a great city that's much more interesting than its sunny beaches, gridlock and movie stars.
Where I Was From
by Joan Didion
Supreme essayist Didion's personal history of California spanning the 18th to 21st centuries. More than a family chronicle, it's also a provocative cultural critique that attacks the myth of the Sunshine State.
Water to the Angels, William Mulholland, His Monumental Aqueduct, and the Rise of Los Angeles
by Les Standiford
In this powerful, beautifully-told biography, Standiford narrates William Mulholland’s drive to bring water from the Sierra Nevadas to Los Angeles, one of the greatest civil engineering feats in history.
L.A. Confidential
by James Ellroy
James Ellroy's modern noir thriller, a densely plotted yarn in the style of Raymond Chandler. Made into a critically acclaimed film.
California: A History (Modern Library Chronicles)
by Kevin Starr
Arguing that America’s most populous state has always been blessed with both spectacular natural beauty and astonishing human diversity, Starr unfolds a rapid-fire epic of discovery, innovation, catastrophe, and triumph.
As I See It: The Autobiography of J. Paul Getty
by J. Paul Getty
The famous L.A. tycoon recounts his life in his own words in this timely autobiography:
it was published right before his death in 1976.
Creating the Future: Art and Los Angeles in the 1970s
by Michael Fallon
Fallon contests the standard assumption that art in L.A. declined after the 1960s through this cultural and social history that highlights the innovative and independent voices and interesting, sometimes bizarre artwork that came out of the 1970s.
Fodor's Los Angeles
by Maria Burwell (Editor)
A practical guide in the popular series, saturated with valuable information on accommodation, shopping, sights, and dining.
The Story of Art
by E.H. Gombrich
Comprehensive and introductory without being elementary, this celebrated work is essential reading for anyone with any interest in art, architecture or aesthetics.
Art in Time, A World History of Styles and Movements
by The Editors of Phaidon Press
In this innovative compendium, art scholars reveal fascinating connections between great works of art, art movements and historical progress. Moving from present to antiquity, they highlight 450 paintings, sculptures, photographs, installations, video and new media from around the world.
Los Angeles City Center Map
by Berndtson & Berndtson
A map of the center of L.A.
Building the Getty
by Richard Meier
An account of the construction of the Getty Center, written by its architect.
California the Beautiful
by Galen Rowell (Photographer)
Rowell's exquisite photographs are accompanied by excerpts from Joan Didion, M.F.K. Fisher, Jack London, William Saroyan and many other luminaries in this celebration of the nature and spirit of California.
William Mulholland and the Rise of Los Angeles
by Catherine Mulholland
A biography of William Mulholland, the man who led the project of bringing water to Los Angeles. Written by his granddaughter, who seeks to dispel what she believes are common misconceptions about him.
Ways of Seeing
by John Berger
Art critic, painter, essayist and Booker Prize-winning novelist Berger concentrates on how we look at art in this eye-opening and influential classic.