Good morning. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.
- Arguing over L.A.’s best books.
- Newsom launches a tourism campaign to bring Canadians back to California.
- Burned cars are still all over Altadena. Car lovers gather to reminisce and ‘feel normal.’
- And here’s today’s e-newspaper.
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What are the best Los Angeles books ever written?
At last year’s Los Angeles Times Book Festival, the literary magazine Alta Journal posted advertisements around the USC campus asking “What wine goes best with a Joan Didion anecdote?” It seemed made for this crowd, which takes the L.A. written word and their literary heroes very seriously.
Every few years, a publication or organization comes out with their list of the best books ever written about Los Angeles. They tend to include many of the same names: Didion, of course, Mike Davis, Octavia E. Butler, Paul Beatty, Raymond Chandler.
But in 2023, there was a flurry of activity on this front. The book festival was back in person and perhaps post-pandemic L.A. was ready to turn off the TV and crack open a book. Consider:
- The Los Angeles Times surveying writers about their favorites. Davis’ “City of Quartz” got the most votes, followed by Nathaniel West’s “Day of the Locust” and Didion’s “Play It as it Lay.” Check out the full list.
- LAist asked independent booksellers across the city to offer their picks. It was an eclectic list that included “Ask the Dust” by John Fante, “Mercurochrome: New Poems” by Wanda Coleman, “Always Running” by Luis J. Rodriguez, “South of Pico: African American Artists in Los Angeles in the 1960s and 1970s” by Kellie Jones, “The Library Book” by Susan Orlean and “Writing Los Angeles: A Literary Anthology” edited by David Ulin.
- Journalist and novelist Hector Tobar offered a charming meditation on reading and writing about Los Angeles for the New York Times that included his own list. Among the picks: “Slouching Towards Bethlehem,” by Joan Didion, “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992,” by Anna Deavere Smith, , “City of Night,” by John Rechy, “On the Road,” by Jack Kerouac, “Helter Skelter,” by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry, “The Long Goodbye,” by Raymond Chandler, “On Gold Mountain,” by Lisa See, “Devil in a Blue Dress,” by Walter Mosley.
Here are some other L.A. best books guides I like:
- Columnist Gustavo Arellano often ends the year with recommendations — some well-known, but many unexpected and quirky.
- Readers of the Guardian had their say on the topic, which gave some love to Ross MacDonald, Bret Easton Ellis and Evelyn Waugh (as well as Davis).
- The Times publishes a special literary section each year before the festival. This month has some great stories, including an essay about the rise of Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club. Also worth a look: The 50 best Hollywood books of all time.
- For another fresh take on L.A. literature, check out LA Taco’s annual best books list. It definitely strays beyond the Westside.
And finally … You must take this 1981 Los Angeles literary quiz. It does not include some of the modern masters, but it’s a lot of fun. Sample question: Which of the following leading men has not played Philip Marlowe on screen? a) Humphrey Bogart b) Robert Montgomery c) Robert Mitchum d) Paul Newman.
Today’s top stories
The California grizzly bear, gone for 100 years, could thrive if brought back
- A new study found that reintroducing the mammal into the state’s mountainous wilderness is feasible.
- California could potentially host over 1,000 grizzlies — but it’s up to residents and policymakers to decide if that’s a good idea.
Good news for Californians on ‘Tax Day’
- Tuesday’s tax filing deadline is usually a dreaded experience for taxpayers. But many restaurants are offering some financial relief this week.
- The state also is giving an automatic six-month extension to file tax returns for all Californians.
LA28 announces Dodger Stadium among new 2028 Olympic venues, lineup nearly complete
- With Dodger Stadium and Alamitos Beach joining the list, LA28 has almost completed its full venue plan for the 2028 Olympics.
- “This plan brings the Games to all corners of our city like never before — from the Sepulveda Basin to the iconic shores of Venice Beach, our world-famous neighborhoods as well as our hidden gems will be on full display for all to experience and enjoy,” Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement.
What else is going on
- California is expected to announce a lawsuit contesting Trump’s executive authority to enact international tariffs without congressional approval.
- L.A. County Sheriff’s Department spent $458 million in overtime last fiscal year. Here’s why.
- Newsom launches a tourism campaign to bring Canadians back to California.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has strong words for the Dodgers on the importance of Jackie Robinson Day.
- In a cinema-style heist, tunneling thieves steal millions in gold and jewels from downtown L.A.
- Starbucks announces a new barista dress code. Here’s what it looks like.
- That Blue Origin flight was a success but isn’t landing well among some stars.
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Commentary and opinions
- In so many ways the Trump administration has given us a window into a dystopian world, writes columnist Michael Hiltzik. But its latest attack on the Social Security system is arguably the most frightening of all.
- The Dodgers’ celebration of Jackie Robinson Day rings hollow in the wake of their White House visit, writes columnist Dylan Hernández.
- California’s first partner has a plan to fix the epidemic of violence against women. The state stepping up now is even more critical when you look at the national picture, columnist Anita Chabria writes.
This morning’s must reads
Can a baby struggle with their mental health? How this hospital is helping L.A.’s youngest. A major initiative at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles aims to address a critical but much overlooked need: mental health care for families experiencing the complex flood of joy, fear and upheaval during the first few years of a child’s life.
Other must reads
- I’ve been married 13 years. Why is vacation sex suddenly so fleeting?
- Behind the landmark trial that could reshape Meta’s future with Instagram.
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected].
For your downtime
Going out
- 🌸🌻🌷Now’s the time to step inside the most beautiful private gardens in and around L.A.
- 📽️These SoCal vintage motels have found new life. But you can’t sleep there.
Staying in
- 🧀‘Government Cheese’ — now streaming on Apple TV+ — stays outside the box with a surreal Black family in the Valley.
- 🥕 Here’s a recipe for carrot salad with lemon turmeric vinaigrette.
- ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.
A question for you: What is the best concert or music festival you experienced in California?
Stephen Brown writes: “It was the first concert for a twelve year old boy. I got my grandfather to take me to the Pan Pacific Auditorium in LA to see Elvis Presley. As Elvis entered to walk to the stage, which resembled a boxing ring surrounded on all sides by fans, the crowd went wild, girls screaming and everyone standing on folding chairs. My grandfather said ‘This place has gone crazy, let’s get out of here.’ I pleaded and got him to change his mind. I saw the show standing on my chair, and began my life long love affair with live rock ‘n roll.”
Email us at [email protected], and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.
And finally … your photo of the day
Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you have taken of spots in California that are special — natural or human-made — and tell us why they’re important to you.
Today’s great photo is from Times contributor Marcus Ubungen at a meet up for car enthusiasts, which has become a space for Altadenans to reminisce about their lost cars.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Ryan Fonseca, reporter
Andrew Campa, Sunday reporter
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Hunter Clauss, multiplatform editor
Christian Orozco, assistant editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.