Los Angeles Literary Scene (or lack of) (Santa Monica: school, to live)

[Moriarti]

It's always been strange to me how a city like LA could be so lacking in a literary scene, literary magazines etc. Not to mention, can you name five great LA writers? Honestly I have trouble even naming one. But this gets into personal preferences. Raymond Chandler is very readable and very good. John Fante as well. Charles Bukowski had his moments but is vastly overrated by his devotees who, from the ones I knew, read Bukowski and Bukowski only, and thus have nothing to compare him to.

NYC, has of course, the New Yorker and dozens of other literary magazines. The Paris Review, the Atlantic etc. The collective voice of the neurotic white male is pretty strong in most NY literary magazines. But at least its a voice. At least there is a scene(and there are alternative and more diverse literary mags in NYC to counter this voice). What does LA have? It's sad really. We have nothing. Could it be that screenwriting dominates our city to the point there is no room for a literary scene? Could it be the sprawling landscape of the city that makes it more difficult for a scene to take hold?

Back to Bukowski. It seems like this city, the readers that is, can't get over him. Downtown and San Pedro bars still have Bukowski nights. Drunk people everywhere love to quote him. There's even a bar in Santa Monica named after him now (Barkowski). Can't we not do better than a drunken misogynist who never saw a cliche he didn't like? Okay, maybe thats a bit harsh. Bukowski is and will be an important literary figure to LA. But, the fact that he still looms so large over this city is just proof how weak the LA literary scene is. Where is LA's voice?

[bruhms]

What is Bukowski?

[Moriarti]

Originally Posted by bruhms

What is Bukowski?

When I don't know anything about a topic I usually stay out of it. At the very least I make use of google to find out. Why didn't you?

[Bunjee]

Originally Posted by Moriarti

When I don't know anything about a topic I usually stay out of it. At the very least I make use of google to find out. Why didn't you?

Eh, check out Les Figues Press, and others--or better yet, contact them, talk to them--before coming to C-D, if this is something that interests you. Never go for the easy assertion.

[bruhms]

Originally Posted by Moriarti

When I don't know anything about a topic I usually stay out of it. At the very least I make use of google to find out. Why didn't you?

lol my joke failed. Although maybe this is the reason we don't have a literary scene.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Originally Posted by Moriarti

It's always been strange to me how a city like LA could be so lacking in a literary scene, literary magazines etc. Not to mention, can you name five great LA writers? Honestly I have trouble even naming one. But this gets into personal preferences. Raymond Chandler is very readable and very good. John Fante as well. Charles Bukowski had his moments but is vastly overrated by his devotees who, from the ones I knew, read Bukowski and Bukowski only, and thus have nothing to compare him to.

NYC, has of course, the New Yorker and dozens of other literary magazines. The Paris Review, the Atlantic etc. The collective voice of the neurotic white male is pretty strong in most NY literary magazines. But at least its a voice. At least there is a scene(and there are alternative and more diverse literary mags in NYC to counter this voice). What does LA have? It's sad really. We have nothing. Could it be that screenwriting dominates our city to the point there is no room for a literary scene? Could it be the sprawling landscape of the city that makes it more difficult for a scene to take hold?

Back to Bukowski. It seems like this city, the readers that is, can't get over him. Downtown and San Pedro bars still have Bukowski nights. Drunk people everywhere love to quote him. There's even a bar in Santa Monica named after him now (Barkowski). Can't we not do better than a drunken misogynist who never saw a cliche he didn't like? Okay, maybe thats a bit harsh. Bukowski is and will be an important literary figure to LA. But, the fact that he still looms so large over this city is just proof how weak the LA literary scene is. Where is LA's voice?

Perhaps we tend to exhibit fewer Frankfurt School ideals out here. Enjoy your stay.

[quixotic59]

Originally Posted by Moriarti

When I don't know anything about a topic I usually stay out of it. At the very least I make use of google to find out. Why didn't you?

Evidently you don't. You should heed your own advice in the future.

Los Angeles | Poets and Writers


Arts and culture of Los Angeles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Books About Los Angeles - Top Books About LA


Book Signings & Literary LA | Discover Los Angeles


The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society is "Writers Mentoring Writers of All Disciplines"



'You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear.'

Sherlock Holmes

[BRinSM]

i read the atlantic (via their website) almost daily. when i read articles from the atlantic I don't really sense a NYC bias, as they have writers based all over the country, including LA. just because a publication is edited in a certain city doesn't mean their writers have to live there.

as for authors, we can also claim ray bradbury (if you're into scifi).

[Moriarti]

Originally Posted by quixotic59

Evidently you don't. You should heed your own advice in the future.

Los Angeles | Poets and Writers


Arts and culture of Los Angeles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Books About Los Angeles - Top Books About LA


Book Signings & Literary LA | Discover Los Angeles


The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society is "Writers Mentoring Writers of All Disciplines"



'You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear.'

Sherlock Holmes

*sigh*

Clueless response. Wikipedia links...good grief.

[Moriarti]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

i read the atlantic (via their website) almost daily. when i read articles from the atlantic I don't really sense a NYC bias, as they have writers based all over the country, including LA. just because a publication is edited in a certain city doesn't mean their writers have to live there.

as for authors, we can also claim ray bradbury (if you're into scifi).

The Atlantic is based in DC so I made a mistake my including them. And its not much of a literary mag anymore. It's more focused on politics, foreign and domestic affairs etc.