An icon of Southern California and one of America's most imaginative and vibrant cities--the fitting destination at the end of Route 66--Santa Monica lies on the brink of the West and is known throughout the nation for its beaches and its Hollywood A-list locals With a foundation built by the Gabrielino Indians and molded by Spanish and Mexican land grants, railroad battles, and a constant influx of settlers, Santa Monica became an oceanside haven for actors and airplane companies, road races and ranchers.

The collection is thematically linked by both the characters-who are struggling to realize their Hollywood dreams and the setting-Santa Monica, California. A seemingly peaceful seaside city, Santa Monica is also a purgatory where the characters must face failure and loss-as well as their demons and ghosts. Family and ritual are consistent motifs throughout the collection, as are the themes of escape, addiction, redemption, reparation, religion, and death. Whether it is a young couple looking to buy their first home or a man returning to his hometown for a funeral or a baptism, readers will find the everyday rituals in these stories identifiable in many ways.

2020 Miriam Matthews Ethnic History Award from the Los Angeles City Historical Society Alison Rose Jefferson examines how African Americans pioneered America’s “frontier of leisure” by creating communities and business projects in conjunction with their growing population in Southern California during the nation’s Jim Crow era.

'Portrait of Santa Monica, 1902,' written by Sara Crown of the Santa Monica History Museum

Santa Monica Pier now stands as the last remnant of the bay's once many pleasure piers. For over 100 years it has captured the imagination of its many visitors. This collection of vintage images, artwork, history and treasured lore offers readers the opportunity to travel through time.

Los Angeles sprawled westward toward the sand and sea of Santa Monica Bay throughout the twentieth century as land-grant ranchos gave way to capitalists and promoters. Developers subdivided the coastal land into neighborhoods and communities: Santa Monica, Brentwood, Bel-Air, Westwood, Venice, Ocean Park, Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Marina del Rey. These became places known to the nation at large for movie stars, moguls and business tycoons; for Will Rogers, Henry Huntington and UCLA; and for estate homes, amusement piers and surfing beaches. Join Jan Loomis, a former West L.A. magazine publisher and historian, as she tells the stories behind how it all came to be West Los Angeles.

A collection of 58 stories and pictures of vintage signs in Santa Monica and the businesses behind them.

A witty, honest, and savvy guide to Santa Monica, Venice, and environs: where to eat, shop, learn, discover and explore.