Awards

 Library Journal

Palm trees, hard bodies, sun 'n' surf, movie stars, earthquakes....Los Angeles is arguably the world's most diverse, fascinating, colorful, and evolving city-and one difficult to capture in a book, but Stanic has miraculously succeeded. With a combination of no-nonsense writing (e.g., "By the 1970's famed Hollywood Boulevard had become a seedy mix of shabby T-shirt and souvenir shops") and superb photographs of as high a quality as those that Dorling Kindersley publishes, the book takes readers on a realistic tour of Los Angeles, both laudatory and critical. A thorough introduction to the city's history sets the stage for a look at "Lifestyles," "Culture," and "Exploring Los Angeles." Along the way, readers learn who the most prolific graffiti tagger is, where celebrities repose in famously over-the-top cemeteries, which buildings were used in the making of movies and TV shows, and much, much more. Southern California librarians will definitely want this book to show their readers just how little they really know about this unique city, while other libraries should stock their shelves with it for the many people planning to visit El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciúncula. Highly recommended!—Joseph L. Carlson, Allan Hancock Coll., Lompoc, CA

Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

Los Angeles Times

Travel bookshelf: a top-flight new guide for L.A. locals

Nobody asked me, but I have a gift recommendation for everybody who thinks they know Los Angeles well.

It’s a new guidebook: “Los Angeles Attractions,” by Borislav Stanic (Museon Publishing, $24.95).

Don’t let the drab title deceive you.

Since it landed on my desk some weeks ago, I’ve been dipping into this 512-page first edition, looking for flaws. But the time has come to acknowledge that this book, published this year, is a gem, jam-packed with photos (1,770 of them) and maps (40) and details that reach beyond the usual guidebook fare.

Some tidbits:

Dorothy Dandridge’s death site (El Palacio Apartments on Fountain Avenue in West Hollywood).

The rise and fall of the streetcar system.

Homes of the stars.

The TV star who died of a heart attack on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (William Frawley, 1966).

Wonders of modernist architecture.

Madonna’s former home near Beachwood Canyon.

The revolving cocktail lounge on top of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel downtown.

They’re all here, along with the more usual suspects, on glossy paper between sturdy, soft covers.

So what’s not here? Hotel and restaurant guidance.

The author pays plenty of attention to architecturally significant buildings, which include many hotels and restaurants, but he dispenses with eatery and lodging listings in a dozen pages at the end of the book.

(Conversely, Los Angeles history, lifestyles and culture get 98 pages upfront.)

So this is not the place to turn for advice on where to stay or eat. It’s where to turn for advice on everything to do in between eating and sleeping. Great for locals and veteran visitors, perhaps not so great for newcomers.

But how many of us are newcomers, anyway?

After seeing so many versions of the Los Angeles 101 course from all the usual guidebook series suspects, it’s nice to see an upper-division approach to the city from an independent.

– Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times staff writer

Chicago Tribune

BOOKS FOR THE RESOURCEFUL TRAVELER

It is one of the most famous cities in the world and also one of the most maligned. Los Angeles has been criticized as superficial, as one big parking lot, as not even being a real city. Author Borislav Stanic disagrees. The city, he insists, is misunderstood. Consisting of more than 1,000 entries and nearly 1,800 photographs, this endlessly fascinating guide is a visually stunning portrait of the history, lifestyles and culture of the Los Angeles area—from Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley to the beach cities and the Westside. The early motion-picture industry is amply represented, as is the city's car culture. "Los Angeles," Stanic says, "is the only major city fundamentally shaped by the automobile." Despite beliefs to the contrary, Los Angeles is also a literary center, and Stanic offers excerpts from some of the best-known examples of fiction set in L.A. (Nathanael West's "The Day of the Locust"). He also looks at the Los Angeles sound (from the Beach Boys and the Byrds to the Doors and the Eagles), Los Angeles' murals and Los Angeles in art. In addition, he explores the city's eclectic architectural styles (from Art Deco to the 1950s-era Googie architecture). Stanic discusses not only the ubiquitous movie star homes and motion-picture studios, but also museums, historic movie theaters, historic landmarks, churches, cemeteries, beaches, famous restaurants (Yamashiro, an authentic replica of a Japanese palace) and famous private residences (Chemosphere, an octagonal structure that resembles a flying saucer). The photographs and vintage postcards are striking, and the concise descriptions capture the nation's second-largest city in all its wonderful, goofy glory.

The Midwest Book Review

Los Angeles Magazine

BUZZ At Your Service: The Best of L.A.

Though an all-inclusive guidebook for L.A. would be virtually impossible to produce, Borislav Stanic’s LOS ANGELES ATTRACTIONS (Museon, 512 pages, $24.95) comes close. It has an artistry that Fodor’s and TimeOut lack. Its glossy pages are jam-packed not only with maps, photos, and concise descriptions of landmarks but also with contextual historical information. Surprising spot: Who knew that Blue Jay Way in the Hollywood Hills inspired the Beatles song of the same name? Navigation tools: Vintage photos and succinct overviews explain how the region became a center for agriculture, architecture, transportation, fashion, and beach culture. Star smarts: Maps to celebrity gravestones and a nod to the “Hugh Grant Arrest Site,” where the actor was picked up for soliciting a prostitute.

ForeWord Magazine

For a guide that will entertain the actual as well as the armchair traveler, turn to Los Angeles Attractions by Borislav Stanic (Museon Publishing, 978-1-889224-11-4). Hundreds of glossy pages and color photographs describe popular sites, including movie locations, museums, and historic buildings like the Biltmore Hotel. The extensive index allows readers to look up topics from Johnny Depp to streetcars.