The Ultimate L.A. Bookshelf

In time for the 2023 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, we asked writers with deep ties to the city: What books define L.A.? What poems, essays, mysteries, memoirs, histories, short stories, sci-fi novels and literary works would you press on a new arrival to help them understand the city, learn something new and have a great time?

Ninety-five writers responded to our survey, and we culled their recommendations into 110 titles across eight categories, spanning from the 1880s to last year. Our list incorporates their often fierce and profound arguments; another piece features our favorite comments. And we asked contributors (some of them also on the list) to write essays about the most influential selections. One even argues that there is no Ultimate L.A. Bookshelf. And it’s true: L.A.’s canon is constantly shedding its old skins, just like the city itself.