One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
James Ellroy in the Spotlight at Zócalo Tonight
James Ellroy | Photo: Marion Ettlinger
by Lyle Zimskind, Special to LAistIf he does say so himself, LA’s own iconic chronicler of 20th century American crime James Ellroy has just published his “ultimate masterpiece." Following American Tabloid (1995) and The Cold Six Thousand (2001), Blood’s a Rover completes Ellroy’s “Underworld USA” trilogy of novels exploring the dark side of the dark side of our country’s political madness circa 1958-1972.
Here, Richard Nixon, J. Edgar Hoover, Howard Hughes and other real historical figures “rub shoulders and other body parts with an unalloyed cast of peepers, prowlers, pederasts, pedants, panty-sniffers, punks, and pimps.” Not to mention a Yalie FBI agent raised in the Klan, a heroin-running ex-Vegas cop, and a 23-year-old right-wing virgin private investigator. And the key to it all is really a woman named Joan.
No less unsparing, and compelling, in his public appearances than in his prose, Ellroy will be talking about Blood’s a Rover at the Hammer Museum this evening at 7 pm as part of the Zócalo Public Square’s invaluable series of free public events. It doesn’t cost anything to get in, but seating is limited, so reserve online before you go.
James Ellroy at Zócalo
Hammer Museum
7 pm
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
