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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
