L. A. : A Magazine for Souther California, Vol. I, Nos. 1-11. by ROBERTS, Myron [editor] - 1958-60

Claremont: D & R Publishing, 1958-60. First edition of this influential little magazine. There were three other issues pubished (Vol. I. No. 12 and Vol. II, nos. 1-2) but in Number 11 the editors announced that it was their plan to become an ad-free publiscation. Hence it's demise. After the 14th issue it became part of the "Southern California Prompter" and then, in 1961, it became the magazine we know today - "Los Angeles Magazine". Each issue was separately paginated (36 pp. in the first issue and 30 pp. in the last). Illustrated throughout. Bound in red cloth with gilt cover lettering. Wrappers bound in. Excellent.L.A. was, at the time, the only magazine devoted to all things Los Angeles. Although founded by three partners, it was really the child of Myron Roberts (who penned many of the articles herein under a pseudonym). It was a lightly left of center magazine and was quite influential during it's short life and lured a number of famous writers to its pages. The Beat movement was in full swing and they embraced it. The art director for the first few issues was the well respected Joseph Mugnaini. Among the articles and stories of note are "Helen, Thy Beauty is to Me" by John Fante; "The Curse of Chavez Ravine" by Joe Rothstein; "Zen Buddhism" by Michael Malone; "A Plague on T.V. Vritics" by Tom Duggan; "Reflections on the Guilottine" by Albert Camus (One of many article backing Caryl Chessman's fight against the death penalty).