L.A. Woman
Back of the Book
Eve Babitz is a writer like no other--she "is to prose what Chet Baker is to jazz" (Vanity Fair)--and she has influenced a generation of writers and readers with her sophisticated, witty, and delightful work. L.A. Woman is quintessential Babitz, the story of Sophie, a twenty-something blonde Jim Morrison groupie gliding through a golden existence in L.A. and Lola, a German immigrant who settles in Hollywood in the twenties to drive Pierce Arrows recklessly down Sunset Boulevard and who knows that Maybelline mascara cakes and Rudolph Valentino are the essence of life.
Sophie and Lola, like the many other women who move in and out of this electric saga know that while L.A. is constantly changing it is essentially eternal; through their eyes we see the mixture of high culture and low, the promises of youth and the fulfillment of nostalgia, the pink sunsets and the palm trees that are L.A. And through this fantastic tale, Babitz shares what it is to be a woman in what she convinces us is the capital of civilization.
We Love It Because
Eve Babitz’s acerbic wit is channeled into fiction in ‘L.A. Woman,’ allowing the grounded vision of Babitz’s L.A. - where everyone is witty, and their dispositions desirous and even when they’re not, they serve a purpose in the punchline of the overall story. Babitz’s cool and blasé Sophie maintains a sense of naivete that allows the propulsion of the plot and avoids (somewhat narrowly, since Babitz’s tone is so singular) the accusation that the main character is just a poorly masked stand-in for Babitz herself.
Memorable Passage
Suddenly our particular trance turned into a monarch butterfly and everybody knew just how to make it look real. Though irrevocable loss did cling since it was only a movie.
About the Author
Eve Babitz (1943–2021) was an American author and artist whose free-spirited approach to life and creative expression left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape. Born into a prominent Los Angeles family, Babitz gained notoriety in the 1960s and 1970s as a captivating figure in the bohemian art and music scenes. Her writing, including works like Eve's Hollywood and Slow Days, Fast Company, captures the essence of Southern California's counterculture with wit, charm, and a keen observational eye. Babitz's candid memoirs and essays provide a window into the hedonistic and intellectual milieu of the time, while her distinctive voice and humor resonate with readers seeking a deeper understanding of the human experience. Beyond her literary contributions, Babitz was known for her artistic endeavors, having designed album covers for iconic musicians. Eve Babitz is worth knowing for her unique blend of literary and artistic talent, her evocative storytelling, and her role as a cultural icon capturing the spirit of a transformative era.
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