Bernstein’s ‘Preserving Los Angeles’ just released
NEW BOOK: published in April.
At a wonderful late-April book launch event attended by 497 people via Zoom, author Ken Bernstein and photographer Stephen Shafer discussed their new book, “Preserving Los Angeles,” with award-winning local author and National Trust for Historic Preservation trustee Lisa See. Bernstein is a principal city planner in the City Planning Department, and he directs the city’s Office of Historic Resources. Previously, he was the director of preservation issues for the Los Angeles Conservancy.
I had the privilege of reviewing an advance copy of the book, and it truly is worth reading (and owning!). It is 256 pages long, with more than 300 full-color images. Architectural photographer Shafer makes a major contribution to Bernstein’s story, one that touches less on the “old reliable” monuments that we locals generally know, and more on the less-known and even hidden historic treasures throughout the region. Many of these contributors to our collective history were overlooked until the completion of “SurveyLA,” the first citywide survey of local historic resources, done in partnership with the J. Paul Getty Trust. The introducer of the speakers at the April 20 book launch was Tim Whalen, Director of the Getty Conservation Institute (and current chair of the National Trust for Historic Preservation).
The wonderful new book will be available widely, including at Chevalier’s Books, which held a virtual book talk the night before this issue of the Larchmont Chronicle was delivered to our readers. The Los Angeles Central Library hosts an event at 5:30 p.m. on April 29; the Los Angeles Conservancy (LAC) presents a conversation between Bernstein and LAC president Linda Dishman at noon on May 5; and the Society of Architectural Historians has an event with Bernstein on Saturday, May 8 at 1 p.m. All are virtual, and the links are listed on a KPCC “Air Talk” page at:
Category: Entertainment
