“The Frontier of Leisure” by Lawrence Culver – Lecture and Book Signing


In May of 2011, I met Lawrence Culver while participating in a tour of the LA River. As we chatted while exploring Marsh Park, located adjacent to the River in the Elysian Valley neighborhood of Los Angeles, I learned that he is an Assistant Professor of History at Utah State University and had recently written a book titled The Frontier of Leisure: Southern California and the Shaping of Modern America, published by Oxford University Press. 

As he explained his research to me and shared some of his findings, I became increasingly fascinated by the subject and anxious to read the book. Several months later I did just that. While this post is not a book review per se, let me just say that I found Mr. Culver’s work both entertaining and insightful. It explores the history of tourism and the ways in which southern California inspired new architectural styles and urban development patterns across the United States.

If this subject intrigues you as much as it did me, you now have an opportunity to hear Mr. Culver speak about the book and his research at an event sponsored by the Society of Architectural Historians / Southern California Chapter (SAH/SCC). A book signing will follow the lecture.

DETAILS

When: April 22, 2012 from 02:00 to 3:30 PM

Where: Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium at the Santa Monica Central Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica.

More Information: This is a free event; seating is available on a first-come, first served basis; Call 310.458.8600 for more details.

Purchase the Book: