Tere Tereba welcomes a surprise special guest to Book Soup

September 24, 2012 by

“He was LA’s top mobster for a generation. You don’t get more outrageous and brazen than Mickey Cohen,” says author Tere Tereba. “He was the ultimate anti-hero because he did what he wanted to do. He went against the cops, he fought city hall. He did all the things you’re not supposed to do and everybody’s afraid to do. Even his showy style of doing business. He dressed the way he wanted to, in a semi-Zoot suit. He knew what he liked and he followed it.”

Earlier this year, Tereba published the acclaimed book “Mickey Cohen: The Life and Crimes of L.A.’s Notorious Mobster” outlining the history of the man and the city, from Prohibition to the mid ’70s. This Friday, Sept. 28, she welcomes a surprise special guest to her reading and signing at Book Soup on Sunset Boulevard, which was Cohen’s turf in his heyday.

Oh, and drinks will be served!  Zoot suits optional.

The event starts at 7 p.m. at Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood/Los Angeles, CA 90069; 310-659-3110.

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Book offers breezy look at Elizabeth Taylor’s feminist legacy

February 13, 2012 by

She wasn’t a bra burner – her bras were too pricey to torch. ; ) But mega-star Elizabeth Taylor, as defiant as she was dazzling, introduced a broad audience to feminist ideas through her portrayal of iconic characters. So says author M.G. Lord in her new book “The Accidental Feminist: How Elizabeth Taylor Raised Our Consciousness and We Were Too Distracted by Her Beauty to Notice” (Walker & Co., $23).

For proof, Lord analyzes a number of films, including “National Velvet” (1944), “A Place in the Sun” (1951), “Giant” (1956), “Suddenly, Last Summer” (1959), “BUtterfield 8” (1960) and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (1966). Lord also looks at Taylor’s off-screen life (it would be hard not to), particularly her fund-raising efforts in the 1980s for AIDS research.

Elizabeth Taylor (Feb. 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011)

The book – a potpourri of breezy backstory, biographical nibbles and fresh insights into Taylor’s work – is a fast, fun read, perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon, followed by tubs of popcorn and Taylor movie-viewing.

Of Lord’s many sources, I especially liked the input from syndicated gossip columnist Liz Smith, who described Taylor as follows: “No movie of hers quite captures the rather ordinary woman she is – full of fun, rather wacky, often wise, often foolish, her life and motivations inevitably morphed by fame.

“When you are with her, it is her history and the atmosphere around her that are daunting. She is just a short, funny gal who wants to talk about what’s next on the menu.”

Lord, a cultural critic, investigative journalist and author of “Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll” and “Astro Turf: The Private Life of Rocket Science” will discuss and sign “The Accidental Feminist” at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17, at Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood. And at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, Diesel bookstore, 225 26th St. in Brentwood, will host a publication party for Lord’s book.

Peter Coca and Cheryl Klein

Additionally, The Last Bookstore this week welcomes writers Cheryl Klein and Peter Coca in what looks to be a noir-infused event. Says Klein: “I’ll be reading from my untitled circus-novel-in-progress, and I’ll do my best to find something appropriately post-Valentine’s. Meaningless sex? A breakup? Happy singlehood? You’ll have to wait and see. Also, bring your own stuff for the open mic if you dare. Please dare. Or don’t. It’s cool either way.”

The reading will start at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at The Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles.

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Frank DeCaro dishes up heaping helpings of camp in ‘The Dead Celebrity Cookbook’

January 10, 2012 by

“Highly offensive and exceedingly faggy.” It's all good for retro cookbook author Frank DeCaro.

“There’s a name for someone who says, ‘I can’t watch a movie in black and white.’ Stupid!”

So said Frank DeCaro, author of “The Dead Celebrity Cookbook,” last night at a book signing in West Hollywood. A writer, critic and performer, DeCaro hosts a morning call-in program on Sirius XM satellite radio and writes the Icons column for CBS’ Watch! magazine.

He also likes to cook and throw parties. When the celebs were kind enough to die, as he puts it, the book seemed a natural. Highlights from noiristas include: Otto Preminger’s Deviled Eggs, Joan Crawford’s Poached Salmon, Bette Davis’ Red Flannel Hash, Lucille Ball’s Sunday Night Goulash, Fred MacMurray’s Flemish Pot Roast, Truman Capote’s Fettuccine, Anthony Perkins’ Tuna Salad, Alfred Hitchcock’s Quiche Lorraine, Janet Leigh’s Gâteau Doré, Agnes Moorehead’s Lobster Mousse, William Holden’s Hamburgers à la Hong Kong and Gregory Peck’s Ratatouille.

DeCaro’s favorite: Liberace’s Sticky Buns. “If Liberace didn’t know how funny that was, then the whole world crumbles,” said DeCaro. He is up front that he did not test every recipe, particularly Don Ho’s pigs’ feet soup. DeCaro suggests not picking Crawford’s salmon as a first effort. “Don’t start with Joan Crawford; that’s always good advice.”

And be warned: because many of the recipes are retro, they might call for fat-gram disasters like canned cream of mushroom soup. “You have to remember that frozen and canned food was not considered tacky,” he said. “It was considered modern, instant, groovy!”

Frank DeCaro and FNB at Book Soup in West Hollywood

Having spent 15 years collecting recipes, DeCaro also has plenty of noshing trivia. Did you know that per capita Hawaii eats the most SPAM and Utah eats the most JELL-O?

Granted, the book might cause some to wince or groan (he includes a pie recipe from Karen Carpenter). One detractor told DeCaro she thought his book was “highly offensive and exceedingly faggy,” which pleases DeCaro to no end. He is now working on a Christmas edition.

Speaking of maximizing opportunity, DeCaro’s domestic advice was not limited to the kitchen. He’s fond of telling his husband Jim Colucci: “You cannot sleep with anyone but me. Unless it’s good for your career.”

“The Dead Celebrity Cookbook: A Resurrection of Recipes from More Than 145 Stars of Stage and Screen” (HCI Books, $19.95)

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‘Glenn Ford: A Life’ is an intimate view of a star

May 25, 2011 by

Peter Ford will discuss and sign his book “Glenn Ford: A Life” at 7 p.m. Friday at Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA, 90069, 310-659-3110. The foreword is by Patrick McGilligan.

Some background on the book, provided by event organizers:

Glenn Ford – star of such now-classic films as “Gilda,” “Blackboard Jungle,” “The Big Heat,” “3:10 to Yuma,” and “The Rounders” – had rugged good looks, a long and successful career, and a glamorous Hollywood life. Yet the man who could be accessible and charming on screen retreated to a deeply private world he created behind closed doors.

This biography by Ford’s son, Peter, offers an intimate view of a star’s private and public life. Included are exclusive interviews with family, friends, and professional associates, and snippets from the Ford family collection of diaries, letters, audiotapes, unpublished interviews, and rare candid photos.

This biography tells a cautionary tale of Glenn Ford’s relentless infidelities and long, slow fade-out, but it also embraces his talent-driven career. The result is an authentic Hollywood story that isn’t afraid to reveal the truth.

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