Product Description

Then & Now: Santa Monica is the second in our series that showcases photographs of buildings and locales from decades past, contrasted with recent photographs of these same locations and today's inhabitants. Reminisce about the famous buildings that still stand, and visit the newer architectural and cultural contributions to California's beautiful Santa Monica in this visually rich documentation of memories and inevitable change.

Jake Klein is a writer, photographer, editor, creative director, and author of Then & Now: San Fernando, and has contributed to Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, US Weekly, and British GQ. He is currently an editor with Wink Media and lives in Los Angeles.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #583998 in Books
• Published on: 2003-10-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

From the Inside Flap
Having been born of a desire to live on the water's edge, Santa Monica is a playground for the lucky souls-from senators to congressmen, from movie stars and moguls and every strata in between-who have managed to find ways to live here.

Santa Monica is magnetic. It was founded on a desire for pleasure and for the vibrant creative pulse that comes with life lived on the edge of a continent.

From its humble roots as a dusty mining town to its status as an important part of California's future, Then and Now; Santa Monica is a celebration of the spirit that makes the city an ever-calling destination for generations of locals and tourists alike.

About the Author
Jake Klein is a writer, photographer, editor, creative director, and author of Then & Now: San Fernando, and has contributed to Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, US Weekly, and British GQ. He is currently an editor with Wink Media and lives in Los Angeles.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
There is an indefatigable pioneer spirit that courses through the veins of those that are driven to tame and settle American places. Southern California history is rife with those souls who were drawn to this wild land; it was utterly open, as yet untouched by man's heavy hands. Santa Monica is a jeweled coastal city perched on the edge of America and as such, has attracted those who value the expansive vista that is the American dream.

Customer Reviews

This Could Have Been Good
Oh, I had my hopes up on this book. As a photographer myself with many images from around Santa Monica in the 50s & 60s, I know what the potential could have been, since this town has changed dramatically over the years. Unfortunately, this book falls way short. The reproduction quality is poor, and many of the photographs chosen for the "then" part are just not very good or interesting. The "now" photographs that compare the passage of time fall flat too. I suppose this book is "fun" for the low price that it sells for. Unfortunately, it falls short of what it could be.

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE
Having raised my family in Santa Monica I found the book a nostalgic pleasure. Well done.

One exception: On page 56 is a picture of the "Nebeker Residence", built around 1903 by Colonel Nebeker. On page 57 it is stated that the house is "long gone". NOT TRUE!!

My family lived in the house from 1970 to 1986. Another family resides there now.

The story was told to me by Colonel Nebeker's daughter. The house was moved, around 1925, from its site at the corner of San Vicente Blvd.Georgina Avenue and Ocean Avenue to its present site, one half block
up at 216 Georgina Avenue. It is still standing there, occupied, and beautiful, as it was 106 years ago.

riddled with inaccuracies
This book has an appealing cover which makes one want to pick it up and enjoy but, unfortunately, the historical information included here is far from accurate. I would NOT recommend this to someone interested in Santa Monica's history. There are definitely better books on the subject.