Poetry Los Angeles: Reading the Essential Poems of the City

Goldstein's (English, Univ. of Michigan) study is as much an investigation of the mystery of the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles as it is an investigation of poetry. It is important to note that the book is not about Los Angeles poets but is rather a study of various poems written about the city. In addition, this is a literary study, not an anthology, although complete poems are presented and then critiqued throughout. An entire chapter is devoted to Charles Bukowski, who is often considered the quintessential L.A. poet. Wanda Coleman, another poet closely tied to the city, is discussed several times, with a long stretch in the chapter focused on South Central L.A. Works by numerous other poets, including Gary Soto, Jimmy Santiago Baca, Robert Hass, and Diane Wakoski, are also examined. Goldstein, who grew up in Los Angeles, knows the area well; this is evident in the importance he affords the Latino influence, the ocean, and the freeways on the landscape.