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Category Archive: REAL

How to Love Los Angeles by Chris Daley

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“Use the literature of Los Angeles as a guide. Read about Acosta’s cockroach people, Babitz’s sex and rage, Banham’s ecologies, Beatty’s white boy shuffle, Boyle’s tortilla curtain, Braverman’s frantic transmissions, Bukowski’s post office, Butler’s speech sounds and Brinig’s flutter of an eyelid.”

AFLW February 15, 2017 DEPARTMENTS, Letter to L.A., Non-Fiction, REAL

Sibling Rivalry by Robert Kaplan

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“I’d never asked for a brother, but suddenly, there he was, and I got a Disney View Master, a plastic toy that brought a slide show to life as light shined through.”

AFLW March 23, 2017 Non-Fiction, REAL

Excerpt: GUN, NEEDLE, SPOON by Patrick O’Neil

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At Angels Flight • literary west, we love being in L.A., but in this excerpt from his memoir, GUN, NEEDLE, SPOON, Patrick O’Neil tells the story of a time when he had to get out.

AFLW March 17, 2017 DEPARTMENTS, Excerpt, Non-Fiction, REAL

Q&A With Patrick O’Neil by Seth Fischer

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“Then one day, out on the yard, a giant corn-fed thug, his skin covered in swastikas, sided up to me and handed me this book: ‘Yo, ya gotta read this, bro.’” A Q&A with AFLW’s creative non-fiction editor Seth Fischer and Patrick O’Neil, author of GUN, NEEDLE, SPOON, and also a teacher, filmmaker, former roadie, former junkie, former bank robber and current badass.

AFLW March 17, 2017 DEPARTMENTS, Excerpt, Non-Fiction, REAL

A Revolution in Hospitality by Michael Berger

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“Hospitality is one of our most vital forms of resistance. Each of us must push past our hatred and fear to open a door, and each of us must find the courage to step in.”

AFLW February 7, 2017 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

The Choice by Keah Brown

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“There is a choice we must make: to be on the right side of history or the wrong one, to say, ‘I fought in the face of fascism’ or ‘I just went along for the ride.'” On resistance, black joy, disability and work to do by #DisabledAndCute creator Keah Brown.

AFLW February 4, 2017 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

Modern Love by Julia Ingalls

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Julia Ingalls has always reconciled difficult times through music. Hearing David Bowie’s “Modern Love” on the night of the election, “the song was now a lesson in how to battle alienation with a snazzy rictus, to stand among the brightest lights yet feel utterly alone, in the dark.”

AFLW January 25, 2017 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

An Investment by Daniel A. Barron

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On the heels of the powerful Women’s March, when love trumped hate en masse, a message from the heart: Invest in love.

AFLW January 21, 2017 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

The Ship Will Come In by Chris Morris

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A call to action: “As the dark wings of native fascism threaten to blot out our sun, it is essential that American writers, artists, poets, journalists and musicians use their imaginative resources to push against that darkness.”

AFLW January 20, 2017 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

What Lies Ahead? by Désirée Zamorano

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Author and activist Désirée Zamorano questions how we go forward, but is determined to fight. “Each day the news can be petrifying, freezing us in steps. What good can I do? And since we cannot do this alone, to you I say, ‘Join us, bring your art, your talent, your compassion, your energy.’ Because there is no Wonder Woman. There’s only us.”

AFLW January 15, 2017 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

Year in Review: Best Books

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We have been honored to feature an array of tremendous titles from incredibly talented and diverse writers of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Here are some of our favorites published in the year we now leave behind.

AFLW December 31, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Excerpt, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, REAL, UNREAL

Unapologetically Muslim-American and Proud by Haneen Oriqat

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“Our role to make our country great will never be easy, but the American way is to get back up and fight for what this country should and must stand for. I am not alone. We are not alone. Sending peace and love to my fellow Americans. We’ve got work to do.”

AFLW January 13, 2017 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

On the Outskirts of Our Country by Stephanie Zhong

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Visiting Manzanar, a former Japanese internment camp in the California desert, challenged one writer to ask how to move forward after witnessing the consequences of U.S. policies through the lens of history. “To realize that, no matter who’s in charge, this is our country. We, the people, play a valuable part in transforming it.”

AFLW January 12, 2017 DEPARTMENTS, ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

Enough by Alana Saltz

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For the first time in her life, writer Alana Saltz is afraid of being Jewish. She isn’t alone. Yet history has taught her not to give in to fear, but to fight back and to survive.

AFLW January 4, 2017 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

We Are the Story by Samantha Dunn

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“We live inside stories. Stories we tell ourselves about who we are, about where we come from, about what the world is.” Now, more than ever, author Samantha Dunn is committed to telling her story and to helping others tell their stories, too. “This is a long game, folks. Be the storytellers.”

AFLW December 30, 2016 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

THE POLITICAL COOKBOOK by George R. Wolfe

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A holiday toast to fighting the good fight. Get a taste of THE POLITICAL COOKBOOK: A Compendium of American Dishes by humorist George R. Wolfe. First, we whet your appetite with satirical cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Then, main dishes and desserts. Vive la Revolution!

AFLW December 24, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Humor, ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

What I Learned Interviewing Scott Baio for My School Paper by Ryann Perlstein

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Ryann Perlstein, a 16-year-old high school sophomore, learned a tough lesson in adult politics when she interviewed a parent for her school paper. The parent turned out to be celebrity Republican Scott Baio. And the experience made her realize how critical it is now to take action to make a difference.

AFLW December 21, 2016 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

My White Pantsuit Blues by Hope Demetriades

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When the Electoral College cast its vote, our collective loss on 11/9 resonated doubly. How do we continue to hope when hope seems lost and far off?

AFLW December 19, 2016 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

Keep Walking by Lauren Eggert-Crowe

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“I hadn’t noticed the accumulation of paper cuts until now. All those moments when I gave a man something he wanted. I carry around these memories like a jar of stones that dream of shattering windows.”

AFLW December 15, 2016 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

Pinata Tuesday by Judy Viertel

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“I wish I could make the piñata’s vibrant colors fade to pale nothingness, but I still see that mouth. It haunts me like a giant black hole, hungry to suck the entire universe into its grim, empty abyss.”

AFLW December 14, 2016 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

Time to Stop Saying ‘Leader of the Free World’ by Kurt B. Pitzer

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“Can you imagine a Saddam-like statue outside the White House — a massive, gold-plated tuft of hair blotting out the view from the Jefferson Memorial — bearing the words ‘Donald J. Trump, Leader of the Free World?’ Don’t laugh. It could happen.”

AFLW December 6, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Humor, ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

No You Can’t: Why I’m Still Crying Over Hillary Clinton’s Loss by Eirene Donohue

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“I am Her. Every woman is, whether she knows it or not. And the tears keep falling.”

AFLW December 3, 2016 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

An Open Letter to My Daughter After Donald Trump’s Election by J. Brian Charles

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A poignant letter and apology from a journalist and writer to his daughter in this tenuous and frightening time mounting in our country, a promise to do all he can and a message for her: Resist.

AFLW December 1, 2016 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

Hope After Trump by Kerry Neville

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A pledge we make. “Hope is no superficial undertaking, but demands absolute allegiance even in apocalyptic times.”

AFLW December 1, 2016 ISSUES, Non-Fiction, REAL, Wall of Resistance

Excerpt: Los Angeles in the 1970s by David Kukoff

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A instant bestseller, LOS ANGELES IN THE 1970s, an anthology edited by David Kukoff, gives an insider’s look into the good, the bad and the ugly of L.A. in its heyday, with contributions from The Doors’ John Densmore, Matthew Specktor, Luis Rodriguez, Susan Hayden, Deanne Stillman, Dana Johnson, Jeremy Rosenberg and more.

AFLW December 31, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Excerpt, Non-Fiction, REAL

Fifty Shades of Free by Robin Rinaldi

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“Some people will backpack or scale mountains to remember who they really are. Some dive to the blackest ocean depths or don boxing gloves or parachute into thin air. I found a different way.”

AFLW October 13, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Excerpt, Non-Fiction, REAL

THE BITCH IS BACK: Q&A With Cathi Hanauer

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THE BITCH IS BACK: OLDER, WISER, AND (GETTING) HAPPIER editor Cathi Hanauer shares an in-depth overview of the BITCH series, insights into powerful essays by 25 prominent women writers, and the joy and method of her rigorous editing process.

AFLW October 13, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Excerpt, Non-Fiction, REAL

Excerpt: UNDER THE BIG BLACK SUN by John Doe

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In a pulsing excerpt and personal Q&A, John Doe, from X, recreates an unforgettable night at the Whisky a Go Go and reflects on his journey from the early days of punk L.A.

AFLW July 14, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Excerpt, Non-Fiction, REAL

Excerpt: MUSTANG by Deanne Stillman

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An excerpt from Deanne Stillman’s epic MUSTANG, with excerpts from the just-released audio version, narrated by Anjelica Huston, John Densmore, Frances Fisher, Wendie Malick and Richard Portnow.

AFLW July 31, 2016 A/V, DEPARTMENTS, Excerpt, Non-Fiction, REAL, SIGHTS/SOUNDS

Excerpt: TOGETHER THROUGH LIFE by Chris Morris

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“Early one mornin’ the sun was shinin’ /
I was layin’ in bed /
Wonderin’ if she’d changed at all /
If her hair was still red.”

A first-look excerpt from Chris Morris’ candid memoir, “Together Through Life: A Personal Journey with the Music of Bob Dylan,” published on Dylan’s 75th birthday.

AFLW May 24, 2016 Excerpt, Non-Fiction, REAL

Excerpt: HARLEY AND ME by Bernadette Murphy

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After a traumatic adolescence and seeking shelter in a “safe” life that no longer fit, writer Bernadette Murphy found her way back to her true self through risk taking. In a riveting excerpt and Q&A, she describes crossing paths with her childhood idol character, The Fonz, in a surprising way.

AFLW July 14, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Excerpt, Non-Fiction, REAL

Kissing Ginger by Melissa Grunow

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“I never told you that I saw you kissing her, that I watched you do it without hesitation, inching closer to her instead of backing away. I watched long enough to see her curl her fist under her chin to get more comfortable, the gesture natural and familiar, as if she had done it before.”

AFLW July 28, 2016 Non-Fiction, REAL

Excerpt: THE WILD OATS PROJECT by Robin Rinaldi

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Robin Rinaldi’s crafted, riveting and honest memoir, recently released in paperback, follows her self-ascribed, year-long open marriage project she felt compelled to undertake at the apex of midlife. The experience profoundly changed her, as a woman, writer and wife.

AFLW August 2, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Excerpt, Non-Fiction, REAL

As Long As We’re Moving I’m Not Lost by Terry K Carr

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“I was 8 when my mom, brother and I rode the maiden voyage of the California Zephyr Dome-line train from our hometown in San Francisco to Los Angeles to start our new life. During the following years, I’d go to bed conjuring the youthful hope of that train ride so that my dreams could make it so.”

AFLW July 28, 2016 Non-Fiction, REAL

True North by Staci Greason

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“I wept and screamed until finally I saw the path opened wide before me — freed from the attachment that had caused me suffering. I didn’t need a baby to be happy.”

AFLW July 31, 2016 Non-Fiction, REAL

Excerpt: WE ARE TRAFFIC by Jonathan Tipton Meyers

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Ridesharing may be an oversaturated market, but as Jonathan Tipton Meyers discovers, drivers and passengers are yearning for the same thing on the streets of Los Angeles: real, human connection.

AFLW July 21, 2016 Non-Fiction, REAL

Pale Blue Eyes by Matt Powell

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When writer Matt Powell came back to L.A., he embarked on a noble, dying Angeleno tradition: the backbreaking, exhilarating thrill of driving and resuscitating a classic car. There was one problem — he didn’t know shit about cars.

AFLW July 14, 2016 Non-Fiction, REAL

When You Wander West by Heidi Fettig Parton

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“Indie — as in work for free?” I asked, but I didn’t wait for her answer. “You’re going to have to pay your own way back to L.A.”

AFLW July 14, 2016 Non-Fiction, REAL

Color Theory by Christina Simon

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“‘I’m talking to you, zebra.’ His words still reverberate, like sounds bouncing off the steep canyon walls.”

AFLW July 28, 2016 Non-Fiction, REAL

Just Couldn’t Build Your White Picket Fences by Andrea Lambert

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“As the Magic 8 Ball says:
‘All signs point to yes’
That you stole my Klonopin
I’m talking evidence not voodoo.”

AFLW July 29, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Non-Fiction, REAL

Sinatra’s Mic by Pam Munter

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“How did I get here? I was standing in a Capitol Records recording studio holding Sinatra’s microphone in my hand. I had dreamed about doing this all my life but I never really thought it would happen.”

AFLW July 28, 2016 Non-Fiction, REAL

The Analects by Dao Ling

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A personal piece inspired by the words and people that do not exist in Confucius’ Analects.

AFLW July 14, 2016 Non-Fiction, REAL

Seven in the ’70s by Hope Demetriades

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“No sunscreen. No seat belts. No helmets, knee pads, cell phones or parents. Just free-wheelin’ with nary a care in the world.”

AFLW July 28, 2016 Non-Fiction, REAL

Righteous Breaks by Leigh C Raper

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“At 4:15 a.m., January 17, 1994, I was asleep in my bed. At 4:20 a.m., I was awake, terrified and confused about how I had ended up feet from my bed on the floor of my closet.”

AFLW July 31, 2016 Non-Fiction, REAL

The Religion of the Bus by Thomas Fuchs

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“The religion of the bus is superior to many others since its devotees, unlike those of other belief systems, are almost always rewarded, eventually. Even in Los Angeles, a bus does come.”

AFLW July 31, 2016 Non-Fiction, REAL

Excerpt: GIRLS OF THE MOON by Constanze Frei

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“‘Stanzi. You should know who you are,’ he said.

I shook my head, though he was right. But who was I? I held out my hands and pleaded with my eyes.”

AFLW July 31, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Excerpt, Non-Fiction, REAL

Reclaiming Los Angeles by Joyce Hayden

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“Dearest L.A., with your light and your wings, shadow-love of my life. I’ll always be back, Los Angeles. Because now I know: ‘You like me, you really like me!'”

AFLW July 21, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Non-Fiction, REAL

The East Coast–West Coast Conundrum by Sarah duRivage-Jacobs

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“Someday, I’ll return to the land of hiking and green juice, but until then it will remain the ex-lover I left because of bad timing.”

AFLW July 21, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Letter to L.A., Non-Fiction, REAL

The Extraordinary Ordinary Death by Rebecca Chamaa

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“I would like to light a lantern and watch it float off into the night sky — leading the spirits safely to their homes. I would like to see the ceremonial dance.”

AFLW July 22, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Non-Fiction, REAL

Fish Tank, Migraine, Lipstick by Lillian Ann Slugocki

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“I get impatient for the pill to kick in, because this bitch is growing, it’s blossoming. Xanax is next. Two hours later, I pop another. It’s time for ER. And not the one on TV. My brain is about to explode.”

AFLW July 14, 2016 DEPARTMENTS, Non-Fiction, REAL

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