July 27, 2024 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

2012 Santa Monica Citywide Reads To Feature ‘The Lady in the Lake’:

The identity of the Santa Monica Citywide Reads book for 2012 is a mystery no more.

The Santa Monica Public Library is pleased to announce The Lady in the Lake by Raymond Chandler as the featured book for 2012.

Santa Monica Citywide Reads is a community reading program that invites everyone to read and discuss the same novel in book clubs and other events held around the city.

2012 marks the program’s tenth anniversary and only the second time a deceased author has been featured, following Santa Monica favorite Christopher Isherwood in 2004.

Written by Raymond Chandler, the master of hard-boiled detective fiction, The Lady in the Lake was first published in 1943 and was hailed by Time magazine as “an astringent, hard-bitten, expertly constructed and convincingly characterized story.”

The novel finds Chandler’s hard-nosed detective Phillip Marlowe investigating the disappearance of a doctor’s wife, and as with all of the private dick’s cases the mystery gets more tangled and complex with every turn of the page.

Set partially in “Bay City,” Chandler’s stand-in for Santa Monica, The Lady in the Lake is unusual for the author in that it also takes Marlowe outside of his standard beat of Los Angeles.

Santa Monica Citywide Reads selection committee members selected the novel because it is a solid representation of Chandler’s vivid writing style, a favorite amongst seasoned readers of noir, and a welcoming entry point for those who may not yet be familiar with Chandler’s work.

The Lady in the Lake was also a popular choice among library patrons who answered an online poll asking which Chandler book Santa Monica should read together.

Born in Chicago, IL in 1888, Raymond Chandler moved to Los Angeles in 1913 and made that city his home for much of the rest of his life.

A bookkeeper and oil industry man by trade, Chandler was also a fan of pulp magazine stories.

He taught himself how to write by deconstructing Erle Stanley Gardner’s formula for writing Perry Mason stories.

In 1933, Black Mask magazine published Chandler’s first story, “Blackmailers Don’t Shoot,” and from then on he considered himself a professional writer.

His first novel, The Big Sleep, was published in 1939, when Chandler was 51 years old.

He followed The Big Sleep with many more short stories and six full-length novels, including the classics Farewell, My Lovely, The Lady in the Lake and The Long Goodbye.

He also dabbled in screenplay writing, including the Alfred Hitchcock thriller Strangers on a Train and the Oscar-nominated Double Indemnity.

Chandler died in 1959 in La Jolla, CA.

Santa Monica Citywide Reads will begin in late February 2012 and continue through March 2012, and will feature free public book discussion groups led by volunteer facilitators and held in libraries, bookstores, coffeehouses, and other venues. Related special events are being planned, including an exciting slate of best-selling contemporary mystery authors influenced by Chandler, local history programs, film noir movie screenings, and much more.

For more information about Citywide Reads, visit http://smpl.org/Citywide_Reads.aspx or call the Santa Monica Public Library at 310.458.8600.

Follow The Mirror on Twitter: twitter.com/SMMirror

Follow The Mirror on Facebook: facebook.com/SMMirror

in News
Related Posts

Spec Mansion Sale Marks Highest Deal in Palisades in Nearly Two Years

July 26, 2024

July 26, 2024

The Deal Was Made Within Just 18 Days on the Market The sale of a luxurious property at 538 Chautauqua...

Why Gov. Newsom’s Order May Worsen Santa Monica’s Homeless Crisis

July 26, 2024

July 26, 2024

There Could Be a Shift From the Freeway Into the City’s Streets and Sidewalks By Zach Armstrong Although a recent...

LA’s First Ninja Warrior Training Facility Opening Soon in Los Angeles

July 25, 2024

July 25, 2024

Facility to Offer Comprehensive Training Programs for All Ages By Susan Payne The first dedicated ninja warrior obstacle training facility...

Film Review: Twisters

July 25, 2024

July 25, 2024

FILM REVIEWTWISTERSRated PG-13122 MinutesReleased July 19th Twisters was filmed in Oklahoma, part of a region called Tornado Alley which spans...

SM Pier to Host Its First Professional Boxing Matches: Report

July 25, 2024

July 25, 2024

The Event Will Feature Three Promising Fighters The iconic Santa Monica Pier will host its first professional boxing matches on...

Go Go Bird and FoodBeast Editor Collaborate on New Chicken Sandwich, “The Reach”

July 25, 2024

July 25, 2024

Chef Brandon Kida and Reach Guinto Create Nostalgic and Exciting Sandwich Go Go Bird is one of the best fried...

(Video) The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills’ Celebration of One Year at Its New Location

July 24, 2024

July 24, 2024

Now at 9705 S Santa Monica, and filled with delectable cheeses, cured meats, fresh bread, and wines of every description,...

Civic Auditorium Set for Revitalization Talks

July 24, 2024

July 24, 2024

RPG Is Expected to Present a Timeframe for Council Consideration by 2025 The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium is poised for...

Alfred Coffee Launches New Breakfast Burritos, Bagels, and Baked Goods

July 24, 2024

July 24, 2024

New Collaborations with WAKE AND LATE and Artissant by Artelice Alfred Coffee has announced the launch of its new breakfast...

Elon Musk’s Controversial Remarks on Trans Daughter Spark Outrage

July 24, 2024

July 24, 2024

Musk Repeatedly Deadnames His Daughter, Claiming He Was Tricked Elon Musk, in an interview with Jordan Peterson for the website...

Santa Monica Nonprofits Receive Over $265K to Boost Art Initiatives: Report

July 24, 2024

July 24, 2024

The Grants Are Part of the Organizational Grant and Community Impact Arts Grant Programs, Which Distributed a Combined $6.4 Million...

New 3rd Street Promenade Banner Depicts City Officials as “Mount Drugsmore”

July 23, 2024

July 23, 2024

As With the Previous Placard, David White Is the Primary Subject of Ridicule By Zach Armstrong The longstanding “Santa Methica...

Four Reasons Why It’s Time to Hire a Manny (Or a Nanny)

July 23, 2024

July 23, 2024

By Susan Payne Being a parent is enjoyable and rewarding, but certain aspects of the lifestyle can be tiring and...

Surprise Announcement: All Roads Pinseria + Enoteca is Now Open in Brentwood

July 23, 2024

July 23, 2024

The Grand Opening Celebration is Still Scheduled for Friday, July 26 In a surprise announcement on Monday, July 22, All...

Kamala Harris Secures Democratic Presidential Nomination with Unprecedented Support

July 23, 2024

July 23, 2024

Over 1,976 State Delegates Pledge Support, Solidifying Harris as the Nominee By Dolores Quintana In one day, Brentwood resident and...