HOME SWEET TOME

Thank you for Nina J. Easton’s article on L.A. novels, “Novel L.A.” (Sept. 5). John Rechy’s “The Miraculous Day of Amalia Gomez” was an excellent choice, as was Douglas Ann Munson’s “El Nino.” Readers might be interested to know that the latter was printed in paperback under the ridiculous title of “Hostile Witness.”

May I also suggest a detective novel that belongs on the list for its fine description of modern Los Angeles as well as its delightful characters? It’s called “Dogtown: A Whitney Logan Mystery,” by Mercedes Lambert.

MIKE VARADAY

Los Angeles

Though impressed with the range and styles of literature described by Easton, I was disheartened at the lack of discussion about the satirical or comedic brand of literature. For instance, Richard Rayner’s “Los Angeles Without a Map” captures much of the wry irony so endemic of life in the City of Angels.

BRADFORD C. AUERBACH

Pasadena

Easton says she has her own theory about the L.A. psyche, then describes it. I don’t hold that theory. The fictional heroine of my novel, “Saving St. Germ,” came up with that theory. She is a biochemist and would-be cosmologist. I am not. I am a writer. Writers make up stories that are not true about characters who do not exist.

Novels have always taught us unforgettable lessons about life, but to look to them for literal documentation of social or psychological fact, or to assume that character dialogue reflects the personal beliefs of the author, is a misunderstanding of the transformational power of imaginative writing. Ironically, this tendency makes “fiction writers” of those who offer truth as anecdotal reportage.

CAROL MUSKE-DUKES

Los Angeles

Easton overlooked S. L. Stebel’s “The Boss’s Wife” (Walker and Co., 1992), a riveting roman noire set in Los Angeles. As the mystery is revealed, Stebel paints a powerful paranoid panorama of contemporary Los Angeles in which an imperfect past collides with an unpredictable high-tech future, fitting Easton’s definition of mirroring L.A.’s present and future.

KENNETH ELLSWORTH

Agoura Hills

Somebody tear up Easton’s library card before she completely disappears into literary hyper- angst . My prescription: a quick perusal of the UCLA Extension catalogue--the Art of Sailing class seems like a sure way to meet interesting L.A. people and learn a new craft. Next, a stop at any Venice Beach juice bar for a California Smoothie with a dash of Prozac. That followed by a sunset stroll along the gorgeous Marina del Rey channel with all those great-looking sloops sailing out to sea. Actually, I’ve been doing a little survey of my own at the local country & Western saloon regarding L.A. fiction; but nobody here seems to read, so we didn’t know things were that bad.

R. ROBBINS

Los Angeles

What a bummer! First I read about what a terrible place Los Angeles is in “Novel L.A.,” and then I read about the horrors of Santa Fe (one of my favorite place on earth). When it was all over I was so depressed that I had to go back to bed.

EILEEN HYATT

Thousand Oaks