Letters at 3am

by Michael Ventura

From a strip club in Indiana to ritual gatherings near Austin, Texas—from Brooklyn in the 50s to L.A. in the 90s—Michael Ventura takes us on a tour of the American psyche and speaks out on a civilization in seeming agony. This is the only collection of one of America's original writers observing and pondering the implications of the current state of the American psyche. His grasp of war, jazz, religion, and death are of "uncompromising spirit", says Andre Codrescu. "The Report on Endarkenment," says Robert Bly, "is the greatest essay written by a member of his gengeration."

Genres: Essays, Philosophy

247 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1993

About the author

Michael Ventura is the author of WE'VE HAD A HUNDRED YEARS OF PSYCHOTHERAPY AND THE WORLD'S GETTING WORSE (with James Hillman) and LETTERS AT 3A.M.--REPORTS ON ENDARKENMENT. THE ZOO WHERE YOU'RE FED TO GOD is the first book of a trilogy titled THE TIGER, THE ROCK AND THE ROSE. Ventura has also embarked on a series of novels about Las Vegas. He divides his time between Austin and Los Angeles.

From the back of THE ZOO WHERE YOU'RE FED TO GOD.

Reviews

[Robijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series of vignettes (really columns from his days at the L.A. Weekly) are brilliant and still timely screeds on life during the '90's. It is street philosophy but with a timeless quality that transcends time or place. I've reread these essays countless times since I first bought the book probably 10 years ago. A great read.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This man writes a polemic to plastic suburban culture in the LA Times, and this is a collection of many of his essays. I really respect his perspective, as out there as some may view it.

[Winter Sophia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant Writing & Breathtaking Honesty!

[Clivemichael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent writing