Berkeley Bohemia Artists and Visionaries of the Early 20th Century

by Ed Herny, Shelley Rideout, Katie Wadell

Berkeley Bohemia highlights the contributions of the eccentric residents of one of America's cultural creative cities during a critical period of the country's creative burgeoning. These bohemians-writers and artists who lived an unconventional life in a colony with others-included Ansel Adams Jack London, Dorothea Lange, John Muir, Bernard Maybeck, Joaquin Miller, Ina Coolbrith, and Charles and Lousie Keeler and others. Due to its profound natural setting, Berkeley continues as a fertile ground for individuality, eccentricity, and creative expression, whose legacy of scholars and visionaries inspires today's ordinary men and women who struggle to make a living, raise their families and dream their dreams. Bohemian communities are found today in Venice Beach, California; Austin, Texas; Greenwich Village, New York; and the French Quarter in New Orleans. Bohemian describes any person who lives an unconventional artistic life, where self-expression is the highest value and that art is a serious and main focus of his or her life. Chapters Pioneers and Passersby; Charles and Louise Keeler; Living with Nature; Pictorial Photography Arises; Community Performances; Literary Aspirations; Crafted by Hand; Wild Men and Revolutionaries; Cosmic Thoughts; How the WPA Kept Art Alive; Legacy. Ed Herny has served on the Board of Directors of the Berkeley Historical Society since its founding in 1978. Upon moving to Berkeley in 2000, Shelley Rideout, joined the Berkeley Historical Society and has been a board member and a volunteer. Katie Wadell earned a master's degree in American history from New York University in 2000 and later worked with the Berkeley Historical Society for five years. With Shelley and Ed, she co-curated the original "Berkeley Bohemians" exhibition in 2004.

Genres: History

208 pages, Hardcover

First published March 19, 2008

Reviews

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good history of an interesting time in Berkeley.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting for the stories of "local color" and personalities. As a person interested in architectural history, I often wished for pictures when the authors rhapsodized about a particular house/building. Of course, maybe there are no pictures available for those spots.

In general, the book had a "vanity press" feeling to it. Photos are often dark and fuzzy.

Still, I enjoyed reading it and discovering the artistic history of Berkeley (and Oakland). Did you know that Joaquin Miller's old estate, The Hights [sic:] became Joaquin Miller Park? Or that Berkeley (at least Berkeley around the campus) was "dry" and that architect/developer Bernard Maybeck in particular was rather fanatical about keeping liquor lovers away from "his" Berkeley. Or that Dorothea Lang's F64 photography group was based just up the block from Kimberly M. A.'s house on Brockhurst?

Trivia perhaps but don't the little things make life interesting?

[Sasha]

Some fun local history.. neat photographs! Finally got an Oakland library card so I thought I'd use it to learn about my new home (the East Bay is kinda one big Area.. if not to everyone, at least to me and anyone who lives/used to live in SF).

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Am reading, read and reviewed in the most current issue of Southern California Quarterly!