California Babylon: A Guide to Site of Scandal, Mayhem and Celluloid in the Golden State

by Kristan Lawson, Anneli Rufus

the whole world knows it as the mother lode of scandal and celebrity, mayhem and miracles, a place where nearly anything can happen - and does. Giving the lowdown on the most notorious locations across the state, California Babylon redefines tourism for the 21st century by guiding you to the places you actually want to see, whether you'll admit to it or not.

Packed with photographs and with easy-to-follow directions to each site, California Babylon unveils the real-life filming locations; scenes of rock-'n'-roll debauchery; homes and hotspots where the stars lived, dined, made love and died - and where they still do today. With this detailed, up-to-date guide, you can revisit some of the most shocking, puzzling, glamorous and tragic moments the world has ever known.

Spend the night in the very hotel rooms where Janis Joplin, John Belushi, or Hawaii's King Kamehameha died. See the site where People's Temple leader Jim Jones whipped hundreds of followers into a frenzy. Visit the orphanage where little Norma Jeane Baker dreamed of stardom. Follow in the footsteps of serial killers. Recreate the camera angles for dozens of your favorite films, from Vertigo to Pee Wee's Big Adventure . With California Babylon 's help, you can also

*infamous crime scenes
*the homes of screen legends
*graves of the rich and famous
*assassination sites
*abandoned utopias
*restaurants and bars frequented by celebrities

Forget the endless malls and beaches! Wouldn't you rather see JFK's secret love-nest, the stage where Michael Jackson's hair burst into flames, or the alley that was the epicenter of prostitution in gold-rush era San Francisco? These are the guilty pleasures you'll actually write home about, and they're what make California the wacky, world-famous, and truly unbelievable place it is today.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

Native Californian Kristan Lawson is the author of several successful travel guides, including Weird Europe for St. Martin's Press, and America Off the Wall: The West Coast. She lives in Berkeley, California.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting local travel lore book. The edition I read from 2001. Wonder if it has been updated.

[Lolly K Dandeneau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found California Babylon really interesting and entertaining. Learned some morbid Hollywood facts and rumors. I have never been to California, but one day when I do head that way, i intend on hitting a few of the sites listed.
While this is intended as a travel companion, it is so much more so don't pass it up just because you don't plan on going to Cali. I was saddened, disturbed and giggly reading about some of the famous places, especially about the early Hollywood elite. Absolutely enjoyed this book!

[Fishface · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read about notable places in California history, arranged so that you can more or less drive through them from south to north. All kinds of celebrity anecdotes in here, not to mention CRIMES, CRIMES, CRIMES. Recommended.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

too dark, too depressing to finish

[TrumanCoyote · Rating 4 out of 5]

The snarkiness grew a bit numbing after a while (turns out though I actually played chess against this guy when we were both still squirts!).