The stunning final novel from East Germany's most acclaimed writer Three years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the writer Christa Wolf was granted access to her newly declassified Stasi files. Known for her defiance and outspokenness, Wolf was not especially surprised to discover forty-two volumes of documents produced by the East German secret police. But what was surprising was a thin green folder whose contents told an unfamiliar—and disturbing—story: in the early 1960s, Wolf herself had been an informant for the Communist government. And yet, thirty years on, she had absolutely no recollection of it. Wolf's extraordinary autobiographical final novel is an account of what it was like to reckon with such a shocking discovery. Based on the year she spent in Los Angeles after these explosive revelations, City of Angels is at once a powerful examination of memory and a surprisingly funny and touching exploration of L.A., a city strikingly different from any Wolf had ever visited. Even as she reflects on the burdens of twentieth-century history, Wolf describes the pleasures of driving a Geo Metro down Wilshire Boulevard and watching episodes of Star Trek late at night. Rich with philosophical insights, personal revelations, and vivid descriptions of a diverse city and its citizens, City of Angels is a profoundly humane and disarmingly honest novel—and a powerful conclusion to a remarkable career in letters.

"The sprawling, complex tapestry of Los Angeles is portrayed in vivid color by artist Elisa Kleven and authors Julie Jaskol and Brian Lewis in their picture book City of angels : in and around Los Angeles. Twenty sites of interest are included, and each detailed, full-color spread is accompanied by engaging, informative text"--Provided by publisher

Rhea Jensen is your typical twenty-something single girl-if by typical you mean a private investigator who studies ways to escape from handcuffs while waiting to take down another serial sleaze. But when a seemingly open-and-closed embezzlement case goes awry, her on-again-off-again boyfriend starts fooling around behind her back, and some Mormon missionaries stop her on the street during a stakeout, Rhea realizes her life is anything but typical-even by her standards.

Daughter. Lover. Actress. Dancer. Muse. Redhead. Girl. Victim. Survivor. Ariel Ames is many things to many people. With stars in her eyes, Ariel moves to Los Angeles at a time when a prolific serial killer is targeting young women who match her description and displaying their bodies in violently beautiful tableaus high above Hollywood. When fear and paranoia collide with ambition and determination, Ariel is forced to navigate the roles assigned to her by the men in her life as she strives to pursue her dreams. Pasha Adam continues his genre-spanning exploration of Los Angeles and its inhabitants in City of Angels, a psychological thriller about a young woman trying to make it in a big city, told from the POV of the men she meets along the way.

This Thailand travel pictorial presents Bangkok’s ancient traditions, breathtaking architecture and vibrant city culture. Situated on the banks of the Chao Phraya, Thailand’s capital has spectacular Buddhist statues, unique cultural experiences and a variety of natural color that Bill Wassman’s camera captures to an extraordinary degree. In over 140 stunning color photographs, backed by the lucid and insightful writing of authors Joe Cummings and Bill Wassman brings us exquisite portraits and views of Bangkok's people, places, and a host of other delights. Wassman's work is an absolute joy to experience as it celebrates the beauty of this remarkable city. In allowing readers to enter the world of Bangkok, they show clearly why Thailand's heartbeat continues to enchant and beguile all who visit her.

This compelling study of the American public's response to the fate of accused murderer Hattie Woolsteen uses this legal case to examine the complexities of gender history and societal fears about the changing roles of women during the Victorian era. In October of 1887, a young woman named Hattie Woolsteen was accused of murdering her married lover, Los Angeles dentist Charles Harlan. The subsequent trial captivated the public as few incidents had done before. The idea of a female murderer was particularly disturbing in 19th-century America, and the public quickly labeled her a fiend and a "she-devil." But despite the overwhelming evidence against the accused, Hattie Woolsteen was not only acquitted of the charge, but emerged as the victim in this sordid drama. As the public grappled with the details of Hattie's alleged crime, she became a symbol of female victimization and gender inequality—as well as an unlikely champion of women's rights. This book provides the fascinating and lurid details of the Hattie Woolsteen murder case within the context of 19th-century American social history, allowing readers to view this event in historical perspective. Its chapters examine the various factors that influenced public opinion about the case and its outcome, including Victorian attitudes about gender roles and women's place in American society as well as sexuality and crime, common concerns about the societal consequences of rapid urbanization, the power of the Victorian-era press in shaping public opinion, and the subjective nature of the criminal justice system in that time period.