Heyday

Paris portraits; stories of Picasso, Matisse, Gertrude Stein, and their circle.

Levy (1867-1950) was a San Francisco writer best known for her childhood memoir, 920 O'Farrell Street. As an avid art collector of the works of Matisse and Picasso, friend of Alice B. Toklas, and acquaintance of Gertrude Stein, she recounts her encounters with that bohemian circle in early 20th century Paris. From a long hidden manuscript at the University of California, Berkeley library, this petite treasure of a book includes quirky stories, photographs and art images. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Rancho Los Alamitos; ever changing, always the same.

Published as a complement to the collections of the educational center and museum housed in the nineteenth century adobe house at the site, this volume presents the history of the southern California site including discussions of the indigenous populations that used the area as a trading and ceremonial hub, the enormous grant of three hundred thousand acres made to a Spanish soldier in 1784 and its subsequent role as a functioning rancho in the life and development of the region. The volume includes numerous historical photographs, maps and other documents as well as sidebars that provide snapshots of daily life through snippets of correspondence from people associated with the ranch. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)