NINA REVOYR, author of Southland

We were very excited to have Nina Revoyr come to the Library on Saturday, September 13, 2003, for a reading and book signing of Southland, called “fascinating and heartbreaking…an essential part of L.A. history” by the L.A. Weekly. The reading proved to be yet another successful event in our ongoing "Generations" project. The audience, a multi-ethnic--and very engaged-- group, listened intently as Nina read, followed by a spirited discussion on race relations, past and present.

Southland is a compelling story of race, love, murder, and history set against the backdrop of Los Angeles. Through the fictionalized story of Jackie Ishida, a Japanese-American student trying to unravel the murder of four teenagers during the Watts Rebellion of 1965, Revoyr connects generations from the shipping yards and internment camps of World War II to the barley fields of the Crenshaw District in the 1930s; to the mean streets of Watts in the 1960s; to the night spots and urban garment factories of the 1990s.

We look forward to having more events such as this. Hope you come and join us!

"What makes a book like Southland resonate is that it merges elements of literature and social history with the propulsive drive of a mystery, while evoking Southern California as a character, a key player in the tale."
Los Angeles Times

Download a flyer (PDF)

For more about Nina and Southland