L.A. Despair: A Landscape of Crimes & Bad Times by John Gilmore Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of L.A. Despair: A Landscape of Crimes & Bad Times
Book Review: A true disappointment
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought the book mainly for the chapter on the infamous Wonderland murders in 1981. And while the author's prose is, as some have stated, sparkling, I have to say that I stopped reading after finding numerous factual errors in just this chapter. Luckily for me, it was the first one.
For instance, two pictures of dead victims at the crime scene (Ron Launius and Joy Miller) were incorrectly labeled (names transposed), despite the fact that the photos in the book were still shots captured from the famous LAPD crime scene video, where detectives walked through the house and identified exactly the room they were in at the time.
Susan Launius was found alive in the same room with her dead husband, not, as the author writes, in another bedroom.
Perhaps most unsettling was the author's version of the murder event itself. Given the fact that Holmes never testified at any legal proceeding, and despite the fact that none of the actual killers were identified, it's obvious the author invented the whole dialog.
These are just a few examples of what caused me to discard the whole book.
Moreover, I believe it was a wasted opportunity. There has not been a serious literary treatment of the Wonderland murders. "Four on the Floor," a book by the two investigating detectives, apparently was never published. "Long Time Money and Lots of Cocaine" is merely a reprint of the transcript from John Holmes's preliminary hearing.
Ironically, the most informative source on the crimes is the 2003 movie "Wonderland" starring Val Kilmer.
Book Review: Colorless despair
Summary: 3 Stars
If you're just looking for details of some bloody events, this'll do the job for you. Otherwise, it's colorless in two senses: literally (there're probably no more than a half dozen pages that mention a color) and in terms of mood. Maybe because of the many extensive quotes from non-writers, descriptions are non-specific, flat, banal. There isn't a single scene that a reader can visualize with any accuracy... quite a contrast to the rich sense of place that characterizes LA crime fiction. Maybe the author wanted to avoid that tradition to separate his work from fiction. As a result, though, he separates it all from context.Book Review: He Lifts Material But It Still Makes A Great True Crime Comic Book!
Summary: 3 Stars
My heading says it all. This book reminds me of an issue of E.C.'s "Crime Suspense Stories" from the 50's. A great, grisly and lurid comic that almost destroyed the industry. However I think that is Gilmore's intent. He seems to make up a few characters or "sources" in the Wonderland Murder segment and then uses them for a little hard-boiled rhaphsodizing with appropriate grim n'gritty lingo. He has one porno extra saying how she met John Holmes in an L.A. Starbucks during the late 70's,early 80's. Come on! There were no starbucks in L.A. during that time! Gilmore definitely delves into magical-reality when he writes, but thats not a bad thing exactly.
His segment on Barbara Payton was completely lifted from John O'Dowd's excellent article on her in Crimemagazine. Its online and I strongly recomend it!!!! Reading that article and searching for more on Barbara Payton is actually how I found out about Gilmore's book. I wouldnt be suprised if there are other "borrowed" portions in L.A Despair. Mr. Gilmore probably does his research with Google like the rest of us. I would venture to say there isnt anything in his book you couldnt find elsewhere and probably with better facts, however its still a fun and morbid read with Gilmore's turgid noir poetry running thru it. L.A. is truly the end-of-the-line city of dreams and nightmares! If your in the mood for a guided tour thru the L.A. Funhouse of Horror then John Gilmore makes a great carnival barker. What the hell, at least he's getting his books published! I'll probably get Laid Bare by him as well. I'm sure it'll be a fun Magical-reality read.
Book Review: A MIND BLOWER!
Summary: 5 Stars
A brilliant work with enough impact to bowl over a Mac truck. Stunning originality, unquestionably brilliant writing, despite the pittance of detractors who seem to appear regularly with each new offering by author John Gilmore. A similar ilk used to burn Gauguin's paintings.
Such is expected whenever one dishes extreme material and Gilmore's writing is profoundly extreme. The word "relentlessly renlentless" has been used to describe his novel, Crazy Streak, as well as his Black Dahlia book, Severed, now a haunting classic.
In L.A. Despair, Gilmore tracks through the Wonderland killings, following John Holmes and a host of lowlifes caught in a pitiful existance only Frankenstein could appreciate. Gilmore's view of the porn "industry" positions that world as subjects for a firing squad, and I say Right on, Mr. Gilmore! In five hard pieces, from killers to wasted stars, he sketches a dark and violent landscape; a sensational, stunning book by a fascinating yet uncompromising author. HIGHLY recommended.
Book Review: Intense, real, raw and dark!
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow! After reading this book, all I can say is Wow... How did I not hear about John Gilmore sooner? I found this book while searching for anything regarding John Holmes and the Wonderland murders and anything about Barbara Graham, notorious murderess who was put to death in San Quentin in 1955.
Anyone who has seen "Wonderland" knows a lot of what happened to the "four-on-the-floor" denizens who were heavily involved in the drug scene. Was John Holmes in the wrong place at the wrong time? Maybe. Did John Holmes have something to do with the deaths of the four on Wonderland? Highly likely. Did John Holmes perpetuate their deaths? The chances are very, very, high. Headed on a road that he never veered from, John Holmes sealed his fate after getting too involved with Eddie Nash and the Wonderland crew. He rose to fame quickly, and descended even quicker. John Holmes gives an amazing insight into the drug scene and porn world in the late 1970's, into the 1980's, including Holmes' death in 1988.
Barbara Graham, the "Ice Blonde" was headed on a similar descent into drugs, prostitution and murder, paving her way to San Quentin's gas chamber in 1955 along with two others implicated and highly likely to have been guilty in the robbery-gone-bad murder of Mabel Moynahan. Although Graham denied it, two men testified against her, while one who was going to testify against her "disappeared". Mabel Moynahan was a former skater who was sitting in a chair, reading a mystery novel when there was a knock on her door. Had she known what was going to happen to her, surely she would have not opened the door or let the young woman at her door in. It was Barbara who knocked on the door, explaining how her car broke down, and could she use the phone to call the auto club. Graham's entrance brought the other men involved into the house. They thought there was a hidden safe in the home. There wasn't. There was $500 in cash and several thousand dollars worth of jewelry in a handbag in Moynahan's room. They never found it. And Mabel ended up dead...
I won't ruin the rest of the book for you. But I will tell you that this book pulls no punches. I could not put it down! Gilmore is now one of my favorite writers! His style is unique and powerful. And he doesn't give a damn if you like it or not! If you want to read the backstories of some real L.A. history, this is absolutely the book to read!