[Book Review]

La Jolla / 92037
by Olivier Dalle with photos by Paul Burlingame,
from En Ville Publishing,
envillepublishing.com
Review by Robert Shamlin

An amazing book about an amazing place. The team of French writer Olivier Dalle and photographer Paul Burlingame have hit on a fine concept of highlighting the various qualities that make La Jolla the ritzy seaside bedroom community it is, the San Diegan jewel that was named by the Spaniards for a “Hoya” – a hole – which could be referring to the sea caves along the cliffs or, just as likely, the valley behind The Shores.

For a town so rich in history the book could get into the sordid background of the community a bit… Nary a mention of the infamous La Jollans, the crooks, criminals and murderers, or how it was a white-only “covenant” real estate development for much of its history until Jonas Salk expressed his desire to settle there and the University of California system wanted to plant its San Diego institution on the high bluffs overlooking La Jolla Shores. Only then the did the waspy ranks begin to show signs of cracking when it came to land ownership. When in the late 1970’s the Shah of Iran fell and all his wealthy oil buddies needed a place to relocate to La Jolla was on their list. That was a culture shock to the surfers at the Shores. But like most strong communities La Jolla has weathered the changes well and become a pretty diverse and accepting place. The La Jollans will allow just about anyone to buy into their town now, as long as that someone has a lot of money. Read more at envillepublishing.com. Buy this book at Warwick’s, phone 858-454-0347.

Below: enjoying hookah in La Jolla / 92037, photo by Paul Burlingame.

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