Los Angeles without a Map Book

An autobiographical cult travelogue first published in 1988 and turned into a movie 10 years later, Los Angeles Without a Map sees Richard Rayner leave his long-term girlfriend and steady job back in London to fly on a whim to track down Barbara, a bunny girl, athlete and party head. The plot is set for a good outsider tale with a rather straight Englishman pursuing the affections of an American wild child in an environment that puts him at a distinct disadvantage. Despite having steeped himself in American culture since boyhood he has never been to the USA. Add to that the lack of a driving licence--not a useful situation to be in in the city of freeways and boulevards.Rayner's easy-going prose style and self-deprecatory humour mean that this 186-page book rarely goes off the boil. As in so many films about the city, however, the city is the star. Rayner attempts to come to terms with the city by living out his movie fantasies, but doesn't explore the themes of decadence, insanity and violence which have so much to do with LA's make-up. At times Rayner's writing tends towards the stereotypical--thin on local detail and populated by predictable peripheral characters, from bodybuilders and religious freaks to a James Dean fanatic and a struggling scriptwriter. Those who are as obsessed as Rayner with the workings of the movie industry may also want to consult movies that cover the same material, like Barton Fink and The Player. --Tim PerryRead More