As someone who lives in Los Angeles who also works in the travel industry, I have been aware for some time of the need for a book like this. There have been, in the past, some incredible Hollywood guide books. Unfortunately, my favorite one long went out of print and others that remained were often very dated -- a problem that arises with all print books sooner or later.

Now the problem has been remedied with this terrific tome that is more than just a guide to Hollywood, but really to the greater Los Angeles area. If it's in the LA area and it pertains to celebrities, movies or television, it's probably listed in these pages.

The author has done extensive research. He breaks the enormous amount of information into logical geographical areas that will help when planning your Los Angeles travels. In addition to extensive text, you'll find 33 maps and 53 photographs, including rare aerial photos of celebrity homes, sites of dozens of classic and popular movie and television locales. Of course he covers the usual must-see tourist sites, but Gordon also reports on sites of scandals, suicides, murders, and movie stars homes (past and present). Everything you need to tour Los Angeles from a Hollywood/show biz perspective is covered, and then some.

Geographical areas reported on in this book:

Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, and Holby Hills; Brentwood; Pacific Palisades; Malibu; Santa Monica and Venice; Culver City; Westwood and Century City; The Sunset Strip; West Hollywood; Fairfax and The Miracle Mile; Hancock Park and The Wilshire District; Mulholland Drive and The Hollywood Hills; Hollywoodland and Los Feliz; Downtown; Pasadena; Burbank and Toluca Lake; Universal City, North Hollywood, and Studio City; Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, and Encino; Other Points of Interest In or Near Los Angeles.