Books

“Americana The Beautiful” now available!

While feverishly putting together Americana the Beautiful: Mid-Century Culture in Kodachrome, I was forced to ask myself the question: What is Americana anyway? Yes, its baseball and apple pie but we all know there’s a lot more to it than that! So I took a stab at trying to explain it in the book…

“Americana doesn’t discriminate between classic and kitsch, high-tech or homespun, mass produced or one-of-a-kind, the authentic or make-believe. It draws no borders between town and country. It embraces Mother Nature and man-made, the future and the past. Americana is the essence of American culture.”

Order now, from Angel City Press!
Amazon.com

“God Bless Americana” by Charles Phoenix

From the kitsch to the classic, Charles Phoenix loves to celebrate mid-century design and culture. His massive collection of other people’s old slides from the 40s, 50s & 60s inspire his retro slide shows, Slide of the Week e-mail and coffee table books. His vintage school bus field trips explore extraordinary out-of-the-way attractions, displays and demonstrations.

“Call him the King of Retro, ruling over a bygone era”

–Los Angeles Times Magazine

“He joyfully mines America’s past through its fashion and design’”

– New York Times

“Charles Phoenix found his life’s work in a thrift store”

–Los Angeles Independent

Our most favorite cultural antropologist!

–LA City Beat

“He is the Pied Piper of LaLaLand”

–Los Angeles Times