Your coffee table needs to meet our new favorite books about Palm Springs.
Marilyn was known to be an avid reader, with a personal library of over 400 books – and we imagine that if the former Palm Springs resident were alive today, some of these beautifully photographed volumes featuring images of local architecture and midcentury life would be among her diverse collection of art, travel, classic, and modern literature. Your own library might not be as extensive as Ms. Monroe’s, but you can certainly get a start with our Top 5 books on Palm Springs, which are available at all of these fine bookstores.
Architecture + Design Center – 300 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Destination PSP – 170 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Just Fabulous – 515 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Just Modern – 901 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Palm Springs Art Museum – 101 N Museum Dr, Palm Springs
Palm Springs Visitor’s Center – 2901 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs
Palm Springs Holiday: A Vintage Tour from Palm Springs to the Salton Sea by Peter Moruzzi
This is the story of Palm Springs in its golden years, a city that had it all, including marvelous midcentury Modern architecture, fabulous fly-in hotels, and a swinging nightlife. Through vintage photographs, postcards, and other ephemera, Palm Springs Holiday recalls the Palm Springs area from the 1910s through the 1960s, where people vacationed in the desert, dined, danced, and lounged poolside.
Palm Springs Paradise – Vintage Photographs from America’s Desert Playground by Peter Moruzzi
From its earliest days as a desert oasis to its midcentury heyday as a getaway for the rich and famous, Palm Springs’ relaxed ambiance and unique residents and visitors have provided countless fascinating photographic subjects. Peter Moruzzi’s new book, which is a lively companion to the best selling Palm Springs Holiday, features over 200 vintage photographs, only a fraction of which have ever been seen by the public.
From vintage postcards to contemporary views, this diverse selection of new books offers something for everyone.
Palm Springs Modern Living by James Schnepf (+ Book Signing)
Photographer and author James Schnepf spent four years filling this book with captivating photos and stories that document the unparalleled collection of Midcentury Modern architecture and fascinating people found in Palm Springs. Over 50 modernists, artists and architects were interviewed, including such luminaries as Donald Wexler, William Krisel, and Hugh Kaptur.
The Desert Modernists: The Architects Who Envisioned Midcentury Modern Palm Springs
The 144-page soft cover book provides a look at the architects who shaped Desert Modern architecture featuring spectacular photography of their most significant and historical projects – with many never-before-seen photos. This historic collaborative effort covers 12 groundbreaking architects and their influential work, with writings by 13 famous authors and 17 architectural photographers. In addition to the locations listed above, this book can be purchased at:
Trina Turk – 891 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA
Hennessey + Ingalls – 1520 N Cahuenga Blvd #8, Los Angeles, CA
Fallingwater Museum Store – 1491 Mill Run Road Mill Run, PA
The Good Life by Nancy Baron
Fine art documentary photographer and author Nancy Baron offers a lush look at the desert town of Palm Springs, California; a brilliant combination of small town America and iconic resort town with something for everyone – a perfect example of The American Dream. A part-time resident of Palm Springs, Baron gives us an insider’s view of this mid-century paradise with her jewel-toned images, saturated by the desert sun.
