---
product_id: 9076110
title: "L.A. Despair: A Landscape of Crimes & Bad Times"
brand: "john gilmore"
price: "€ 37.17"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 11
url: https://www.desertcart.it/products/9076110-l-a-despair-a-landscape-of-crimes-and-bad-times
store_origin: IT
region: Italy
---

# L.A. Despair: A Landscape of Crimes & Bad Times

**Brand:** john gilmore
**Price:** € 37.17
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** L.A. Despair: A Landscape of Crimes & Bad Times by john gilmore
- **How much does it cost?** € 37.17 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.it](https://www.desertcart.it/products/9076110-l-a-despair-a-landscape-of-crimes-and-bad-times)

## Best For

- john gilmore enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted john gilmore brand quality
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## Description

Full description not available

## Images

![L.A. Despair: A Landscape of Crimes & Bad Times - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/610JD3p+hOL.jpg)
![L.A. Despair: A Landscape of Crimes & Bad Times - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61DaYYIDqgL.jpg)
![L.A. Despair: A Landscape of Crimes & Bad Times - Image 3](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41GJGWRuh4L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Well written.
  

*by R***S on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 11, 2022*

A knowledgeable author with great style.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Bad Times in the City of Angels
  

*by I***R on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 23, 2010*

John Gilmore's "L.A. Despair: A Landscape of Crimes & Bad Times" takes you directly into the underbelly of the City of Angel's most infamous criminals and publicly ruined lives. Starting off with the story of 70's porn star and legend, John Holmes, L.A. Despair takes you into the life of a character with little to no redeemable qualities whatsoever. Holmes is, as Gilmore himself has put it, the definition of the L.A. mutant. He is a self-serving man whose only purpose in life is to get his next fix at any cost or consequence. After reading the story about Holmes, there is little doubt that he was a walking sociopath and a man who was headed for one place and one place only - self-destruction. It continues on from there into the story of 50's bombshell and fallen starlet, Barbara Payton, who notoriously went from making 10,000 dollars a week to being a homeless prostitute and drug addict living on L.A.'s skid row. I never knew about Payton before (because I was born in the 80's long after her rise and fall), but I found her life story to be unbelievably tragic and depressing. Riveting, to say the least. From there on, Gilmore goes onto several lesser known characters. People who were more infamous for their crimes and horrible deeds than anything else. However, there is an explosive conclusion in store with the story of Spade Cooley - a man who savagely beat his wife to death over her past infidelities imagined or otherwise. It's never made clear, but Cooley comes across as being an obsessively controlling and tortured man whom, at times it seems, tortures himself into believing the worst possible case scenario by looking for any reason whatsoever to justify it. Understandable, yes. Redeemable? Not quite sure.In the end, L.A. Despair is like a bunch of little stories in one. Modern day and real life horror stories, you could say, centered around the City of Angels. Los Angeles is a city that people mainly associate with the famous, rich, and beautiful, but as John Gilmore demonstrates here there is a terribly dark and unforgiving underbelly to the city also. In any case, this is a portrait of sociopaths, bad times, and ruined lives.Highly recommended.

### ⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    A bland read
  

*by S***N on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 19, 2022*

I thought the book was stories were too long & overdrawn. Only 3 stories are in this book and each is connected with the other. Except for the first John Holmes story , which WAS very interesting & made me quite sick to my stomach due to the graphic ideals which are written about that I never thought could exist ; they do and just for the first story and this God awful pornography industry I would have given it a 1 star. The other two stories that follow are quite bland. Generic . An okay read. “True crimes “ is a better read. Longer, more graphic, interesting.

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*Product available on Desertcart Italy*
*Store origin: IT*
*Last updated: 2026-01-31*