"Guide to Spiritual L. A." is a book written by Catherine Auman that explores the spiritual history and development of spiritual culture in the city of Los Angeles.
In her book, Auman reveals a rich and varied spiritual history that goes beyond the stereotypical "new age" image associated with the city. The book explores different spiritual groups and practices, including Native American traditions, the spirituality of African and Latino communities, and the newly emerging spirituality movement in the city.I found it a very interesting book, if you like the subject of spirituality, in this book you will learn a lot about it.

Really very interesting. This book is longer than I anticipated, I really appreciated the depth and diversity of all the different places the reader is taken to. I also really liked the layout with the maps, photos and visual aids.

The only thing I didn't really like was the tone. I love that it was very casual and light but it had a lot more commentary from the author stating their own opinions and biases than I would have liked. Usually that would be okay and actually helpful, but in this case, it came off a bit preachy in tone. I would have preferred just straight information and facts and the chance to make up my own mind without being influenced in this way so much.

This book is a wonderful collection of spiritual sites that can be found around Los Angeles in California. It covers many different beliefs including Native Americans, Christians, Scientologists, Hare Krishnas, through to some of the darker sides of life, the Occult, and even UFOs.

Each spiritual site is described with a full history and interesting stories surrounding the location and its followers. Addresses are provided and many entries have gorgeous photos.

The book also details days out from Los Angeles to more spiritual sites including Salvation Mountain/Salton Sea, Joshua Tree, and Santa Barbara. At the back of the book there is a comprehensive list of places to find more spiritual information from bookshops, movies, and YouTube documentaries.

It is written in a light personal way that is easy to read and understand. It’s by no means preachy, this is an information book for those who are looking for difference places to visit or learn about. It’s a fascinating read.

I read this on Kindle, but I bet it makes a superb paperback or hardback.

I picked this book up on a whim. As a native Los Angeleno growing up in the 1970s, I have vague memories of hearing about many of the institutions and people discussed in this book. In addition, I have studied quite a lot about the history of Los Angeles, and love using guidebooks to explore the unexpected pockets of architecture, cultural relevance, outsider art, strange museums, historic sites and any other oddities in and around the city. The Guide to Spiritual LA is a great addition to this genre. The author does a good job of providing background about a particular spiritual movement, group or person and then provides clear instructions about how to find and access the related locations. I also appreciated her even-handed treatment of all of the religious and spiritual practices she describes; she will occasionally say something negative about particular affiliated people (in all cases completely justified), but she is otherwise genuinely respectful about the people and organizations she writes about.

There is one element that led me to drop one full star from my rating. I wish Auman had provided some information about her sources for the information she provides in the book. Some of the history she describes is different from my understanding, and I would love to know where she found her information (I am thinking specifically of the intro to the The Fruits and Nuts chapter). In addition there were a few places where her description of a movement or a historical period felt overly simplistic based on what I know, which left me wondering if there were other areas that were also simplified, but I just don’t know about the subject to be aware.

All in all, however, I really enjoyed reading this book, and hope to go and visit some of the locations described in the near future.

Thanks to BooksGoSocial for providing me with an advanced reading copy via NetGalley.

This book is a gem. It was a fun, fast read through the wonder-land of Los Angeles spiritual resources.

I have lived in Southern California (various locales in Los Angeles and San Diego), so many of the places and people were familiar, and yet there is a wealth of information in this book that was new to me. If I ever get to travel back to the area, I will definitely use this guide to plan my trip. I’m a bit envious of the research the author put into tracking down the sites and the historical references…what an entertaining and informative way to invest time and energy while offering a service to others of like mind.

I greatly appreciate the author’s style and approach. She covers the spiritual landscape with an open mind, honoring the variety of philosophies and organizations while being honest about some of the shenanigans done in the name of spirituality. She hits the right note between reverence and light-hearted humor.

The book is well-organized, including suggested day trips and “Top Ten” listings ranging from bookstores to meditation gardens to vortexes to scandals. The photography is top-notch – beautifully capturing the allure of Los Angeles and providing visual images for the locations described in print.

I warmly recommend this book to those who enjoy exploring a spiritual path. Even if you are not familiar with Los Angeles and never get to visit, I think you’ll enjoy what is quintessentially L.A…especially when we could all use a break from the pandemic and all its effects.

My thanks to the author, Green Tara Press, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing a digital ARC in exchange for an independent, honest review.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads and Amazon accounts.