Malibu diary : notes from an urban refugee / Penelope Grenoble O'Malley.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

O'Malley, Penelope Grenoble.

Series:

Environmental arts and humanities series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

O'Malley, Penelope Grenoble.

Wilderness areas--California--Malibu Region.

Wilderness areas.

Natural history--California--Malibu Region.

Natural history.

Environmental protection--California--Malibu Region.

Environmental protection.

Cities and towns--California--Growth--Case studies.

Cities and towns.

Growth.

Malibu Region (Calif.)--Biography.

Malibu Region (Calif.).

Malibu Region (Calif.)--Environmental conditions.

Malibu Region (Calif.)--Description and travel.

California.

California--Malibu Region.

Genre:

Case studies.

Autobiographies.

Physical Description:

186 pages : 1 map ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Reno : University of Nevada Press, [2004]

Summary:

In 1986, Penelope O'Malley moved to Malibu, at that time a small community of oddballs and cantankerous isolationists, hoping to find peaceful exile from Los Angeles and a life that had become too frantic and confused. She knew little then of the landscape that she hoped would inspire her -- who owned it, what manner of flora and fauna it might support -- and she wasn't much interested. Nor did she give much thought to the people who would become her neighbors. As it turned out, her life on this urban-wildland frontier was very different from what she had planned. Malibu Diary is O'Malley's account of her years as a resident of this beautiful, beleaguered Southern California coastal community. Here, a landscape of rare and breathtaking beauty conceals geological and climatic treachery, and human presence endangers a rich but fragile ecosystem. Far from isolating herself from the ills of contemporary urban life, O'Malley found herself deeply engaged in a community where realtors lusted after the magnificent hills and beachfront, Native Americans fought to protect the artifacts of their ancestors, and locals, no matter how resistant to development, were forced to address such pressing urban issues as zoning and sewage treatment. Malibu's decision to incorporate introduced politics into the quiet village, and horrendous fires and floods caused destruction to property and the natural environment.

Malibu Diary combines environmental history, personal memoir, and a lengthy meditation on the complicated relationships between humans and the landscapes they destroy by loving them too much. It is also the story of a colorful community and the diverse people who have chosen to live there; of how change has happened -- and why -- and what it has meant. And it is, ultimately, the story of many communities where people try to resist development, "assuming little responsibility to ameliorate the effects of our having settled here." As such, O'Malley sees Malibu as a warning beacon for any beautiful place where settlement is constantly at odds with the natural environment; where a lifestyle, however alluring, is made precarious by the very natural forces that create its charm. Malibu Diary is a powerful and provocative exploration of the tenuous interface between the urban and wild worlds, and of the nature of community in an increasingly profit-oriented society.

Contents:

ex urbanis 1

The Journey Out 13

Blowin' Smoke 32

Cowboys and Indians: A Drama in Three Acts 51

Wasting Time 71

Wisdom in Solstice Canyon 92

On the Fence 109

The Days the Rains Came 133

Long Way Home 156

More News from the Front 173

Data 183.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 185-186).

ISBN:

0874175666

OCLC:

52902533