A Guide to the Best of Southern California : BOOKS : Mixed Company
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The first immigrants--11 families totaling 44 people--arrived in 1781. They soon founded El Puebla de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula , commonly known as L.A. And the migration hasn’t stopped.
Zena Pearlstone, in her book “Ethnic L.A.” (Hillcrest Press, $12.95), says that natives of more than 140 countries live in Los Angeles and that more than 96 languages--Farsi, Khmer, Bengali, to name a few--are spoken in its schools.
The book includes fascinating facts (more Samoans live here than in the Samoa Islands) about the history of 39 ethnic groups and their contributions--food, entertainment, art--to the city.
But it also looks to the future.
For example, the local Korean population alone is expected to surpass a million by 2000.
Not bad for a place that started with 44 folks.
“Ethnic L.A.” is available at chain and independent bookstores. Information: (714) 751-4030.
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