Sun Seekers - by Ananda Pellerin (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Sunshine and nature: California as a beacon of better health

Since the mid-19th century, the idea of California has lured many waves of migrants. Here, writer and editor Lyra Kilston explores a less examined attraction: the region's promise of better health. From ailing families seeking a miracle climate cure to iconoclasts and dropouts pursuing a remedy to societal corruption, the abundance of sunshine and untamed nature around the small but growing Los Angeles area offered them refuge and inspiration.

In the wild west of medical practice, eclectic nature-cure treatments gained popularity. The source for this trend can be traced to the mountains and cold-water springs of Europe, where early sanatoriums were built to offer the natural cures of sun, air, water and diet; this sanatorium architecture was exported to the West Coast from Central Europe, and began to impact other types of building.

Sun Seekers: The Cure of California constitutes the second volume of The Illustrated America (following 2016's Old Glory), Atelier Éditions' ongoing series excavating America's cultural past.

Lyra Kilston is a writer and editor focused on architecture, history, design and urbanism. Her work has appeared in Artforum, Los Angeles Review of Books, Time, Wired and Hyperallergic, among other publications. She was on the curatorial team of Overdrive: LA Constructs the Future, 1940-1990, exhibited at the J. Paul Getty Museum and the National Building Museum.

Review Quotes

Fascinating and fun, Sun Seekers thoroughly chronicles the far-out history of California's holistic-minded denizens and the lasting resonance of their quests for alternative modes of sustenance and environmental bliss.-- "LA Weekly"

Shtetl in the Sun's tribe and the world they built is gone. But thanks to Sweet's vision, it is not forgotten.-- "American Way"

Since the mid-19th century, the idea of California has lured many waves of migrants. Here, writer and editor Lyra Kilston explores a less examined attraction: the region's promise of better health.-- "Eye of Photography"

The profound influence of these sanatoriums, health-conscious design, and the lifestyle of the likes of William Pester continue to resonate in present-day Southern California. Sun Seekers highlights these lesser-known characters and stories and traces the evolution of Southern California's health-focused culture, recycling trend after trend--from holistic celebrity doctors to restaurants promoting "living" foods.-- "Zócalo Public Square"

The story of the Health House is one of three in Lyra Kilston's highly enjoyable Sun Seekers, in which charismatic characters converged on California in the first half of the 20th century to soak up the state's apparently life-sustaining natural climate.-- "A Daily Dose of Architecture Books"

[The] open architecture of European sanatoriums influenced the homes nestled in Southern California's hills, such as Richard Neutra's famous Lovell Health House. From natural medicine to nudism, Sun Seekers covers a fascinating history and its playful, vivid writing makes it a pleasure to read.--Elisa Wouk Almino "Hyperallergic"

A book that highlights Southern California's lesser-known histories.--Lyra Kilston "KCET"

He wasn't sick, but laborer-turned-hermit William Pester found many reasons to seek a cure in the canyons near Palm Springs.--Lyra Kilston "Palm Springs Life"

If you've ever marveled at the modern architectural jewels that dot the L.A. landscape and fantasized about a refined European expat community that built them, prepare to have your dreams recast (in the best SoCal tradition). Lyra spins fascinating tales that will challenge your understanding of L.A. history.--Larb Av "Los Angeles Review of Books"

In Sun Seekers, author Lyra Kilston connects the city's wellness culture to its streamlined, sun-drenched homes.--Patrick Sisson "Curbed"

It's an engaging, copiously illustrated read, creatively toeing the line between history and art book.--Sharon Mizota "Los Angeles Times"

Lyra Kilston's first book explores the (often self-perpetuating) myth of Southern California as a mecca of health and wellness by dialing back to the lesser-known origins of that wholesome renown, looking at naturopaths, healers and architects who praised the merits of plant-based diets, sunshine, and minimal spaces long before the 1960s.--Madeleine Taurins "Ursula"

This beautifully produced book truly has it all: heliotherapy, raw foods, German proto-hippies, naturopathic zealotry, experimental sanatorium design, a brief history of granola, and a discussion of Richard Neutra's musings for Nude Living magazine--Editors "Architect's Newspaper"