As the pages of history turn, we find ourselves reflecting on a remarkable milestone—the 30th Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, the largest book festival in the United States, held on April 26-27, 2025. Set against the stunning backdrop of the University of Southern California campus, this annual celebration of literature brought together thousands of book lovers, authors, and industry professionals for a weekend brimming with literary magic.
Attracting around 150,000 attendees from Southern California and beyond, the festival was a testament to the enduring appeal of literature and the community it fosters. Each event, each conversation, and each shared moment contributed to a rich tapestry of experiences that celebrated the diverse voices and stories that shape our world.
This year, Citi of Books was thrilled to be part of this vibrant gathering, where the love for literature was palpable in the air. Whether you were a lifelong bibliophile or a curious newcomer exploring the world of books, the festival provided a unique opportunity to connect with fellow enthusiasts and share our passion for the written word.
As we look back on this unforgettable weekend, we invite you to join us in reliving the highlights of Citi of Books’ gallery during the 30th Los Angeles Times Festival of Books—a true celebration of the literary arts! A book included in the gallery was “No Way Out” by Lee R. Flandreau.
From his earliest years, Lee Flandreau possessed a curiosity about animals and forests. He grew up on an Ohio farm where he took care of horses, cattle, and chickens, and collected snakes. His love for animals and wandering the woods would translate to travel in exotic places.
After earning a degree in Earth Sciences from Miami University, which he attended on football and baseball scholarships, he spent his entire career with an industrial equipment manufacturer. The last twenty years, in charge of all international operations, he traveled throughout the industrial countries of the world. By 1990, the year this true story unfolded, he had taken seven safaris in Africa and loved them all. He has taken three more since.
The Amazon and its vast unknown also appealed to his sense of adventure. He found a friend with similar fascinations, and Bill and Lee researched a private river tour of Amazonia, to begin in Puerto Maldonado, Peru-a town they could find on few maps.
But, once they arrived there, adventure quickly morphed into dread and doubts that they would ever again see civilization. Nothing they had expected when booking this trip materialized: The large, comfy boat described by the tour director turned out to be only a cramped, open peke-peke canoe with no space to store two-weeks’ worth of supplies. Their jumping-off place had no electricity, no phones, no English-speaking people. Their recommended captain and guide spoke no language they could understand. In the midst of the jungle a week into the trip, the captain ignored Lee’s demands to return to their starting place. Throughout it all, Lee’s sense of humor made their dire dilemma seem almost comical. But it couldn’t save them.
Would they ever get back to Puerto Maldonado? Even if they did, would they ever find civilization when no roads existed, and the airstrip gouged into the jungle offered no scheduled flights? Their most troubling question: Will we succumb to our fate, finding NO WAY OUT?
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