Hugh Eakin News Today

The 43nd annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes were awarded tonight at the University of Southern California’s Bovard Auditorium.

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The title of this book—Picassos War: How Modern Art Came to America—is a misnomer, because it implies that the struggle to bring modern art to America was Picasso’s. But as this book demonstrates more poignantly than perhaps any other, the artist did virtually nothing himself to promote or in other ways encourage the advancement of his work in the United States. In fact, he was at best indifferent.

The Los Angeles Times Book Prizes recognize works in 12 categories, with winners to be announced at USC in person on April 21. James Ellroy will receive a lifetime achievement prize.

Other nonfiction standouts include “Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands” by Kate Beaton and "Number One Is Walking" by Steve Martin and Harry Bliss.

“Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman,” edited by Alan Taylor. (Henry Holt, $32.) Clearly, Alan Rickman wrote these journals only for himself; the entries are terse, revealing little. (As

Reviews of the year’s notable new fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.

Los Angeles (tca/dpa) — It's Picasso season in Los Angeles.

For the first time, see the inspiration for a Picasso masterpiece in Pasadena and some truly extraordinary paper works in L.A.

Suggested reading from critics and editors at The New York Times.