Palm Springs Tiki: Polynesia in the Desert by Sven Kirsten
Peter Moruzzi
Combining two fun
themes of mid-century delight,Palm Springs Tikitaps into the vast
knowledge of Kirsten on Tiki (this is his fifth book on the subject) and Moruzzi
on Palm Springs (his third). The book is so richly illustrated with historic
ephemera (menus, matchbooks, ads, newsclips) and photos (luau revelers, exotic
food and drink, expressive buildings) that the mid-century good times jump off
the pages. The authors convey the fertile setting for the craze to emerge:
Southern California’s historic penchant for “early escapism” mixed with
“America’s postwar opening to foreign cultures”. This tale of Tiki acknowledges
such purveyors of Polynesiania as Don the Beachcomber, Chi Chi nightclub impresario
Irwin Schuman, and designers Clif and Lou Sawyer, among many others setting the
trends in music, fashion, food, and design.
