Boom Times for the End of the World is a compelling collection of profiles and essays about notable creative figures and reflections on broader cultural themes penned over two decades by journalist Scott Timberg.
The collection includes profiles on Christopher Nolan during the release of his film Memento, the jazz photographer William Claxton, author and writing instructor John Rechy, who lived a double life as a gay street hustler, as well as essays about chamber musicians, comic book publishers and architects; expands to explore broader themes such as fame, body image, and the intersection of creativity and commerce. It enables us to revisit the past and experience it as current events and to also learn about individuals and cultures new to us.
Scott Timberg was a former arts reporter for the Los Angeles Times and the LA Weekly as well as a contributor to publications including The New York Times and Vox. His previous 2015 book, Culture Crash: The Killing of the Creative Class, examined the causes and consequences of how economic recession, and social and technological change are shrinking the ability for the creative class to build a livelihood.