The doings of DENISE, LINDSAY, PARIS, KIM and BRITNEY have us obsessed these days. But not too long ago, another set of curvy bombshells captivated the country with their high-flying lives and private and public displays.

Take an acting class from a war-weary LUCILLE BALL who cries throughout the first lesson, have a drink with beautiful home wrecker MARION DAVIES, swim in silent screen legend MARY PICKFORD's (once the most famous movie star in the world!) pool to the sounds of FRED ASTAIRE rehearsing next door, wear curlers to the Brown Derby, watch the riots blaze across the Hollywood skyline and make a stand for gay rights at Cedars-Sinai -- the hospital of the stars.

It's all in an amazing little treasure of a book called Love, West Hollywood: Reflections of Los Angeles (Alyson Books, May 2008). LWH is a collection of essays by a wildly diverse group of Angelenos (from an 84-year old movie producer-turned-Episcopal priest, to actor JACK LARSON who played "Jimmy Olsen" in TV's "Superman," to a 15-year-old living in foster care) in celebration of the City of Angels -- in all its glamour and oft-stark lunacy.