The Lathan Loop follows the career of Harold Gilbert, as he goes from Vaudeville stages to the back lots of Hollywood. At twenty Harold dreams of being a part of moving pictures. Harold isn't the only man chasing a dream. Maurice (Max) Rosenberg also dreams of making his name in Hollywood. But Max wants to work behind the camera.

The two men are total opposites and yet they end up partners and form Emmenar Film Company.

This novel is a must read for anyone who loved the early talkies and silent movies. Adding to the enjoyment of the story are visits from Hal and Max's peers Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Fatty Arbuckle, just to name a few.

If Slapstick and Little Umbrellas (Books II and III of the Harold Gilbert Trilogy are as good as The Latham Loop, readers are in for some exceptionally intertaining reads.

By TT reviewer Starly [full review on our website]

Harold Gilbert had it made. A fine film career, his own studio where he made successful silent pictures.

He owned a fabulous mansion, loved his beautiful wife Ella and their two sweet kids. His leading lady Lila Lenor could hold her own with the best of them. His camera and studio crew were not only employees, but they were friends.

Was it the advent of talkies that caused the problem, or the defection of Max all those years ago? Maybe it was the failure of Ella's attempt of a movie comeback after the kids were born. Her escalating coldness sure didn't help, nor did the studio's insistence, under the baleful eye of the lawyers, that the next film had to be a talkie.

Upright and proper, Harold had never strayed in a world where infidelity was the norm. But Ella's illness left him lonely and vulnerable. A final, monumental betrayal seemed to be the last straw. And then the dream returned.

This story is an intimate portrait of life in the moving picture arena of the roaring twenties. Fast custom made cars, illegal booze and legal pot made a society crazy for pleasure. The stock market crash and subsequent depression changed lives overnight.

Ever wonder what it would be like to live in Hollywood in the days of bootleg gin and silent films? Ms Toops creates the period with just the right atmosphere of reckless gaiety.

This story is beautifully written with artistry that transforms reading into an almost tactile experience. I swear I could smell the booze, her writing was so real.

To visit the 20's pick up Slapstick. You'll be there within the first paragraph.

This book gives a compelling account of human fraility and the emotions that drive us through life. Through a stark love triangle the reader is pushed to look inward, to come to grips with their own passion and desires. The book gives a deeply real account of tragedies we all see in the lives of both our friends and enemies. Ms. Toops does a good job of developing the characters, and keeps us guessing on how the final plot will play out. I recommend this book to anyone that wants a good dose of realism, combined with a solid plot and fast paced readability.

Beneath the glittery layers of Tinsel Town and tireless optimism of 1920s lays the story of how myths are created. The public sees only the highly successful comedian Harold Gilbert, the man with the million-dollar career, his own studio, a million dollar estate, and a beautiful wife and children. Yet Harold can't move with the changing times, nor can he forgot the dead girl who haunts his dreams.

Harold refuses to face change, preferring to maintain the status quo. A workaholic, Harold doesn't recognize the threats to his safe world. When Harold looses his lead director to an opportunity to work on "talkies," he still clings to his proven method of silent movies. Despite the success of movies with sound, Harold believes talkies are a cheap gimmick. Just as he refuses to make changes career wise, so does he also ignore the signs indicating necessary changes at home. When his wife takes a separate bedroom, refusing to sleep with him and drinking too much, Harold doesn't intervene.

It was a time of secrets. Even Harold doesn't know why his partnership with Max Randolf ended years ago, or the animosity his "friend" still bears. Nor does he know of Ella's involvement with Max. Harold doesn't know who the girl was, or how she died. Nor does Harold know the truth of Lila's background, despite the fact that she's been his leading lady for three years.

As the dream of the dead girl continues to haunt Harold's sleep, so must he face the waking nightmares that threaten his career, his home and his self identity. With the crashing of the market, and the drained spirit of the people, so does Harold's own boundless energy seep away, leaving him cast adrift in an insensitive world.

Laura Mazzuca Toops captures the dizzying energy of the Golden Age of motion pictures in this poetic record of the past. The carefully laid details sparkle, giving the novel depth and authenticity. With a Fitzgeraldian view and spirit, she recreates a world of glitz destined to be shattered by the Great Depression. The depth of characterization and the quality of prose mesmerizes the reader, holding the reader's attention captive until the last page is turned. Highly recommended.

Towns are like people -- you have to take the time to really know them before you can appreciate the things that set them apart. I was fascinated with A NATIVE'S GUIDE TO CHICAGO'S WESTERN SUBURBS. Unlike the typically dry, boring tourist guide, this book is a detailed map through Candyland, a treasure of good things at every turn...The Toops' give life and a real sense of community to their compilation of the western suburbs, and provide the traveler an organized picture of the sprawling area, with stories and facts to keep you on the road to adventure in Chicagoland.