Most of us would deny the fact that we secretly enjoy flicking through sordid tabloid stories in the grocery store checkout stand.
Former UCLA student William A. Gordon, however, readily admits to his undying fascination with Tinseltown’s movie stars and the glitzy neighborhoods they orbit. In fact, his latest book even gives directions.
“The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book,” self-published through Gordon’s North Ridge Books, gives detailed instructions on getting up close and personal with the homes of the rich and famous. So detailed, in fact, that he claims to have made an enemy out of Tom Cruise, who he said sent him a threatening letter after seeing his address listed in “The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Guide.”
“Of course, he threatens everybody,” said Gordon.
The book also includes extensive information about Los Angeles landmarks that are inextricably woven into the history of American cinema.
“People in L.A. take all this for granted,” said Gordon, who moved to California in 1969 to study journalism at UCLA. “But when you grow up in Ohio like I did, everything’s an adventure, and to me it was like going on an amusement ride.”
Gordon found his calling as a writer when he joined the Daily Bruin while a student at UCLA.
“That was the first time I started writing since I was a kid,” said Gordon, who says he wrote at least 500 stories, two full-length novels and countless TV episodes before the pressure to fit in as a teenager kicked in, and he burned everything.
At The Bruin, Gordon finally felt as though he belonged.
“I’m very proud of working for The Bruin even … 35 years later,” said Gordon. “It’s something that’s always stayed with me.”
Apart from a few book reviews and the memorable occasion of reporting on the Guinness Book of World Record’s longest kiss, which took place in Rieber Hall, Gordon focused primarily on columns that protested the Vietnam War.
While working at the Daily Bruin reinforced Gordon’s love of writing, he realized that he eventually wanted greater autonomy in his writing, beyond the field of journalism.
“I ultimately decided I wanted my independence to write what I wanted to write about, as opposed to what someone assigned me,” said Gordon.
This realization led him to transfer to Kent State University in 1973 so he could begin work on what had become his primary passion ““ investigating the 1970 shootings of student protesters by the Ohio National Guard.
It was this historical subject that led to his most well-known book, “Four Dead in Ohio: Was There a Conspiracy at Kent State?” originally published in 1990 under the title “The Fourth of May” and later self-published through North Ridge Books in 1995. The writing process involved years of research, as well as participation in a successful petition with fellow students to force the White House to reopen the grand jury investigation of the shootings.
While the book helped establish his career as a writer, it also made Gordon a few enemies, foremost among them Alan Canfora, a survivor of the shooting and current director of the Kent May 4 Center. Canfora denounces Gordon and his book as “self-serving” and “treacherous” on the center’s Web site, may4.org.
And though eight universities, including Kent State, at one point or another have adopted the book for their curricula, Gordon has never been invited to speak at his alma mater.
“I may be one of the foremost authorities (on the Kent State shootings), if not the foremost authority, but they don’t want me,” said Gordon.
Gordon has since moved away from investigative news reporting, but he’s quick to point out that his journalism training has remained invaluable.
“It’s the importance of getting the facts straight ““ just basic reporting,” Gordon said, adding that he incorporates those elements into his tour books. “I call it investigative sightseeing because I use the same principals and methods I used for serious, historical events.”
Gordon is also the author of “Shot On This Site: A Traveler’s Guide to the Places and Locations Used to Film Famous Movies and Television Shows” and “The Quotable Writer,” the book of literary quotations that prompted him to create North Ridge Books in 1986 in order to publish his own work as he saw fit.
“The first time you do a book, it’s really easy to screw up,” he said. “You really have to get a couple under your belt before you smarten up.”
Gordon also notes the importance of being willing to adapt to unexpected detours when pursuing a writing career.
“When I was in college, I never would have imagined back then I’d end up doing tour books,” he said. “(But) if you’re meant to be a writer, you have to be very, very persistent. Be prepared to tolerate a lot of foolish rejection at first, and if you really feel you’re talented, stick to your guns and keep writing.”