Donna's Latest Book is available on Amazon!
Up In Flames: Fire at Weesha and the San Bernardino National Forest
For forty-nine days in the fall of 2024 a devastating wildfire burned out of control in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California, destroying 43,978 acres as 60,000 residents were evacuated and 38,000 structures were threatened.
Simultaneously two other massive fires raged; the Airport Fire in the Santa Ana Mountains, and the Bridge Fire in the Angeles National Forest. It seemed Southern California was on fire! This is that story.
History is a formal record of events, perhaps of equal importance, is their impact on those affected. This report is a braided history; part memoir and part researched materials. It is significant to the Weesha Club members because the Line Fire was the first wildfire in recorded history to breach its pristine 132 acre,
A History of the Mighty Santa Ana River Floods
Two devastating flood events have impacted Weesha Country Club since the property was homesteaded in 1897. This report combines personal accounts of the August 20, 2023 flood as well as an outline of the numerous flood events of the Santa Ana River in the Upper Santa Ana River Canyon.
New Book on the History of Venice, CA!
Venice, California is unlike anywhere else in the world. Historian Donna Lewis Friess, Ph.D., grew up on the ocean front in Venice in the midst of California’s 1940’s oil boom. Her next door neighbor, a working oil pump-house complete with derrick, was a constant in her life. Determined to bring a lost piece of Los Angeles history to life, and sequestered by the 2020 Worldwide Pandemic and following lock-down, Donna offers this vibrant story of a remarkably idiosyncratic place in America. While honoring the Indigenous People who once lived on its shores, this history begins with her great grandparents’ late 1880’s arrival in Venice Beach, travels through Abbot Kinney’s magical Venice-of-America years, continues across time to its evolution as an artists’ Mecca, and concludes with the newer Venice ethos as Silicon Beach.
What People Are Saying:
Your book looks fabulous! I was able to preview it on Amazon and can’t wait to read it.My name is India Dupre and I am a board member of the Venice Historical Society.I have reached out to our president, Jill, to see if I can post about it on our facebook page and will let you know.Thank you for an incredible contribution to Venice’s history!
Inspirational Articles
If you haven't seen Donna's regular emailings, you can check out her blog posts here on her website under "Inspirational Articles." Here's a sneak peek at her latest blog:
The Well Lived Life
Donna on Good Day Orange County
Choosing to Help and Be Happy!
Donna has started up a new network for writers!
Capistrano Trails Hardbound Edition is now available!
In the News!
The Latest
Donna was featured on Hey Boomer!
Video: "Fear of Retirement Overcome: How Donna Friess Found Purpose and Joy in Post-Retirement Life"
Growing Up Venice was featured in the Los Angeles Westside Magazine The Argonaut!
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Norway’s Egmont Publishers E-Book/Audio Book Division just signed a 10 year contract to produce Cry The Darkness.
The book will have a 40 year publishing life span.
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Now available on Amazon.com in b&w softcover and Kindle editions!
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