Whole Life Times: A Reader’s Guide to LA

November 2005 | Feature

A Reader’s Guide to LA

by WLT Staff

The corporate stores are fine for picking up your average airplane novel, but the independents offer an experience, the kind that comes from entering a space where ideas and discourse are valued above the almighty dollar. Good news fair reader—our city is home to oodles of great locally-owned bookshops. From a Downtown manga den to a Valley outpost of metaphysics, from shop cats named Helga to shop owners who play the harp, this list, a more extended version than what appeared in our print issue, will get you started on stocking up on some great page turners—or just finding the perfect apple to match your particular brand of bookworm.

Hollywood

Counterpoint Records & Books, 5911 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles, 323.957.7965, counterpointrecordsandbooks.com
This old-school bookstore is next door to the charming Daily Planet newsstand and Bourgeois Pig coffeehouse. Packed to the ceiling with collectibles, rare and hard-to-find books and records, Counterpoint is the place for vinyl purists and true book lovers. Its Harmony Gallery, next door, hosts readings and art shows.

Vedanta Center, 1946 Vedanta Place, Hollywood, 323.465.7114, vedanta.org/vssc/centers/hwd.html
This Buddhist center’s bookstore has been around since the ’30s. Surrounded by gardens and adjacent to a meditation center, it offers a generous selection of books on spirituality from Native American traditions to Sufism and Kabbalah.

The Valley

The Iliad, 4820 Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood, 818.509.2665, iliadbooks.com
A funky hangout with bookish cats Torquemada and Helga in residence, this used bookshop bears witness to a heavy dose of Beat philosophy and countercultural vibrancy.

Imagine Center Books, 18635 Ventura Boulevard, Tarzana, 818.345.1100.
A metaphysical bookstore that also offers gifts and crystals. Psychics are on-site for consultation daily; a healing room is available for visiting healing practitioners.

Portrait of a Bookstore, 4360 Tujunga Avenue, Studio City, (818) 769-3853, portraitofabookstore.com
Nestled within the cozy confines of Aroma Café, customers can sip a cappucino and relax in the lush garden patio as they read a book recommended by Portrait’s knowledgeable staff. As if that’s not enough to lure you in, check out the selection of English antiques. You might leave with a Victorian tea set, in addition to an armful of bedside reading.

Los Angeles

Creation Books, 1228 W. Seventh St., Los Angeles, 213.623.6995, creationbooks.com
This specialty bookstore emphasizes occult, fetish, manga, cult faves and classics. Park carefully and keep your eyes open: this isn’t the safest neighborhood, but it’s near Downtown’s transcendent Gallery Row. The bookstore also offers its own line of unique titles.

Libros Revolucion, 312 W. Eighth Street, Downtown, 213.488.1303
Bilingual bookstore Libros Revolucion reminds us that diversity of opinion is as important as diversity of race, nationality and creed. This shop, established 18 years ago by members of the Revolutionary Communist Party, offers everything from the classic texts of communism to current-day coverage of news from Palestine, Cuba and Chiapas.

IMIX Bookstore, 5052 Eagle Rock Boulevard, Los Angeles, 323.257.2512, imixbooks.com.
An independent bookstore dedicated to promoting knowledge about indigenous cultures, respect for human rights and appreciation of literature among people of all ages; also hosts a poetry night and author signings.

Philosophical Research Society Bookstore, 3910 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, 310.663.2167, prs.org/prsstore.htm
It may remind you of your local library, but the mission of the bookstore at the PRS is specifically to provide information from various wisdom traditions. Offering books on world religions, mythology, philosophy, psychology, alternative health, yoga, esoteric studies and more, the shop also sells candles, crystals, handicrafts, feng shui tools and tarot cards.

Skylight Books, 1818 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles 323.660.1175, skylightbooks.com
Self-described as “fiercely independent,” Skylight is like Book Soup’s scrappier little brother. The readings are slightly less slick, and often culled from the independent presses. Staff recommendations are thoughtful and often right-on. Also check out the adjacent Skylight Theatre, with productions from the Beverly Hills Playhouse.

33 1/3 Books and Gallery, 1200 N. Alvarado Boulevard, Los Angeles 213.483.3500, thirtythreeandathird.info
You never know what you might find in 33 1/3 and that’s part of the fun. Its twelve owners run their Echo Park store co-op style, so count on lots of ‘zines ranging from glossies like Adbusters to DIY one-offs, counter-culture books on socialism and philosophy, well-priced jewelry, clothes and locally made art.

Thousand Oaks

The Bookaneer, 3186 East Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks, 805.379.9667.
This Ventura County bookstore offers millions of titles, all used and at great prices. For free, proprietor Donna can occasionally be discovered playing the harp.

The Westside

Hennessey + Ingalls, 214 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica. 310.458.9074,hennesseyingalls.com.
The largest visual arts book retailer in the country, this shop is 8,000 square feet of the most sublime art, architecture and design tomes you’ve ever laid eyes on. Catering to an esteemed list of museum buyers, architecture firms, collectors, universities and galleries, you can believe the staff here knows their Classicism from their Colonial, their Manet from their Monet. But for those of us just looking to create a dazzling coffee table display, they’re still more than happy to oblige.

Small World Books, 1401 Ocean Front Walk, 310.399.2360, smallworldbooks.com
Peruse long tables of books by Beat writers like Jack Keruoac—he crashed here in the ‘60s when the building housed artist studios. Don’t forget to check out the extensive section on Venice history. Afterwards, stop by the adjoining Sidewalk Café for a bloody mary, balmy ocean breezes and a front-row seat to endless people-watching.

A Different Light, 8853 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, 310.854.6601, adlbooks.com
Can’t find what you’re looking for on the tiny gay/lesbian shelf at your local corporate chain? America’s most famous gay bookshop, opened in 1979, probably has it displayed loud and proud—or, um, at least in stock. Don’t miss the diverse erotica section.

Bodhi Tree, 8585 Melrose Avenue, 310.659.1733, bodhitree.com
Need more enlightenment? Who doesn’t? We hear Nirvana starts with a visit to Bodhi Tree; just try to avoid the luring shops of Melrose Ave on your way in. Workshops abound in everything from age-reversing to communication with angels to plain old yoga.

Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, 310.659.3110, booksoup.com
The Westside’s cozy and labyrinthine book paradise, with readings from bright literary stars like Nick Hornby, Michael Chabon and local Meghan Daum. Check out the knockout art and photography book selection. Parking can be a beast. Late hours make for some interesting walk-ins.

Dutton’s Brentwood Bookstore, 11975 San Vicente, L.A., 310.476.6263 duttonsbrentwood.com
The neighborhood old-standby is one of the most thorough of LA’s bookshops, offering indie cred with book readings by lit luminaries, as well as a great kids’ section.

Equator Books, 1103 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice, 310.399.5544, equatorbooks.com
Equator’s cool location on arty Abbot Kinney, as well as its gallery-cum-library interior, make it a destination for stylephiles as well as avid readers who peruse its specialty sections, which include eclectic choices like Surf & Skate, Music, Prostitution & Call Girls, Black Studies, Circus Freaks & Bullfighting and Drugs & Crime.

Thunder Bolt Bookstore, 512 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, 310.899.9279.
This charming shop specializes in spiritual books from all religious traditions, from Bah’ai to Hinduism and Christianity, and offers prayer beads and other spiritual ephemera.

Chevalier’s, 126 N. Larchmont Boulevard, 323.465.1334
The first room promises an endless bounty for reading adults—bestsellers, literary classics, coffeetable books and a particularly impressive travel section. If you can’t make a decision, don’t hesitate to ask the incredibly helpful and knowledgeable staff. The second room is paradise for the little ones—pop-up books, puzzles, and a bunch of books about some kid named Harry Potter.

Eso Won, 3655 S. LaBrea Avenue, 323.294.0324, esowon.booksense.com
No less than Bill Clinton put this store on the map last year when he visited on his My Life book tour, but even without such stately presence, Eso Won is the kind of place you could wander for hours. A well-stocked class act focusing on African-American literature from James Baldwin to E. Lynn Harris.

Pasadena

Cliff’s Bookstore, 630 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, 626.449.9541.
Another neighborhood gem, this narrow shop is located on a pedestrian-friendly stretch of Colorado—and don’t be distracted by Vroman’s, across the street. Cliff’s eclectic selection is perfect for stumbling across gems, and offers an off-the-cuff charm even Vroman’s can’t duplicate.

Vroman’s, 695 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, 626.449.5320, vromansbookstore.com
Southern California’s oldest and largest independent, founded over a century ago. The sprawling selection demands you turn off the cell and ignore your watch. Readings are varied and excellent: recent literati notables included David Sedaris and Nicole Krauss. Vroman’s also offers classes in calligraphy and book-binding.

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