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Categories: Newspapers & Magazines, Bookstores [Edit]
Neighborhood: West HollywoodMon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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You know the kinds of bookstores that are portrayed in movies, where nutty-professor types roam the shelves getting lost in books? Book Soup has this feel to it--a welcome contrast to "sanitary" stores like Borders and Barnes and Noble.
Their status as an independent bookseller is clear from the moment you walk through the door. (Looking for the newsstand? It's around the corner and plenty big.) First, it has employees who are that "type," a mix of intellectual-, alternative-, and cool-looking people who read a lot. (As another person put it, it's an oasis for the few intellectuals who reside in the LA Basin.) Secondly, although it's clean and organized, the aisles are narrow and completely stocked--so it's more like a modernized East Coast public library than a book supermarket.
Also, they have readings and signings like crazy... just check out the schedule on their website or posted at the store, or keep your eyes peeled for tons of author-signed (new) books sprinkled throughout their collection. Be warned if you go to a reading that it can be kind of uncomfortable--for attendees and unsuspecting shoppers alike. There's not a lot of room, so attendees are squeezed into a small space and spilled over into the aisles, and if someone wants to shop... good luck getting to some of the books.
The staff offers recommendations in the form of hand-written notes slipped under the books in question. This is a nice touch, and the notes are thoughtful and often witty. Like an indie video-rental store of yore, you can follow the recommendations of someone who shares your tastes. (I'm a fan of Paige, who also is fascinated by serial killers.)
The celebrity and music section is amazing. There is so much eye candy that you could spend hours checking out defining photography of famous rockers or skimming the autobiographies of indulged actors--but do the right thing and buy something, won'tcha?
We all know street parking is tricky in "The Choad Zone," so be prepared to park far and walk, circle for awhile until a meter frees up, or shell out $10 for a Viper Room lot space.
Awesome array of books and I almost always buy something when I visit.
I have been fortunate enough not to get any "attitude" from the staff but have witnessed it plenty - I don't get the point of that kind of behavior and they should think about the way they treat their customers.
Does not get any better than this. (ooooohhhh..for the glory days of Duttons on Laurel Cyn!)
Great smart staff.
Perfection.
Book Soup - a fitting name for a plethora of books strategically targeting the music/art culture that is Los Angeles. Much to be desired square footage wise, but the space you do have, you make it work.
My one pet peeve while browsing a store, any kind of store, is feeling that there is a lack of privacy as far as employee's eyes watching/judging you while shopping. I prefer the type of employee who is too busy reading and/or playing solitaire. Unless I need your help, don't stare at me and internally laugh about my tendency to gravitate toward the new Louis Vuitton coffee table book.
Newsstand on side of building is fab. Plenty of specialty European fashion mags that are so worth the 35 dollars, or euros, don't remember the exact currency, but they are pricey.
The best indie bookstore in Los Angeles. In this neighborhood, parking can be a bit of a problem, but believe me, it's worth it. They have everything. Art books, fiction, travel - everything. And yes, the newsstand outside does carry that obscure French magazine you loved when you were studying abroad in Paris.
I'm going out on a limb here and slaying a sacred cow: it ain't that great.
I will say the staff are at least readers and know their stuff. That's great. The parking is pretty okay for a store of that size. I would have given the place four stars when it was open until 11, but once that stopped, some of the advantages of the place went down. The selection is limited because after all, the place is the size of a thimble. Readings here really are uncomfortable. I have to say I have been to better readings at Borders. I know that's awful to say but it's the truth. The thermostat sucks in the place where they do readings and THERE IS NO GODDAMNED ROOM! As far it goes, I hate dogs in businesses, so I would give the place a two, but it's classic, it's a good location, and a bookstore with an animal isn't all that weird -- though I would rather not have to deal with that. I think my big problem with the place is that L.A. is so replete with illiterate idiots that a place like Book Soup is an oasis to the four or five intellectuals between the ocean and La Brea. As a result the place is consistently overrated. The best that can be said is that if you want to find a smart Angeleno in West Hollywood, this is the place to hit.
i support businesses that are pet friendly
perhaps bad parenting and out of control
children are to blame for a dog that is protecting
it's territory
book soup is one of my favorite la spots
cheers on the buttons good idea
friendly staff that clearly know their books
their books are average priced
but have a happy hour…
Read more »
A world-class bookstore--I could easily spend hours here. Of course, the selection is pretty expensive, so if you have some dough to burn come here.
Staff is friendly, they always have events, a citadel of knowledge in an ignorant city.
I walked past this place on my way to Prix, and after my tattoo and some food at Mel's I decided that I really needed a book. I ended up looking for a book that I saw the day before at Barnes & Noble and got the last copy.
When I walked in it reminded me of some of my favorite bookstores back home (Chicago), but what I liked most was the comment cards. Many books had recommendations and better than anything you'd read on the back of a book and they weren't short & simple either. It appears they frequently have signings and made me wish I hadn't discovered it the day before I was leaving.
I don't think the books are pricey...they're retail value and as much as I like Barnes & Noble (because I pretty much know the layout and can find anything I need in a matter of minutes), I'd pay the same price there, so I'd rather support a bookstore like Book Soup. I also loved that I discovered books (in the short time I was in there) that I probably never would have otherwise.
nice collection of books.
owner (or employee) has an extremely aggressive dog that snapped at my 5 month old son and frightened my 8 year old niece. employee gave a half assed apology, and clearly wasn't sorry for the distress she had cause.
great way to run a business, let your mongrel dog snap at children. (sarcasm)we'll be back for sure (/sarcasm)
Much as I hate to kick Book Soup when they're down, and much as I genuinely hope that Book Soup endures on the Sunset Strip...
I used to live right around the corner -- like, a 30 second walk away -- but I decided I would not go back after I went in one day, jonesing for a pulpy genre novel, and asked if they had any JD Robb (which I understand is not respectable) and was told archly "if you would find it in a *drug store*, we don't carry it."
Which, you know, I kind of loved.
But also, Amazon will charge me 30% less on average, deliver it to my door, and not sneer at me when I want something pulpy.
It's too bad, because lord knows there are too few bookstores left staffed by people who actually read. And, I do admire how natural the (clearly well-practiced) condescension comes, but I am not willing to pay a premium for it.
Four days ago. 5 o'clock hour. It's nearing sundown and I'm driving east.
I'm on Sunset, driving too fast but slowing down, passing Whiskey A Go-Go on my left. I'm not even bothering to peek at the billboard-signage fixed on the very famous and very red building: a parking spot at the curb, that's what I care about and Book Soup's coming up on my right at a tricky spot where the boulevard takes a sharp curve.
I need a new book. And I mean new as in unusual. Strange maybe.
Red building alert and park. After that, I'm walking and the sky is in competition with the street as far as the light goes. Everything's glowing, you know that time of night. It makes you happy. Does me anyway.
I'm in the store now and step on a creaky floor in between books that are stacked on the floor at my feet. Many of these are portfolio-style photography books that can be as much as a-foot-and-a-half-wide-by-two-feet-high and thick as my arm. I'm making my way down the angled aisles, past the tall cases with ladders occasionally in the way, hitting louder creaks by the biography section, getting lost timewise. A long time near a staircase with unique artisan birthday cards and fifty per cent off holiday cards. Beautiful cards. High style snarky cards that say Merry F*cking Christmas, watercolor cards of L.A. landmarks, contrast-y black-and-whites of screen sirens with fierce cleavage and hairdo. And books and books and books and books.
Time's passed. And more time. I'm swimming in this aquarium of words and can't leave. Not until I find a new book... not until I make a strange catch.
I make it. From the Staff Recommendations rack. It's a book that was written almost forty years ago but only recently translated from French to English. The writer's work is dark like Jim Thompson's. Turning around to pay, I'm facing the windows: outside, it's solidly night, like it's midnight with no moon. I'm still indifferent about the time when I leave. The store was still open, what did I care?
What was on my mind? The promise of pleasure from this new book I was about to consume, and that's all. The story will take me there.
Anything's possible, you know that kind of thought. It makes you happy. Does me anyway.
Why do people have their dogs in a business? What a turnoff. AND why do parents have to drag their children everywhere? At restaurants, it use to be "a no smoking areas" - now they need a NO DOG and NO CHILDREN area! As for the bookstore - its probably one of the best in LA.
"Glenn Goldman, the owner of Los Angeles' legendary Book Soup bookstore, passed away on Saturday from pancreatic cancer."
Really sad. He should be proud though, the man created one of the very best bookstores. I spent a good number of hours browsing and waiting to have my copy of this or that signed. It's open late and one of my favorite spots in LA.
This is my current favorite bookstore in the US. I always take an hour or two in my schedule to go here when I am in LA. They have a nice selection of film books and Taschen art books that I love. They have decent sales there.
Book Soup is small yet artfully organized to fill every piece of visual space with fabulous reads and fun cards. I love wandering through here. Today it was about the "cultural studies" section. I browsed titles I cannot find in the small town I've been living in lately. I very nearly purchased (until remembering that my luggage is overflowing) a bell hooks book about identity and place, which is a familiar theme for this trip home. They also carry lots of local histories which I love to flip through. The staff has always been pretty helpful if I've needed to order something. The magazine section carries a wide range, from cheap tabloids to The Believer. Pick something up and head over to Peets for coffee and bask in the goodness while traffic roars by.
If you know me, you know I loooooooove books! I collect rare and sometimes stupid books, but they have always been a passion of mine. This place is so awesome, I could spend all day in here.
I went to a book signing here to meet my freakin hero, Amy Sedaris. Everything went smooth, long line but I got to meet her! And she signed my painting "Pee on Me"
The only thing I don't like is the prices, but then again I am a cheapie whore when it comes to books. I usually get mine at the thrift store, or acres (RIP). They do have the most amazing photography books though. Parking usually blows, but that's Hollywood for you, no big deal to me!
this is one of a nearly-extinct breed of independent bookstores.
book soup stocks a fantastic range of books, from are & photography, to contemporary fiction, especially for a relatively small store.
the intimate spaces among piles and shelves of books are particularly conducive to the deep-browse & deep thought, something i find nearly impossible in the ever-cacaphonous, and fluorescenty aisles of borders and barnes & noble. [both of which i frequented in new york, mostly for the restrooms. you gotta know where they are when you're on the town in new york. may i also recommend those at au bon pain, starbucks, and barneys new york.]
additionally, author appearances add allure to the store.
shop here! support indie bookstores! !
thank you in advance.
Book Soup is one of the best book stores in LA.
An outstanding selection to choose from and as a Brit I love the magazine and newspaper section out front.
I once saw Drew Barrymore browsing in here, I was soooooo tempted to chat to her, but I didn't want to scare the poor girl and send her spiralling back to drugs.
I was at Book Soup when Johnny Rogan was hosting a book signing for his Morrissey/Marr tell all bio "The Severed Alliance".
Of course Moz showed up and all hell broke loose, there were DM's, gladiola's and pompadours flying everywhere as Moz disciples rushed the exit door and tried to dry hump him while he sat in a Mercedes convertable outside.
He acted all coy and pretended he didn't know his nemisis was inside while poor old Johnny was left on his lonesome inside the store.
I have also been to an Irvine Welsh signing there and it was equally entertaining as Irvine read a filthy excerpt from his book "The bedroom secrets of the master chefs" quoting a chapter about a young man who has to shag a disgusting fat old hag in his Edinburgh accent.
It was hilarious and very uncomfortable at the same time.
Best bookstore in LA, helps define the commercial landscape. They always have the best authors making stops. I think they have a good selection, and the books get alternative, but they need to watch out. I heard LA brats hang out there. I went to USC, so I think it's hard to get there. They need to do a little more to promote the store.
I love this place! My first trip over there was for a Rue McClanahan book signing. Yes, Rue McClanahan the Golden Girl, and yes, I was the youngest person there.
I've been back a few times since, and each time has been an excellent experience. It's super tiny, so of course it doesn't have all that a Barnes and Noble might have to offer, but the staff members are friendly and truly knowledgeable, which adds to the book shopping experience.
If you plan on going for a book signing, my advice to you would be to get there early. As I said before, the place is small, so seating is limited, and there is not a lot of standing room in areas where your vision won't be obstructed by a tall book shelf.
Happy reading!
If you love reading, then this peace of reader's heaven on earth is perfect for you. Small, intimate, quiet and incredible.
Book Soup is my favorite kind of book store. I alway try to support local and privately owned businesses. So when my brother brought me here, I immediately fell in love with the place.
Unlike places like Barnes& Nobles, Borders, and those other giant sized shopping mall type book stores, that tries to cater to every one and their children and grandmas, and then you have to get into a line that mazes it's way to the counter as you are bombarded by reading paraphernalia.
Book Soup is not one of those places, this place has soul.
They don't try to get every book for everyone. Yeah, they select the books they want to sell, which means not everyones is going to be piling through the doors. No. This place is designed to bring in certain types of readers. The traveler, the artist, the film and music student or historian, serious readers, collectors and the likes .
I could have spent all day there. There are some places to eat and get coffee near by, so thats cool. There a news paper/ magazine stand right out side the door. Also very cool.
It happened.
Book Soup swept me off of my feet.
I went and saw Chuck Klosterman read here last week.
He signed my books and took a photo with me.
The place was packed to the gills with people and books.
Excellent selection. Excellent.
This is the first book store I have been to that had Will Christopher Baer in stock and Gerhart Richter books (multiples)... which was a shocker.
They have amazing selection of signed editions for the collectors.
Fiction and Non.
Probably my new favorite bookstore.
Sorry skylight. It's just that good.
Heavily stocked books on photography and architecture. Right up my alley.
The magazine section on the outside of the building has everything under the sun as well.
Snooty employees though...
High brow. We are intellectuals and know more than you silly pedestrians.
(just the vibe i got from them)
All the browsing pleasure of a used bookstore without the mold.
Nice bookstore and a lot more in an unsuspected area.
Considering before you walk in to the store, at the front window display is the announcement of the authors scheduling to appear for book signing. I'm mean we're not talking about slouches, there are some famous or well known celebs that are making the round. We are talking about guys like David Mamet to Norman Mailer and then we are getting into Jenna Jameson and Ron Jeremy have all made appearances for their book signing at this location.
Besides the book signing from well known authors and pseudo celebs, this is a wonderful place to get some obscure and hard to find books. Some of them will be easier to get http://Amazon.com or Barnes & Nobles. It's the fascinating books of off beat cultures you will never be able to get from the mainstream stores that will keep a store like around for a long time.
For passionated readers of science fictions or enthusiasts of biographies to the curious lurkers of the *ahem* mature sections, this would be like a wonderland where you can be there for hours and not noticing how fast the time flies. It's a book store like this that will make them a necessity and books that are not going to be for sale at http://Half.com .
The book store is deceptive tight, but have a vast space to walk around and is like a maze in front end of the store. It has a huge selections of children's books as well as any categories you can find. The one nice service the bookstore can do for you is to preorder a book for you if they don't have in stock at the store.
This is a candy store for the avid readers where tons of books can be found. Of course the nice little draw was that this store can attract a nice selections of big name authors for signings, but they also can book a good number of upcoming authors or some good underground writer that is on the cutting edge. It's nice mix between the off beat and the mainstream in this store.
Of course a lot of book store are falling to the waste-side these days. I just hope this is one of the few store that can withstand the deep discounts of Amazon or Walmart ...because we need them to!
Here's the thing about Book Soup... People come and go with a wide range of opinions about the place. But the ones who understand and appreciate what it's about are the ones that put in the effort.
I'm not talking about the loiterers who have nothing better to do than to trap employees behind various counters in conversation about Kenneth Anger's films or the Peter Beard limited edition Africa book.
I'm referring to the readers and artists who come in with a pre-existing passion for books. The ones who appreciate the discovery of a new book. Ones who love the smell of untouched pages.
Book Soup is where you go for:
1) Author events. If you check out the website, there are constantly events both in and outside of the store with basically anyone who is someone that has a book coming out. This includes figures of literary esteem, celebrities, artists, porn stars, political figures... They also have a monthly book club.
2) Wasting away hours. Or rather, wonderfully escaping otherwise mundane hours. Book Soup is a place you can and probably will get lost in. Books literally cover the floor, walls and ceiling-- sometimes without apparent rhyme or reason. Strong sections they have are new fiction, new non-fiction, film, photography, music, graphic design and architecture. Plus, they have constantly have an unbelievably amount of signed books (which make great collectibles or gifts).
3) Meeting interesting people. Yes, the employees can be a bit snobbish. But the majority of them have amazing taste, and they love to recommend things. Beyond the staff, Book Soup tends to attract fascinating clientle. For you celebrity stalkers, it can be a great place to spot people. When I say spot, I mean literally spot. I would highly discourage interacting with them out of mere consideration.
4) Buying cards. In the last few months, Book Soup's card and postcard stock has gotten amazing. They have both beautiful and hilarious cards for virtually every occasion.
5) the badass newsstand.
On the other hand, Book Soup isn't a great place to go to save money. But it should be common knowledge that independent book stores couldn't survive selling books for what Amazon and B&N charge.
It's also not a place you go for chick lit, puffy-paint-titled-fiction or (contrary to Deborah K's opinion), Oprah's book club stuff.
I would recommend going to Book Soup-- it is a quintessential Los Angeles spot. Browse, bring your dog, grab some imported magazines, sip your coffee, have a conversation.
( ps ) There IS a parking lot in the alleyway out back. Parking is pretty limited, but it's there.
I love this place. It's so easy to get lost amongst the towering shelves of books. Everywhere you turn there is something new and interesting to read. The selection is varied and for a smallish store, they really do have a lot. I love flipping through all of the interior design books in the back. I don't think I've ever left this store empty-handed.
The only downer is the parking situation..though I wouldn't blame the store for this. You have to feed the meters, but the clerk is nice about making change.
I love you, Book Soup. I love your enormous newstand. I love your large roster of visiting authors. I love your cramped and tall shelves that, if I squint, make me think I'm in some really cool person's library. I love the books you recommend. I have no complaints about Book Soup, except maybe that it's not 24 hours. What if I have a Norman Mailer craving at 4am or a serious need to read the latest Italian Vogue at dawn??
But seriously. Amazing.
A gem! I love it. It almost felt like a library to me. No, actually it reminds me of the Women's Bookstore on Harbord Street in Toronto... It's much bigger here, but you can lose yourself completely in this store-- physically. It's sort of like a maze.
Reading is a fairly private thing and I like how this place is structured to cater to my desire to feel shielded/ hidden from the rest of the world.
Pros: Because I live most of the time in Santa Cruz where locally owned shops are everywhere, and where we have the wonderful Book Shop Santa Cruz, whenever I'm in LA and need to buy a book I usually put it off so I can get it up there. I'm not a big fan of big corporate franchises, so when I needed a few books I hit up the yelp and found/ remembered book soup. I went over and spent an hour or so hanging out in there walking around. I love book shops and can spend forever in them. This one has such a nice setting. It feels comfortable, is cool, and is stocked with awesome art/photography books. The staff was super helpful and accommodating :) Oh ya, and they sell moleskins, my journal of choice
Cons: I came in with a list of like 6 titles, and they had one. I'm sure they would have been happy to order the rest for me but whatevs, i dont mind finding them used on amazon for cheaper. Perhaps my titles were obscure...but i really don't think so.
Overall, I definitely plan on going back again! I probably wont return with a list of books that i need immediately though. Still a chill place
Suitably packed with books from floor to ceiling, and suitably cramped to make me wonder how I'm gonna get around.
Huge magazine stand outside, and parking out back.
Raised counter to pay at, Awesome.
There are two givens for any trip I take to Los Angeles:
1. I'll always pick up a Hertz rental at LAX.
2. I'll find time to poke around Book Soup.
This is the quintessential LA bookstore. Right on Sunset and in the heart of prime people-watching territory. It's a bit cramped but what it doesn't have in space it makes up in selection and quality. Everything here looks good and though they discount next to nothing, they seem to have just about everything. I love the small travel section up front where I always find something I've never seen before. Non-fiction, art, design are their strong suits. Still, I'm a bit of a sucker for the well-stocked magazine rack outside. I've spent more than I should on more than one occasion here.
The one downside to Book Soup is parking. Like everywhere in West Hollywood, the parking can be difficult and frustrating. But the insiders know they have their own micro lot in the back. Just hope it's not full.
Why, of why did my South Coast Plaza Book Soup close? Is it because people in the O.C. are too lame to read books? Me and my family think so! Not a one book store left in the original S.C.P., you have to cross over to Crystal Court and go to the huge store.
Alas, I had to stop in at the original Book Soup yesterday after getting my hair done. Yum! The smell as you walk in! Love it! Got my books, including a signed copy of Susan Vreeland's latest. Turned around as I walked out the door and said "Until next time!". I would usually have given it 4 stars for lack of parking but I got a spot right up in front at 1 p.m. on a weekday. 5 stars all the way!
I read more than I speak to other people. I read more than I watch TV. If there were a way to compare volume, I read more than I eat or drink water combined. Reading is the only habit I have that rivals my affection for whiskey.
Book Soup is just OK. It has a lot of those books that people hear about on Oprah, or at their knitting group, where they walk in and say "Oh Life of Pi! I've been meaning to read that! Awesome!"
It looks like a cute neighborhood bookstore. But that doesn't make it interesting.
There are a lot of coffeetable books here.
There are a lot of classics. Oddly enough the staff reccomendations are predominantly for classics or soon-to-be-classics. This is the biggest dissappointment. Most of the independant bookstores that provide staff reccomendations have at least one reviewer with a chic-lit sensibility. One with a quirky po-mo sensibility. One with a geeky techno sensibility...nearly ALL of them are avid readers who keep abreast of current literature, allowing me to peruse their reccomendations for new great finds.
Book Soup does not make its wage in delivering information about new great writers to their patrons. They make their wage validating their clients' need to feel smart by helping them remember the names of the books they didn't read in high school so they can give them another go.
This is not the store for real readers. This is the place you go to buy a copy of The Secret while trying to not feel like a poseur.
People, why go to Borders of B and N when you have independent bookstores run by people who love books? This is one of the best independent bookstores in Los Angeles (what am I saying? I love all the independent bookstores in Los Angeles). Yes, Vroman's is larger and more spread out, but the nooks and crannies are what make BS even more charming. All they need is a house cat laying in a ray of sunlight in the front window to complete the picture of charming indie bookstore.
Yes, the bookstore is crammed into a small space and has books literally busting at the seams, but the staff are super helpful and LOVE books. That's why I like it here. I once asked an employee what he thought of a book that I was contemplating buying and he told me that the book was "so god damn good" and that he loved it. Dude...try to find an employee that is even literate at a Borders. It's true, they may not have as many of the academic obscure books as some of the independent book stores out East, but hey...this is el A, right? Who needs obscure books when you have the beach (oh my god...I can't believe I just typed that...)?
They have a great selection of travel books as well. Their annex is also great for bargains on coffee table books and a few paperback /hardback fiction gems that you may have missed out on. That little corner used to be a great way to get all of your media shopping done back in the days of yore when Tower Records and DVD was still open, but alas and alack...Tower exists no more...
Go and support your local independent book store!
Book Soup. Oh, Book Soup.
I am a book addict. And I'd really rather not patronize the chains. This place is like heaven to me. They have everything; they have windy twisty aisles like old bookstores even though it's a "new" bookstore; there are plenty of booky people wandering and sitting and reading. Plus there's a huge newsstand outside and always someone interesting inside.
When I lived in West Hollywood, I was always here, and how I wish we had one on the Eastside......
Book soup is another great example of how la can have small independent gems right in the heart of the city. This intimate setting is a must to any book lover to comb threw the shelves and see what one can find. Yes since it is a smaller store your not going to have every book you want at hand, but the fun of Book Soup is exploring what they have supporting local artist, and enjoying the atmosphere.
Despite the craziness, I love book soup.
Its a bit hard to try and maneuver around, but I love the collection it carries, especially hard to find (fashion) magazines, and design books.
I definately wish it was 24 hours.
Thumbs up, always.
What a great bookstore in the heart of Sunset Blvd. Surrounded by clubs, bars, and music venues, this little gem shines! Score one for the literate people!
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