The city that Chandler built.
While there on business, I went to two book stores. Mystery
Pier and The Mystery Book Store. Mystery Pier was cool, in a
shack at the back of a regular book store. It had tons of HC
HB including a complete set of Pelecanos, whom I haven't read
yet. Prices were...large.
Then there was the Mystery Book Store. I first noticed all
the vintage PB behind the counter as I walked in. After
looking through the stacks, and not finding any of the
authors I usually look for, I asked if I could check out the
vintage stuff behind the desk. The guy behind the counter
could have been Ellison in another life. As he watched the
Lakers on a little television, I scoured the book case. A
sliding ladder let me see the stacks higher up. WOW! I found
Willeford's Ward 7, Cockfighter, Frederic Brown's The
Fabulous Clipjoint and Thompson's Cropper's Cabin.
Willeford's Ward 7 was going for $15 American! Much cheaper
than the $60 Canadian I saw it for at the Toronto Pulp Show.
The Clipjoint was only $5 American. There was much more I
wanted, needed, but they were unpriced and the guy watching
the store was not the regular storekeeper, so he didn't know
the exact prices.
It was a motherlode of Charles Williams, Brown, Prather,
Himes, Cain, etc.
Check it out next time you're there.
Whaddya mean streets?
Michael
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