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I Bought Book I Already Own

A first issue with this post is whether or not I should left justify or center the photo. You will have noticed I choose...by looking to the left of this post.

Anyway, I own L.A. CONFIDENTIAL. I bought a copy when I lived in Milwaukee. It was in a gigantic three story building that I think no longer exists, and I believe needed to be condemned by the city. That bookstore was one of the places where every nook and cranny was filled with books. There was a bare acknowledgment of the alphabet and its order. Subject headings were parsed to an insane degree. Books were piled in front of books making the systematic attempt to insure that you have seen all of the James Lee Burke's is thwarted because several large boxes of books with a UPS notice of delivery from 11 months ago are blocking your path.

And I hate those places. I collect books and hate a disorganized bookstore. Occasionally when I enter a bookstore with suspect shelving habits I will arrange books in series orders just bring sanity to .00005% of that store.

I like an orderly store. A bit of care, because I don't want to worry about getting deer ticks. A sloppy bookstore almost never gets my money, because besides an avalanche of unkempt tomes is also a bunch books with torn covers and/or slouching spines that are weather beaten and smell old....and not the charming kind of old. I bought L.A. CONFIDENTIAL in Atwater Village, neighborhood near my apartment in the larger Hollywood enclave. The book cover was put on by the store, not me....so classy. And snobby.... I am not unaware of the that.

It is a bit on the nose to buy this book in Los Angeles and then take a photo of it with Palm trees in the background. Not surprisingly I adore this book. However....an additional rant. I not a big fan of shorten Los Angeles to L.A.  Can you tell its been a long week?


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