Book Soup Founder Dies, Store For Sale

— Photo By TJ Sullivan —

Glenn Goldman, owner of one of LA's last great, functioning independent bookstores — the venerable Book Soup — has died.

Though I never met Goldman, I've been to his bookstore many, many times, most recently for Carrie Fisher's promotion of her book "Wishful Drinking," and I never left without feeling grateful that the place was still a part of the Los Angeles literary community.

Unfortunately, as LA Observed reported Saturday, the bookstore is up for sale. And though a statement from the bookstore said it remains open for business, the odds aren't great. Without question, it would be doubly tragic if, in addition to losing Goldman, we also lose his legacy.

LA has already lost far too many independent bookstores this decade — Midnight Special, Dutton's, Acres of Books, etc... Though hope wasn't enough to save the others, perhaps this time someone will step up and rescue Book Soup before it joins the list of former greats.

A book signing/reading at Book Soup has long been the goal of many a Los Angeles writer as it has regularly featured locals, as well as some of the industry's biggest names. Malcolm Gladwell, for example, is scheduled to do a signing there later this month.

The LA Times obituary says Goldman was 58.

* More in my post at NBC Los Angeles.


— TJ Sullivan in LA