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<div class="at-above-post-homepage addthis_tool" data-url="https://blog.lareviewofbooks.org/recklessreader/skylight-books-los-angeles/"></div>The first thing that anyone will notice when they step through the doors of Skylight Books in Los Feliz is the huge ficus tree in the center of the room. Known to many locals and even some out of towners as the “tree of knowledge,” it stands directly beneath an equally as large skylight. This skylight insures that the tree always gets as much light as it needs, while still manages to gift the rest of the space with a calming, natural light. Before the bookstore even had shelves it had this ficus tree and skylight, these are just two of the small nuances that make Skylight the bookstore that it is today. Surrounding the tree is a circular bench where patrons of the store can sit and read for as long as they want, immersing themselves into all different kinds of literature, leaning up against a tree that might even be older than they are. Skylight is a place where people from any background can congregate and celebrate their love of literature.
Skylight Books has evolved with the neighborhood of Los Feliz, which is populated largely by creative types — musicians, actors, filmmakers. When visiting this area, one has the sense of stepping back in time. For as long as many residents can remember, the block where Skylight Books is located has always had a bookstore, the 1934 Los Feliz movie theater, and a coffee shop on the corner. Up the street from Skylight Books is Fred 62, a 24/7 diner that has been there for the past 20 years, which is a common stop for booklovers and moviegoers.
Chatterton’s was the original bookstore at that location, but was closed in 1993 when the owner died. Three years later, building owner Milton Kaselis and Kerry Slattery mobilized a group of investors to launch Skylight Books. Kaselis knew that he wanted Los Feliz to have another bookstore; however, people in the community were worried Skylight Books would not live up to the legacy of Chatterton’s. As a result, Kaselis and Slattery made a concerted effort to determine exactly what types of books the community wanted and went about procuring literary fiction, books in which Los Angeles plays a major role, mysteries, science fiction, young adult, and children’s literature. They also host many author events, with a wide range of authors, from literary stars to indie darlings. In addition, every August the bookstore features a staff showcase since many of the employees are writers, musicians, and filmmakers.
Skylight Books works collaboratively with Barnsdall Art Park as well as the Los Feliz library. The store hosts events with Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, provides space for readings for graduate writing students in local colleges around the greater metropolitan area and works alongside PEN America and LARB in supporting the literary arts. In addition, Skylight Books contributes a portion of its daily earnings to numerous charitable causes, such as the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in support of their fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the LEAF Project, which provides legal representation, education and advocacy for unaccompanied children at the border.
In an interview with Steven Salardino, the manager of Skylight Books, I asked him what his hopes were for the future of the bookstore. He said, “This year is our 22nd anniversary, and my goal is to cement our legacy and to continue to represent literary Los Angeles.”
Salardino said the store specializes in fiction, always keeping up with the latest and greatest books that have been published. He is also proud of the extensive Los Angeles history section. In addition, he stated: “People are trying to understand what’s going on in the world and looking for answers by reading and turning to books for that.” The bookstore works hard to stock the most current works on politics and current events in order to help customers satisfy their need to know.
In 2008, Skylight Books expanded and opened a second store just two doors down from the original store. This store, called the Arts Annex, specializes in art and photography books and graphic novels. It also houses a large zine selection and a wide array of magazines.
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Not a member and want to receive special benefits and discounts at Skylight and other participating stores? <a href="https://lareviewofbooks.org/membership/">Become a member</a> and we’ll send you a Reckless Reader card and all the perks!
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Skylight Books in Los Angeles

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<div class="at-above-post-homepage addthis_tool" data-url="https://blog.lareviewofbooks.org/recklessreader/beyond-baroque-los-angeles/"></div>In 1968, George Drury Smith opened <a href="http://www.beyondbaroque.org/">Beyond Baroque</a> out of his print shop, which was located on what is now known as Abbot Kinney in Venice, CA. He was a high school teacher, a printer, and a poet. He printed his own poetry magazine and began using his shop as a venue for Friday night poetry readings. Soon, his fellow poets and friends, Joseph Hansen and John Harris, started a Wednesday night poetry class in the store. Because George printed many local poets’ books, it was a natural extension for him to begin selling those books at the print shop to customers as well as to people attending the poetry readings and workshops. By 1979, Beyond Baroque outgrew its location, became a non-profit organization and moved to the old Venice City Hall, where it remains today. Its mission is now “a place dedicated to the possibilities of language.” George wanted Beyond Baroque to be a place where artists of any kind could come together and share their work, expand their own abilities, and have a sense of community.
Beyond Baroque has never been a conventional retail bookstore. Not only is the location not prime for selling, but the bookstore is only open when there are poetry readings, workshops or other events. In the store, poetry books remain the primary focus, especially featuring local, small press poets, as well as a few mainstream poets. In addition, because the artist Ed Ruscha is one of Beyond Baroque’s major supporters, the store also features a large selection of high-end art books, donated by Ruscha. These are complimentary copies he has received from publishers.
This upcoming November 10th Beyond Baroque will celebrate its 50th anniversary. The band X will commemorate this event by performing at the current store location. This is a gift from the band because Exene Cervenka and John Doe met in the Wednesday night poetry class. In addition, to further celebrate its longstanding cultural impact, the City of Los Angeles will name November 16th, Beyond Baroque Day. There are also many events throughout the year celebrating the 50th anniversary.
The roster of impressive events held at Beyond Baroque has expanded over the years. Since 1979, its black box theater has hosted performances from Allen Ginsberg to Patty Smith to X. In January 2018, Viet Than Ngyuen, the 2016 Pulitzer Prize winner in fiction, was a featured writer for a program called Writers Resist. Writers Resist was started in 2017 by David St. John and Jim Nattal as an event for writers to come together for the community be doing reading and holding writing workshops. In March, Beyond Baroque had a five-day event called Beyond Beat, which focused on the Beat Movement’s influence in all aspects of the art world.
Every weekend Beyond Baroque has poetry readings on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings.  They host three open readings a month, spoken word performances, and a monthly art show in the Mike Kelly gallery. They are one of the few retail outlets that carries personal press books.
Beyond Baroque offers a plethora of free writing workshops to the community throughout the year. These include workshops in poetry, fiction, screenwriting, and memoir. In addition, Beyond Baroque works closely with the Venice Chamber of Commerce, Venice Council for the Arts, and Venice Historical Society, and offers workshops in conjunction with these organizations. Moreover, the Kiss the Ground Foundation helped Beyond Baroque create its own drought-tolerant garden and now holds classes to teach these methods to members of the community.
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Not a member and want to receive special benefits and discounts at Beyond Baroque and other participating stores? <a href="https://lareviewofbooks.org/membership/">Become a member</a> and we’ll send you a Reckless Reader card and all the perks!
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Beyond Baroque in Los Angeles

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<div class="at-above-post-homepage addthis_tool" data-url="https://blog.lareviewofbooks.org/recklessreader/book-culture-new-york-city/"></div>In 1997, owners Chris Doeblin and Cliff Simms opened Labyrinth Books in an unassuming building on New York City’s Upper West Side. Doeblin and Simms, working with Columbia University, created their bookstore to provide the required academic texts and research materials for university faculty and students. Labyrinth (which has since become Book Culture after Doeblin bought out Simms in 2007) boasts a diverse collection of academic and university publications, which serves as a valuable resource for professors at any of the numerous colleges in the city. The bookstore offers a wide variety of research books ranging from English Literature to Middle Eastern Studies to Calculus to Neuroscience.
In addition to the original location, Chris Doeblin opened a second Book Culture in 2009 on Broadway, which was much more of a neighborhood bookstore with a wide range of book titles.  In 2010, Annie Hedrick joined Chris as a co-owner of the two bookstores, and in 2014, Rick MacArthur, president and publisher of Harper’s, joined Chris and Annie as co-owner of a third Book Culture store located on Columbus Avenue. A fourth store has recently opened in Long Island City. These stores serve their communities as full-service bookstores and feature large children’s sections with animals painted on the walls, chairs and desks perfect for small bodies, and books that are within reach for people under five feet tall. In order to nurture a love for literature from a young age, these three stores host a weekly children’s storytime. 
Throughout the year, the four Book Culture stores collectively host as many as 300 events. The original store offers academic lectures while the other three stores hold author debuts, new release parties, and book signings. Book Culture is also home to several different book clubs ranging from a Science Fiction club to a club for work written by queer writers only. The Columbus Avenue store also takes part in an event called “Women in Translation Month,” which started in 2014 and takes place in August. Another one of Book Culture’s special events is on New Year’s Day when they offer live jazz, bagels and other snacks, along with a fabulous book sale.
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Not a member and want to receive special perks and discounts at Book Culture and other participating stores? <a href="https://lareviewofbooks.org/membership/">Become a member</a> and we’ll send you a Reckless Reader card and all the perks!
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Book Culture in New York City

Oona Oglesby is a Los Angeles native, who is currently working on her BFA in Creative Writing at Bard College. She is working as an intern for the Los Angeles Review of Books and in her spare time pursues her passion for acting and screenwriting. She enjoys making people laugh, reading, and spending time with her friends and family.