Arcana Books on the Arts: A New Book Store on the Westside

Coffee table book about Chinese junks

Not too long ago, I discovered this new book store in Culver City: Arcana Books on the Arts. http://www.arcanabooks.com/. This independent book store carries everything you can imagine about art. While browing the shelve: If there is a trend in art, there's an art book documenting it, and you can find it at Arcana.

Ever since the big chain book stores such as Barnes and Noble, Borders, Brentano's, and Crown Books left my neighborhood, it seems like only the small and specialty book stores are still hanging in there. Sam Johnsons Book Shop, which is a used book store, Children's Book World, catering to kids, and now, Arcana.

Tattoo of 1970s Tokyo

I miss the feeling of being able to browse a book store's physical books, flip through the pages, and read the covers to sample the content. It's just different browsing on line.  I have to admit, too often I end up going on the internet to buy books at a much cheaper price than at book stores. Sometimes, I just go to the library to borrow books. I admit, this habit of chasing less expensive books are probably what contributed to the demise of brick and mortar book stores. But then again, who wants to over pay for something that most don't have the space to keep and will donate or toss after they're done reading it? I used to think that any book is worth keeping. I don't think that anymore.

But Arcana found a niche: While most of its books are brand new and can probably be found cheaper on the internet, some of the art books are probably out of print already and are just so gorgeous too look at that you can't help but make an impulsive purchase. The beautify art work depicted is just too irresistible to browse over and over again, and I would think twice before tossing them, knowing they are probably hard to find elsewhere.  (I have to admit though, no matter how great the photography is of original art work, it can't compete with the original art objects hanging on walls, or wherever they come from).

This Christmas, I will make a special effort to support my neighborhood book stores and purchase Christmas presents from them lest they disappear from my neighborhood too.

Buy a book as a gift this holiday season!