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This is the cover for the new volume.<\/p><\/div>\n

His book: “And That Was Only the Front Counter Too” is now available.\u00a0 This is Noel Hart’s second volume of fun and adventures at Cosmopolitan Book Shop in the shoddy East end of the once fabulous Melrose Avenue\/Hollywood corridor.\u00a0 Eli Goodman’s shop was more than just a bookstore:\u00a0 it was it’s own 7 day a week circus, with insane bedlam, and enough eccentric behavior to fill 30 psychology dictionaries..\u00a0 And that was just the owner!\u00a0 The customers, the transients, the Trannies, the UCLA philosophers, the writers, the readers, the Hollywood goof-balls, the celebrities, and even the Mayor all found their way to Cosmopolitan Books.<\/p>\n

And for years a young naive fellow from Australia, who somehow was accidently hired to work in the midst of the Avant Garde Absurdist Capitol of Melrose Fantasy-Land, kept secret diaries and notes documenting his disturbing but often hilarious trip following Eli Goodman and his Associates down the doomed literary Rabbit Hole.<\/p>\n

Cosmopolitan Book Shop is no more.\u00a0 Eli Goodman has passed on, during his mid 90s, to that great seat of esoteric knowledge in the etherial world.\u00a0 Only memories remain.\u00a0 There are a few scattered among the faux history on this website and three books on the sordid, screwy, hilarious\u00a0 goings-on at Cosmopolitan.\u00a0 Arnold Herr started it all with his riotous account of his years working with Goodman.\u00a0 His book, published in 2016, “The Wild Ride of a Hollywood Bookseller,” is out of print and used copies, when available, sell for $80-$100.<\/p>\n

Noel Hart followed up with “And That Was Only the Front Counter,” published in 2023.\u00a0 It is an encyclopedic romp of working at Cosmopolitan.\u00a0 It is a massive 451 pages of Noel Hart’s memories:\u00a0 goofy customers, hilarious incidents, the always entertaining and eccentric Eli Goodman, with many touching moments and introspection from Eli, who was at his core a romantic book lover, a self-made man, a philosopher, a rogue psychologist, an icon of thriftiness, an avid alley scrounger, a glorious pack rat and the uncrowned King of the East Melrose Storefront housing the world’s most eclectic jumble of books, both new and shiny or scorched by fire that could have only been assembled in Hollywood, curated, and at times we suspect, actually eaten by ravenous drug addicted homeless folks who in their hallucinatory state somehow mistook the bookstore for a free food restaurant.<\/p>\n

And now, to wrap up 2024, Mr. Hart has released volume two of “And That Was Only The Front Counter Too<\/em>.”\u00a0 This is also 451 pages.\u00a0 It is another bombshell of hilarity.\u00a0 Much more on Eli and his brother Ezra, some great nostalgic photos, and page after page of book stories.\u00a0 This volume, like the first, lends itself to be opened almost anywhere and be endlessly entertained.\u00a0 The good news is that both of Noel Hart’s books are available NOW.\u00a0 Get them quick.\u00a0 They are both published in Australia and the shipping is expensive but you will never regret obtaining both volumes.\u00a0 Just think of the past books that you have been disappointed with.\u00a0 These will entertain you forever, especially if you are a senior, because by the time you get through the total of eight hundred pages, if your memory is fading a bit you can then start all over again on page 1 and relive the humor, enjoyment, and nostalgic moments of working at Hollywood’s last big bookstore.<\/p>\n

One of my favorite sections of the latest volume is called “What Was I Saying?\u00a0 The Quotable Eli.”\u00a0 It is itself 17 pages of classic quotes from Eli.\u00a0 I’m going to share just a few with you here:<\/p>\n

“All this talk about too much waste in the world, too much garbage. I’m doing my bit for the planet, I haven’t thrown out anything in decades.”<\/p>\n

“I used to think I’d like to have more books.\u00a0 Now I think I’d like to have less.\u00a0 On second thought, I think I prefer my first thought.”<\/p>\n

“I don’t want to be content then I’d have nothing to complain about.”<\/p>\n

“My relationships with women have been such a mess that I should’ve been looking for a cleaning lady.”<\/p>\n

“My eyesight is so bad that my optometrist gave up, he said to look somewhere else.”<\/p>\n

“Too many books, not enough time?\u00a0 I’ve had time. I’d say too many books, not enough space<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

Here’s a few photos included in the new volume.\u00a0 Happy reading folks!<\/p>\n

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