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Arnold worked for years at the old Cosmopolitan Book Shop in Hollywood, owned by one of the oddest, most eccentric individuals in the history of the galaxy, Mr. Eli Goodman. I also worked at Cosmo, but only part time the last two years of its existence, until its demise a couple years ago.\u00a0 But Arnold was there for around 20 years when Eli was personally running the biblio madhouse, and luckily for us, he kept his head down and his notebook handy. He originally wrote about the goings on at Cosmo\u00a0 using a pseudonym for Eli.\u00a0 His articles were published in the ABAA newsletter, later on BookstoreMemories.com, Stephen Gertz’s Booktryst.com<\/a> and finally gathered together with new chapters, Arnold’s own illustrations, and a whole lot more funny stuff.<\/p>\n Arnold and I have both owned our own shops.\u00a0 I knew Eli for many years before I worked there. I heard a lot of the stories first-hand as they were happening, and saw some flashing moments pass by at the speed of light.\u00a0 Eli, although a complete eccentric, was also a brilliant man.\u00a0 He had a great memory, was as well read as any university professor of literature, and was a kind man, although he didn’t suffer fools. Well, once in a while just to break the monotony.\u00a0 He had the longest run of any of the individual Los Angeles bookstore owners, in great part because he had an inner toughness due to his growing up under difficult circumstances and living in the shadow of the Great Depression. You can glean some more about Eli, with some photos elsewhere on this website.<\/p>\n Eli Wallowing in Books. Just as I snapped this, Eli, almost dozing, jerked alive, blurring the photo, due to a customer pointing out a pile of cash laying on the counter. Photo by Paul Hunt<\/p><\/div>\n If you’ve ever wondered what really goes on behind the scenes in a creaky, dusty bookshop crammed to the rafters with books, and run by Los Angeles’ number one champion tightwad, catering to an assortment of university professors, literary high steppers, book collectors, and the sweepings of Hollywood crackpots, then here it is.\u00a0 Arnold’s story is bold, screamingly hilarious.\u00a0 His pen pops with laughter.\u00a0 If you don’t get the hoot of your life reading this, then please check into the morgue immediately, ’cause you’re part of the walking dead.<\/p>\n You can order this book from the publisher, Poltroon Press (click here to order)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Arnold Herr’s Screamingly Funny New Book Chronicles His Years Working at Cosmopolitan Bookshop in Hollywood by Paul Hunt Arnold worked for years at the old Cosmopolitan Book Shop in Hollywood, owned by one of the oddest, most eccentric individuals in … Continue reading ![\"Eli](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bookstorememories.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/1439519770-Eli-Price-2.jpg?resize=300%2C225\")