We are humbled beyond any and all words we could express for this monumental honor bestowed upon us: A book from our shop to be given as a gift to His Holiness Pope Francis. A valued, esteemed and much loved client of ours is a frequent visitor to him and came to us to purchase a suitable present. Having been told that Pope Francis prefers to read in his native Spanish, we were able to find for him a first edition in Spanish of one of his true favorites: an exceedingly scarce 1845 First Edition of Saint Ignatius Loyola's SPIRITUAL EXERCISES. It was presented to him in a handsome custom made oasis Morocco clamshell case, suitably engraved to His Holiness by the donor. The photo we received of him holding the book, smiling that beatific smile, is now framed and proudly displayed in the front room of Mystery Pier.
Virgin-Atlantic Underground LA: Exploring the city’s hidden haunts 4-4-1604/04/2016 Underground LA: Exploring the city’s hidden haunts by EllaBuchan
The glitz, gloss and glamour of Hollywood is all very well, but to find the real Los Angeles you have to scratch beneath the surface, open unmarked doors and wander down unassuming alleyways. From hidden boozers to secret rooftop gardens and a network of tunnels used during Prohibition, here’s how to see underground LA.
Hidden down an alleyway off the Sunset Strip and adorned with colorful flowerbeds, West Hollywood’s famed Mystery Pier Books looks about as poetic as the prose of the classic literature they sell. This specialized book store isn’t exactly cheap, as they specialize in rare editions and signed copies of classic works from throughout history. Their commitment to collecting and preserving books has made this bibliophile’s paradise famous around the world, and the store regularly provides rare works as gifts for Hollywood awards shows. Whether or not you can afford the most impressive selections, Mystery Pier Books is worth strolling through if only to admire their selections of classics, true crime, famous screenplays and much more.
The new Louis Vuitton City Guide of recommended elite 'Must Sees' is now out -- and once again Mystery Pier Books has been selected for inclusion. Here's their article:
"On paper, Mystery Pier Boioks is right next door to the Book Soup shop. When you get there, the reality is quite different, as it's deliberately hidden from the street. You reach it down a narrow passage that leads to a garden with a tiny cottage at the bottom, surrounded by flowerbeds. Fireplace, houseplants, old furniture: it feels like the home of an elderly relative. Louis and Harvey Jason are far from being ancient, however. Passionate collectors, they have filled their wooden bookshelves and glass-fronted cases with hundreds of first editions and original editions of books adapted for the cinema, along with signed copies that are priceless for an aficionado, such as "The Talented Mr. Ripley" by Patricia Highsmith signed by the late Anthony Minghella, "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote signed by the author, and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" signed by the author Hunter S. Thompson and by Johnny Depp. The Jasons also have a large number of original scripts annotated, including "Being John Malkovich" by Charlie Kaufman signed by Malkovich himself. No point mentioning that you'll spot more (incognito) starts here than at the Oscars."
MYSTERY PIER BOOKS featured as one of the four 'Hidden Gems of Los Angeles' in the March 2015 issue of the Alaska Airlines Magazine (others being the Annenberg Space For Photography, the Huntington, and Amoeba Music). Article reads: "(This) literary gem is hidden away on Sunset Boulevard in an old house. Inside, you'll find a first-edition bookstore where rare volumes by Jane Austen, William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway line the shelves. Visiting the museum-like bookstore might also allow you to see some of the famous people who drop in to buy the very unique volumes (mysterypierbooks.com).INTERVIEW JAN. 10, 2015: KPCC SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RADIO 89.3
Mystery Pier is very fortunate to garner a great deal of continuing publicity and media coverage. Just found out from a Delta Airlines pilot who came in the shop - that the Mystery Pier was featured in the Delta Airlines magazine as a recommended stop for tourists to Los Angeles. Excellent! It’s enormously gratifying to see the shop featured on national television (most recently on ABC-TV's EYE ON L.A. and on CBS SUNDAY MORNING), in the major national entertainment magazines, (including even a cover story in MONEY magazine) and in various and assorted interviews (as well as in film, where Harvey figured prominently in the Weinstein Company’s acclaimed documentary, SALINGER, as the sole bookseller expert discussing the iconic writer.)
Mystery Pier Books Profiled in The Librarian
Mystery Pier was recently profiled in The Librarian. The article includes nice photos of the shop as well as wonderful detail shots of some of our most prized acquisitions.
How nice to read on Yahoo Travel on September 8, 2014 that Mystery Pier is called Number One of the Ten Best Hidden Secrets of L.A. (Hidden secret to the writer of the piece though, and thank goodness not hidden at all to so many, many others.) Check out the article; it's very cool, and we're very appreciative.
Explore our Shop
Click and drag in the image below for a virtual tour of Mystery Pier Books...
Lee Cowan talks with Chiwetel Ejiofor, the star of 12 Years a Slave about his unconventional path to the red carpet—and pays a visit to Mystery Pier Books. Read the full story here.
Mystery Pier in Money Magazine
Knocking on hundreds of doors, Money Magazine's Ryan D'Agostinohe learned the secrets of success from those who've earned it. Lesson 1: Make your own luck—successful people create their own opportunities. Read the full article here.
The Guardian Visits Mystery Pier during Awards Sesaon
Dumb actors? Don't believe it. 'This is a town of book lovers!' enthuses Harvey Jason. Read it here.
