Book Blog – The Iliad Bookshop

The 65 Best Bookstores in LA - LA Times article

LA Times names us one of the “65 Best Bookstores in L.A.”

April 15, 2022 Lisa Morton 0

This was a nice surprise: the April 14, 2022 issue of the LA Times ran an article on the “65 Best Bookstores in L.A.,” and […]

Remembering Bob Johnson

January 25, 2022 Lisa Morton 0

The Iliad’s longtime employee Bob Johnson passed away on January 24, 2022, of a massive heart attack. Bob was much loved for his sense of […]

Boo, humbug!

December 23, 2021 Lisa Morton 0

Have you ever heard that one line in that Christmas song that goes, “There’ll be scary ghost stories,” and wondered what ghost stories had to […]

Holiday Books on the Holidays!

December 10, 2021 Lisa Morton 0

Are you looking for that perfect holiday gift book and you can’t come up with anything? Well, how about a book about the holidays? We’ve […]

Vintage Children’s Books – The Sequel

November 27, 2021 Lisa Morton 0

A few months ago, we did a blog post about an extraordinary collection of vintage children’s books we’d recently received. Well, given the size of […]

Collection Christian Fechner front cover

Abracadabra!

September 16, 2021 Lisa Morton 0

We’ve reached that time of year when magic’s in the air (or is that just pumpkin spice?). Fall is setting in, Halloween is coming, temperatures […]

Votes for Catharine Susan and Me

August 25, 2021 Lisa Morton 0

Back around the beginning of the 20th century, author/illustrator Kathleen Ainslie produced a popular series of children’s books based on a doll called Catharine Susan […]

Oddities!

August 21, 2021 Lisa Morton 0

Every bookstore gets those books that just don’t seem to fit into any other section. A book on the history of bizarre scams? Well, maybe…ummm…True […]

More Books on the City of Angels

August 7, 2021 Lisa Morton 0

Yeah, I know – I’ve already posted once here about books on the history of SoCal. But doggone it, aside from the fact that I’m […]

Vintage Children’s Books

August 5, 2021 Lisa Morton 0

We recently unearthed a large collection of children’s books, mostly from the late 1800s and early 1900s, that reminded us again of the glorious history […]

The Iliad Bookshop

4.7

Based on 611 reviews

Shelbi Chew

17:25 31 May 20

Great selection, helpful staff. One of my favorite bookstores in LA

Rick Kilpatrick

00:10 14 Mar 20

One of the few remaining book stores of old with shelves upon shelves of rare, new, and many used books in pretty much every genre, in a space that is growing and with new and still empty shelves just added the last time I was there. This is one of those places a book-lover could easily spend hours scanning book covers and browsing through their pages.

Charlotte Riley

16:13 06 Mar 20

Such an awesome bookstore. Best staff, awesome finds, cheap prices. They do lots of cool things for kids on the weekends... we love this place!!

April Robbins

13:29 06 Mar 20

Pretty great. Tbh doesn't compare to the strand in NYC but you know it's not the same. At the same time it's not a bad alternative it's pretty great and LA is in desperate need of more second hand book shops. I don't know how LA doesn't have these on every corner. I guess I miss this part of NYC.

Janet bell

06:43 19 Feb 20

Great variety of used books. Well organized and great prices! This bookstore has everything you could want including the old book smell (not overwhelming) & 2 darling cats Apollos & Zeus! What more could one ask for! 💕

William Rico

08:30 18 Feb 20

The staff here was great and super helpful for my first time there. I spent a few hours roaming about and exploring the inventory. It's a wide variety to choose from, and you'll fall in love with a lot of what they have.

Jenna Breiner

04:18 22 Jan 20

Our second favorite place in LA after the Getty. Unparalleled ambiance. Helpful staff. Cute cats. Eclectic selection of used books. And a clean, whimsically decorated restroom. What's not to love.

Trenae Phillips

00:43 13 Jan 20

My favorite bookstore. Super friendly and incredibly helpful staff. Wonderful and homey aesthetic with cute bookstore cats! I make this trip bimonthly from San Diego and it's always worth it.

A GP

02:01 23 Dec 19

This is a Gem of a bookstore. Unassuming, large and varied stock of used books among which little gems are to be found - all at bargain prices. Thank you for the valuable service you provide.

Tamara Qonita Mahadi

00:32 16 Dec 19

I love this place! They have amazing collections and a whole room just for fiction books and literature. Everything is organized by the authors' last name so it was very easy to find everything. The staffs were all so helpful and friendly. They also have chairs to sit and read books in the fiction rooms. I really can't hope for anything better. However, if you are looking for newer books maybe you will not find it here.

Ogalex 9596

02:12 14 Dec 19

Possibly the best book store in southern California. I come here at least once a month. They have a great selection that constantly changes so if you can't find what you want, you may be able to at a later date.

Blammo

04:09 12 Dec 19

The Iliad is the greatest bookstore I have ever been to. They have a high turnover rate, and they are very careful with what they accept, and the prices that they sell all of the books, fancy (or not) are more than fair. Think; highly curated, highly affordable, built for the people by the people, vibe, then you start to see why this is such a fantastic bookstore.

ncgrudge .

22:43 09 Nov 19

Just a beautiful, cozy and thorough used book store. Bonus points for the cat mascots. A must for serious readers.

michael lindsey

18:19 13 Oct 19

Old school used book store! You can find gems if you take your time. If you love the feel of a real book to read and hold this place is a gold mine. It's right next to NoHo so you can make a great afternoon of walking, food and reading.

Kurtis Borton

07:31 11 Sep 19

Wow!!! this bookstore was one of a kind. I love spending time here when my off day. I love reading books and this place has a lot of great books. You can really have a great time. No one will disturb you here. Cool place and I love to be back here again and again.

Jessie Lucas

01:38 11 Sep 19

I go here at least once a month and find the best comics. Zeus and Ares really make the store feel like home. Watch out for the couches though, they're a little gross! ;)

Star Sadler

07:04 04 Sep 19

Spend time here and get lost in all kinds of books. Everyone is respectful and very knowledgeable. One of the cutest things is the cats you will see walking around. They just add some magic to an already awesome place. If you love books and bookstores and haven't been here yet, then put some hours aside to visit and shut off your phone.

Marita Dancy

07:29 27 Aug 19

Lovely little place with a lot of $1 books I love to buy!!! Could spend hours browsing here and I feel at home with the kitties and the sofas ;)

Chella Marieya

04:20 20 Aug 19

I love this place! The staff knows there inventory and a happy to assist. Much like the The Iliad Bookshop s of yesterday before the big box stores put all the other players out. Great stock and fills orders quickly.

David L Reinke

19:45 19 Aug 19

This was the outstanding used book store in the Valley. There are always Baggins to be found here, and with a little searching, there are treasures to be found. Highly Recommend!

Andy Chase

18:28 17 Jul 19

Huge selection of used books across many topics. You can find books there that you will not find online. Easy to find location with easy parking. Large selection of graphic novels.

michael mcclay

08:53 07 Jul 19

I am a lover of books. In our world of technology, I bemoan the loss of the printed word on paper. Don’t get me wrong…I fully embrace the miracle of the computer and all its forms. I am a writer/author and for the first 35 years of my life I got most of my information from ink and paper sources and I regret the drastically dwindling number of bookstores. Fortunately, the Valley’s landscape is dotted with a rich supply of independent and specialty bookstores. I love books…the look…the feel…the smell and the optics of a book. The Iliad Bookshop is the one place in the Valley where you can go to get all the “booking” you need. I have been a customer for almost 30 years and the owner Dan has a multi-generational family legacy in the business. The inventory is astonishing and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, they’ll search for you. They are courteous, helpful and extremely knowledgeable about books and the business. I’ll stack them up against any public librarian. Other services include a robust and fair book buy service which can come in handy when you need to sell your books. They carefully check each title for its resale value, meaning you’ll get a fair and honest price. A bonus: you’ll notice that many of the books at Iliad have mylar covers to help minimize dust jacket wear and tear. And if you’re a cat lover you’ll appreciate Apollo, the store cat which roams the premises. A cozy, friendly environment.

James Mazzeo

00:08 02 Jul 19

This is a fantastic used book store. Wonderful selection of graphic novels, esoteric books, rare first editions and signed book. Should not miss this store if your a reader.

Millie Chang

02:32 30 Jun 19

a neat little bookshop with tons of books! their fiction section is pretty extensive, with a sale section with $1-2 books. the employees were friendly and politely asked if i needed help finding anything, although i was just browsing. there is a sitting area with a few couches/chairs where people were reading. and of course, the cats! we saw two in store today, mostly napping.

Armine Chitjian

09:00 26 Jun 19

Don't go right before closing. You'll want to spend a while in here exploring treasures in a wide range of topics.

D ANDREWS

23:00 23 Jun 19

Absolutely fantastic used bookstore! My son and I visited and were impressed beyond words (no pun intended). This place has every possible interest covered and a tremendous amount of books on each subject. I found a large amount of books on chess, cooking, Hollywood films, biographies, etc. Going to visit again soon. And a plus, they have a cat walking around which will meow at you until you acknowledge its presence.

Jerome Jerome

14:22 17 Jun 19

If you're thinking of going here to look for literature, don't bother. Unless you're starting from nothing, you won't find anything but books you already have, with the exception, perhaps, of the drama section. Nothing special in this bookshop. Sorry LA--looks like the real bookstores are still in San Francisco.

Rosalie Mejia

13:39 12 Jun 19

With book stores becoming more and more rare. This used book store was heaven! I was in a bit of a hurry and went straight to the front desk to ask for what I was looking for. The gentleman was so helpful, he walked me right over to the section I needed and even pulled out a couple of books for me! He was nice and very helpful! I will definetly be back to spend more time there!!! I walked out with more than I expected, that's for sure!

Skye Sinclair

23:36 03 Jun 19

Good if you want to browse through stacks of books and see what they have, but if you have something in mind, you'll have a heck of a time finding it.

Anthony Caldwell

21:11 02 Jun 19

Best indie bookstore in Burbank and is fun to hang out at. Their selection of used and new books is incredible. Support local businesses by shopping at the best of them!

WitByndMsr

20:32 24 May 19

Can I live here? I just went for the first time and I definitely annoyed my friend with how long it took me to leave. I've been really hurting for independent and used bookstores these days, and this place scratches that itch. The SFF selection is awesome, I found a lot of 70s and 80s authors that I haven't found other places. The atmosphere is nice and chill.And the CATS. 💕

gerald gates

19:31 23 May 19

Last night was my beat experience " Ever "! Over at Iliad bookshop!! Meet the most interesting man named Mr. Ron a producer of sorts and a professional musical symphony orchestra/ Orchestra information Savant!! , James Derrick and I discussed famous conductors and composers with Mr. Ron for about an hour or so..good times. Thanks Iilad Books in the East Valley Los Angeles .. G-Man Gates...

Alex Garcia

01:41 07 May 19

This place is a true gem to find in a city like Los Angeles. Being a huge fan of Mark Twain I found an incredible variety of his books there that left bookstores like Barnes & Noble in the dust. I could have spent 2-3 hours there browsing the wonderful selection of books they have. Highly recommended!

Nat Trig

16:54 14 Apr 19

LOVE THIS PLACE! I have been coming here for years, before they did the expansion. I love every inch of this bookstore

Theresa Gehri

13:48 02 Apr 19

I pick through their free stuff outside in boxes most of the time. Nice bookstore though. They got some good art books. Looking for a specific large book on Bosh, but haven't found it yet.

Rachel Decker

17:51 11 Mar 19

This is such a charming and unique location. I've been here a few times, the most recent to sell a box of books. The parking is a little tricky as it is near a busy and semi-blind intersection. I believe there is parking in the back of the store, but it is not apparent driving up to it. Saw 2 store cats and at least one was open to petting. I was mostly interested in creating as I waited and was a little confused/ disappointed at the shelf labeling as it was quite inaccurate and a bit of a hunt to find the related material for the label. Overall, it was a nice experience and the staff was friendly enough, I only had a short interaction with them for the transaction.

Ed Price

03:29 09 Mar 19

Very interesting place, great selection and variety of used books. Very friendly staff and 2 resident cats that keep them company. They have a trade or buy program available most nights, as well. Highly recommended when in NoHo.

Brian

19:43 14 Feb 19

I love this place. It's a quaint used book store in North Hollywood. The books are in good condition. The bookstore employees are nice, friendly, and are very helpful. They have a good selection of used books. And I've never been disappointed with anything I've bought here. I could peruse the aisles for hours here.

Maggie Gravelle

23:14 09 Feb 19

Absolutely love this place. Always a good find or 4 every time I go in, and the place has great energy. I always recommend this place to people! Plus the two resident cats, Zeus and Apollo are a plus, get are lovely. Definitely stop by and buy a few books, you will for sure find something that peaks your interest. There is street parking but they also have parking in the back.

warden white

20:14 16 Jan 19

A great used book store in North Hollywood that has an absolutely amazing selection. They do have paperbacks, but they seem to specialize in hardback editions, all of which are in high-quality condition. The prices aren't bad, and the staff is knowledgeable and quite friendly. They also have a couple of lovely reading Nooks should you get overwhelmed with a particular subject matter that you have to explore at that moment. Parking is on the street and depending on when you go it shouldn't be a problem.

Celeta B.

06:14 18 Dec 17

This book store was everything I was looking to experience. The staff were knowledgeable, friendly great vibes & not intrusive or at all. I don't like shopping with a stalker asking me if I'm ok every time I move to another aisle. .AND they had some adorably chill cats that made it that much more welcoming ♡

Cidney Bredeken

06:11 15 Dec 17

Amazing ambience due to thousands of books, many of those vintage. Even more amazing are the beautiful cats (2 ?) that "guard" the premises. Their humans are very helpful also. If I was in better health, I would visit more often.

Roger Spain

00:21 08 Dec 17

There's good reason for their high overall rating. Terrific place; good folks. A real pleasure to lose oneself in this magnificent bookshop.

Lora Hakanson

23:02 26 Nov 17

This used bookshop is absolutely wonderful. They have an extensive collection of literature, nonfiction, graphic novels, plays, and even some rare books as well. Beautiful murals greet you as you enter, and they have 2 cats! This is one of my favorite places in North Hollywood. I recommend everyone to visit!

Chris Duran

01:40 15 Nov 17

A deceptively small building on the outside, the inside of this store is absolutely massive. I've been here several times and I'm always discovering new books. The employees are friendly (including the cats) and are very helpful if you nees help finding any specific books you'd need.

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