WHAT IS HOT BOOKS? IS IT A STORE OR A STATE OF UNREST? I HATE EVERYTHING, BUT I TRUST PAPER. IT ALL STARTED IN REHAB. I WORKED AT A TREATMENT CENTER IN HOLLYWOOD. THERE WAS A LARGE BOOKCASE IN THE LIVING ROOM OF THE DETOX HOUSE WITH THE WORST SELF-HELP BOOKS EVER. NONE OF THEM HAD BEEN READ, AND MOST STILL HAD THEIR STICKERS FROM GOODWILL. IT BUMMED ME OUT SO MUCH, I MADE IT MY MISSION TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION. I HAND-PICKED BOOKS FROM FREE LIBRARIES ALL AROUND LA, SLOWLY INCORPORATING THEM INTO THE STACKS. THESE WERE BOOKS PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY WANNA READ, ESPECIALLY IN REHAB— NOTHING BUT SEX, MURDER AND ROCK STARS. IT WORKED! THIS BRINGS ME TO MY MAIN THESIS: ALWAYS JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER. THE SUCCESS OF MY LITTLE REHAB LIBRARY WAS THE PUSH I NEEDED TO FURTHER MY AMASSING OF USED BOOKS AND QUIT TREATMENT WORK ALTOGETHER. I BEGAN SELLING BOOKS ON EBAY IN 2017, FIRST AS A SIDE HUSTLE – AS I’D DONE FOR YEARS WITH RECORDS AND TAPES – UNTIL 2020, WHEN HOT BOOKS RECEIVED A CONSIDERABLE BUMP FROM THE PANDEMIC. I SELL WHAT I WANT. I DON’T SPECIALIZE, PER SE, BUT THERE ARE OBVIOUS THROUGHLINES. THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, FOR EXAMPLE, IS A BIG ONE. THE REST OF MY INVENTORY SPEAKS TO MY CURIOSITY, MUCH OF IT INFORMED BY ART AND UNDERGROUND CULTURE. WELL, THAT ABOUT DOES IT! THANKS FOR VISITING AND PLEASE $UPPORT. THESE SITES AREN'T FREE! -AL DORNEY