Words From Home

Sherry Kanzer, buyer for Kinokuniya Books in downtown Los Angeles, says many of her customers aren’t comfortable reading books in English. “The way of expressing yourself in the Japanese language is different. For example, English uses a lot of verbs. In Japanese, the verb is often omitted.”

But it’s not just linguistics that sets her store apart from mainstream English-language bookstores. Since most of her customers are either tourists or Japanese citizens on long-term assignments, her sales rise and fall with Japanese economic cycles.

Like Kinokuniya Books, other foreign-language bookstores in the region have their own rhythms. But unlike their English-language independent counterparts, they are largely immune from predation by the larger book chains.

Lise Friedman, president of the Southern California Booksellers Assn., notes that even as many of her 150 independent members are being squeezed by the chains, foreign-language bookstores are growing “by the ton.”

Not surprisingly, the single largest category of foreign-language bookstores nationwide--about one out of three--are Spanish ones, says Len Vlahos, spokesman for the American Booksellers Assn., a national retailing association. Even the big chains have taken notice of the explosion of foreign-language stores. For instance, Giles Tre, community relations coordinator for Borders Books in Santa Monica, says his store more than doubled space allocated to foreign-language books in the past year.

Competition from Borders and other chains, however, doesn’t seem to faze the foreign-language bookstore owners. After all, these places are principal spokes of their respective communities, often serving as informal community and cultural centers. For their regular customers, the stores are a reminder of home, a renewed taste of their native culture. For others, they can be an eye-opening visit to a foreign culture merely a few miles, or a few blocks, down the street.

Here is just a partial listing of Southland foreign-language bookstores; unless noted, the stores are in Los Angeles. (Most, but not all, stock books both in the native language and English.) Once you’ve taken the initial step to explore the community, that community’s other riches will, like Ali Baba’s cave, also open to you.

Arabic

* MVI International Books, 434 S. Vermont Ave.; (213) 382-2800. Part of the Islamic Center, MVI features mostly Muslim books but also has classic Arabic literature and books on the Arab culture.

Armenian

* Abril Armenian Books, 5448 Santa Monica Blvd.; (213) 467-9483. Specializes in art albums, history, literature and textbooks.

Chinese

* China Bookstore, 734 N. Broadway; (213) 680-9230. Cultural and political books, as well as Chinese literature. Also carries magazines and newspapers. English-language books are mainly cookbooks and volumes on Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

* Great Wall Culture Books, 970 N. Broadway; (213) 617-2817. Children’s and cultural books.

* Huan Ya Books, 647 N. Euclid Ave., Anaheim; (714) 774-1390. Carries only Chinese-language books.

* Ni Ming Books, 969 N. Hill St.; (213) 687-9817. Focuses on literature, history and science. Also has English-language books on Chinese medicine and newspapers from the U.S. and China, plus paintings and music.

Filipino

* Philippine Expressions, 28729 Western Ave., P.O. Box 176, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275; (310) 514-9139. Specializes in the arts, language and juvenile literature. Mail-order only.

French

* La Cite Des Livres, 2306 Westwood Blvd.; (310) 475-0658. Magazines and newspapers, as well as French literature and children’s books. Also has instructional materials for those learning French, and music tapes and photo books of French real estate, including chateaux.

* Renaissance International Books, 6639 Magnolia Ave., Riverside; (909) 369-8843 Concentrates on French and German books, including classical and contemporary literature, history and current affairs. Some German science fiction.

German

* New Mastodon, 5820 Wilshire Blvd.; (213) 525-1948. Literature and history, as well as instructional language books and tapes.

* Renaissance International Books; see info under “French” heading.

Japanese

* Ashahiya Bookstore, 333 S. Alameda St.; (213) 626-5650. Bills itself as a superstore of Japanese books and culture.

* Kinokuniya Books, 123 Onizuka St., No. 205; (213) 687-4480. Specializes in literary and historical books, and Japanese periodicals.

Hebrew

* Atara Hebrew Book and Gift Center, 450 N. Fairfax Ave.; (213) 655-3050. Mostly religious books but also carries magazines and records.

* Hataklit Books, 503 N. Fairfax Ave.; (213) 655-1242. Specializes in books, CDs and videos imported from Israel. Also has tour books, poetry and biblical books, as well as Hebrew cookbooks.

* Ufaratza Judaica Center, 8971 W. Pico Blvd.; (310) 858-3897. Philosophy, novels and children’s books.

Korean

* Chong No Books, 2785 W. Olympic Blvd.; (213) 739-8107. Carries fiction, nonfiction and books to learn Korean; also magazines, CDs and tapes. No English language books.

* Dong-A Books, 3460 W. 8th St.; (213) 382-7100. Specializes in novels, essays, poetry and storybooks for children, as well as magazines.

* Jeong Eum Korean Books, 928 S. Western Ave.; (213) 387-0234 Literature and magazines.

Persian

* Nashr-E Ketab Books, 1413 Westwood Blvd.; (310) 444-7788. Carries novels, histories and children’s books.

* Nastarin Books, 1518 Westwood Blvd.; (310) 470-0406. Traditional Persian and Persian-Jewish books, with an emphasis on the classics.

Russian

* Terek Russian Bookstore, 7508 W. Sunset Blvd.; (213) 876-2749. Carries Russian literature as well as books from some of the republics of the former Soviet Union, including Chechnya and Ukraine.

Spanish

* Arroyo Books, 125 S. Ave. 57, Highland Park; (213) 259-8850. Specializes in Chicano literature.

* Gethesemani Books, 2156 S. Atlantic Ave., city of Commerce; (213) 262-7904. Concentrates on religious books and psychological books from Latin America and Spain.

* Libreria Azteca, 1429 W. Adams Blvd.; (213) 733-4040. A New Age-style store specializing in books on metaphysics, Buddhism, astrology, witchcraft and self-improvement.

* Libreria Buenos Aires, 10977 Santa Monica Blvd.; (310) 475-0453. Specializes, but not exclusively, in Argentine authors.

* Libreria El Hispano, 227 N. Broadway, Santa Ana; (714) 547-8939. Spanish and Latino literature, biographies, novels, children’s literature and periodicals.

* Libreria La Mexicana, 12618 Washington Blvd., Culver City; (310) 391-9467. Mostly Mexican literature.

* Martinez Books & Art, 200 N. Main St., Santa Ana; (714) 973-7900. Chicano and Latino literature, children’s books, magazines and music.

* Spanish and European Bookstore, 3102 Wilshire Blvd.; (213) 739-8899. Specializes in Spanish literature and dictionaries in 59 European languages.

Thai

* Dok Ya Books, 5321 Hollywood Blvd.; (213) 464-7177. Literature and periodicals.

* Siam Books, 5178 Hollywood Blvd.; (213) 665-4236. Thai novels, comedies and periodicals.

Vietnamese

* Thang Long Books, 767 N. Hill St., No. 102; (213) 628-1644. Literature, history, music, films and videotapes. Has Chinese movies dubbed in Vietnamese, dictionaries and instruction books for learning Vietnamese. No English-language books.

* Tu Luc Books, 14318 Brookhurst St., Garden Grove; (714) 531-5290. Specializes in Vietnamese literature and history.

* Tu Quynh Books, 9581 Bolsa Ave., Westminster; (714) 897-3557. History, novels, dictionaries, literature and the arts. Instruction books for learning Vietnamese.