Revolution Books/Libros Revolucion – CLOSED
$ Bookstores
220 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
My experience with Revolution Books was strange. I appreciate the aim of this place but the damn emphasis on some dude I have never heard of before, apparently a leader and speaker for the ‘Revolutionary Communist Party’ named Bob Avakian, is too ‘dear leader’ for me. I assume he must fund this bookstore/info shop, which offers a scant (mildly put) selection of critical books; it is not an Adorno or Jameson kind of bookstore.
I walk in, having passed this place on my bike hundreds of times, and am greeted and go towards the right, which includes maybe five bookcases of shelves. Very empty. Although I’m impressed that they dedicate about one of these shelves to Spanish speakers in a patronizing ‘good for them’ white person kind of way, there was nothing I found interesting. They have a lot of Margaret Atwood books and have a critical Handmaid’s Tail reading group, which made my partner extremely excited to hear about.
One of the two wimmin (I’m trying to sound earnest) who were standing in front, asked me if I heard about this film screening they apparently sponsored the other night. I said I didn’t. She said ‘oh, you must listen to Bob Avakian speak!’ Um, okay. She guided me to a DVD player with headphones connected to it. It was sitting isolated in the middle of the room. She asked me which section of this Bob Avakian speech collection I would like to listen to. I chose #3, which I can’t remember what it was about now but apparently that DVD was lost. Um, okay. So I chose #5.
I nearly died inside as they were standing there watching me as I watched this DVD film of him speak. I don’t remember anything he said but he certainly was a fluid sounding speaker and I’m certain he made good points. But I was still in the fog of having come back from the Hollywood Farmers Market and not totally ready to take anything in. And they were fucking looking at me as I watched this.
I took the headphones off. They then, still facing me, stood next to each other and asked me about what I thought of the film. I think they wanted me to say something about how outraged I am about the state of affairs of this country. I didn’t want them to probe me so I mustered up something about having never heard of Bob Avakian. ‘Interesting’ was interjected somewhere in my comments. I signed up for their mailing list and gave them a dollar for their newsletter and left.
Apparently when you sign up for a list, they sign you up on MULTIPLE lists. I was signed up for a magazine and their general email, which they only send you two or three emails a day for. Oh, and if you give them your number, they WILL call you! If you find phone calls from strangers intrusive, do not leave your number! I repeat: do NOT leave your number! But if you love personal phone calls from numbers you are not familiar with, then please by all means leave your number here!
About two weeks later, I received a personal call from them. I didn’t answer it and they left a voicemail about a revolution BBQ. Hello Chris. We are holding an event, donation is such and such. Bring your friends. Two weeks after that, I get another call from them: Hello Chris. We hope you are appalled as we are about the ATROCITY (impressive emphasis) of Trevon Martin’s court ruling. Please call us back if you agree.
Oh, I agree. But I am not calling back.
Useful: 10 Funny: 3 Cool: 2
10/7/2013