Every bookseller should have a handful of dream clients. For us, for over twenty-five years, we were fortunate enough to include Diane Keaton as one. Smart, engaging, funny, and ever impeccably stylish, she always brought a smile to the faces of the staff whenever she walked through the door. Sometimes she would stock up lavishly, other times nothing at all. I remember one time watching her studiously take in our front window on The Promenade for a full five minutes before strolling away without entering. But, it was always clear that she loved the bookstore experience, and she spread her enthusiasm over many, many colleagues around town. When we eventually did an event with her and D.J. Waldie for the reissue of “California Romantica,” she could not have been more gracious even though we managed not to draw a Diane Keaton-worthy sized crowd. Every customer walked away with not just a signed book, but a connection they would remember. One of my favorite memories was when I sheepishly asked Ms. Keaton if she would sign my copy of the obscure catalogue Galerie Jablonka published for an exhibition of a series of portrait paintings Andy Warhol did of her for Vanity Fair in 1984. She had never seen it, and laughed heartily at the notion that such a thing would even exist. Of course, she honored the request, and we made sure to dig up another right away so she would have one for her own, voluminous bookshelves. Bookselling is a rewarding process in which one hopefully makes friends along the way as part of the journey. Beyond the silver screen, Ms. Keaton was a photographer, designer, prolific author, and a genuine friend of the book. And, one of those rare dream clients and friends that we shall dearly miss.
