Book Expo America brings together thousands of booksellers, reviewers, authors and publishers. But attendance was down. The publishing industry is concentrated on the East Coast, and soaring gasoline prices kept many at home.

Los Angeles is the center of the entertainment industry, and celebrities were as thick as the stars on Hollywood Boulevard. Alec Baldwin signed autographs and hyped his upcoming book about his nasty divorce from Kim Basinger. William Shatner signed copies of his new autobiography.

Barbara Walters looked regal as she made her way into the Knopf booth to sign copies of her memoir, “Audition.” Her false eyelashes were a sight to behold. As she prepared to sign the first book, a diminutive woman burst through the crowd and addressed Walters in a distinctive German accent. It was “Dr. Ruth” Westheimer cutting in front of the line.

Across the way in the autographing area, authors appeared throughout the day. I saw Jamie Lee Curtis signing her latest children’s book. A few yards away Ernest Borgnine autographed his memoir.

The hallway leading into the autographing area was a superb location for spotting famous faces. I greeted Henry Winkler, Gary Hart and R.L. Stine.

By Saturday I was suffering from celebrity overload. Look over there — it’s Dionne Warwick. Across the way a mob surrounds Jackie Collins. As I was getting an autograph from Daily Kos blogger Marko Moulitsas Zuniga, the Daily Show’s John Hodgman was signing only a few feet away.

Walking miles with tote bags jammed with books is hard work. Fortunately, there were lots of parties each night to help take off the edge. Scoring tickets to attend the most exclusive parties can be a daunting task. This year Prince hosted a party at his home in the hills. I wasn’t invited. Prince performed into the wee hours of the morning.

I did make it to Larry King’s house in Beverly Hills for the party that he threw for Ted Turner. The food was exquisite. Larry King gave a brief speech, then introduced his billionaire boss, Ted Turner, whose memoir will be published this fall. Later, Turner asked me about my book reviews. When I said that I wrote for the Dayton Daily News, he told me about growing up in Cincinnati and moving away when he was 9 years old. Larry King has a huge portrait of himself in his house. This colorful likeness is executed in a most unusual medium: jellybeans.