This is an FAQ list for the rec.arts.books
newsgroup on Usenet, edited for space, featuring commentary--much of it, as
you'll see, idiosyncratic--on British bookshops. This version contains only
those for London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hay-on-Wye, Cambridge, and Oxford.
It was created in October of 1994, so some material may be out of date.
London
In general when people ask about bookshops in London, the only answer they
get is to take the Underground to the Charing Cross area and walk down the
street. Charing Cross Road runs N/S from the junction of Tottenham Court Rd
to Trafalgar Square. Tube stations to go to are Tottenham Court Rd (Northern
Line/Central Line) or Leicester Square (Northern/Picadilly/? Line).
However, the following may be of more specific help.
? (all the way up the Archway Rd, near Archway tube stop). Dusty secondhand
place. Owned by wife of poet Adrian Mitchell.
? (across from Kentish Town branch library, Kentish Town road).
Near the tube stop of same name, head south on the road, right side
of st. Good and interesting collection, especially British history.
The library's not bad either.
? (on the first [second to Americans] floor in a major cross-street near the
north end of Charing Cross Road--Shaftesbury Avenue, though the
poster thinks he may have meant Long Acre instead. He also thinks
it's the same street as either Tower Records or the Virgin
Megastore). They have a LARGE stock of comics.
The Africa Centre (Long Acre). Sells African artifacts downstairs and
Africa-related books upstairs.
Any Amount of Books (Charing Cross Road). Second-hand.
Arthur Probsthain (41 Great Russell Street. Secondhand on things Oriental.
At The Sign Of The Dragon (133, Sheen Lane, SW14, 081-876-3855; Mortlake BR
station and walk south). Run by Richard and Marion van der Voort,
is a small shop with a good selection of titles. They rival (often
beat) Forbidden Planet in early stocking of titles, and are happy to
reserve and special order books. "A lot more friendly than FP!"
Will ship worldwide.
Atlantis Bookshop (49a Museum Street). The title says it all. They carry
new and secondhand books on esoterica, the occult and the like.
An essential visit.
Beaumonts Aviation Bookshop (656 Holloway Road, N19 3PD, 071-272-3630).
Specialist store on aviation (London's biggest?) as you might guess
by the name. Archway tube and walk south, quite a long way, but
worth it if you're into aviation. Wide stock and also has many
second-hand titles. Very helpful staff either by phone or visit.
Books Etc (Charing Cross Road opposite Foyle's, Tottenham Court Road tube).
Good general stock, with emphasis on fiction and modern literature.
SF section is also surprisingly good for a non-specialist shop,
including some US imports. Lots of other stuff, including a
reasonable technical section. Staff helpful, often beyond the call
of duty. Takes credit cards, will order books from the US.
Sometimes open Sunday afternoon. Branches include: 30 Broadgate
Circus, London EC2M 2QS, tel. 071-628-8944; 120 Charing Cross Road,
London WC2H 0JR, tel. 071-379-6838; 60 Fenchurch Street, London
EC3M 4AQ, tel. 071-481-4425; 176 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2AB,
tel. 071-353-5939; 263 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EE,
tel. 071-404-0261; 26 James Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8PA,
tel. 071-379-6947; 54 London Wall, London EC2M 5TR,
tel. 071-628-9708; 163 Oxford Street, London W1R 1TA,
tel. 071-734-8287; 66 Victoria Street, London SW1 5LB,
tel. 071-931-0677; 19 Whiteleys of Bayswater, London W2 4YQ,
tel. 071-229-3865). The Charing Cross Road branch is open Sundays.
The British Museum. Has a good bookstore, especially for art and history.
Charing Cross Road Bookshop (Charing Cross Road). Second-hand.
Compendium (Camden High St between Camden Town and Chalk Farm tube stations
almost by the bridge over the canal). A very intellectual and
political bookshop--quite large and well-organized. Carries the
latest in literary and political books, incuding many US imports.
Been around since the Sixties. Go on a Saturday to visit Camden
Lock, one of the biggest markets in London. (This had previously
been listed as Portobello Road; I suspect it was the market that
confused someone. Someone else says "Chalk Farm Road.")
Dillon's (82 Gower St, 071-636-1577, FAX 071-580-7680, Goodge Street tube).
Beautiful, general, moderately helpful staff. Smaller than Foyle's
but it more than makes up for it in efficiency. Excellent science
and medicine depts, and generally strong on textbooks and
"recommended reading" in all subjects--this is an academic's
bookshop. (It caters for University College that is a block away,
and the student population of London at large.) One of the three
main technical bookshops in London, and easier to find your way
round than Foyles. Also has a reasonable SF section (all UK,
though), and lots of other stuff. There is a bargain department on
the ground floor. Very knowledgeable staff. Strategic reduction in
prices in order to challenge the NBA [the Net Book Agreement
prevents bookshops from selling books at less than the recommended
retail price; Dillons are leading a campaign against this by
deliberately cutting prices]. Accepts credit cards. "While you're
there, visitors should go and look at the outside of Senate House
(one of the models for Orwell's ministries) and on Russell Square,
which is where T. S. Elliot worked for Faber's." (Other branches at
150-152 Kings Road, SW3; 48-52 Kensington High Street, W8; 8 Long
Acre, WC2; 213 Picadilly, W1; St Dunstans Road, W6; St Mary's Road,
W5; Exhibition Road, SW7; Lambeth Palace Road, SE1; 37 Upper
Berkeley Street, W1; Trafalgar Square, WC1. Most of these are
associated with a college, so are likely to be small and have a
specialist selection. For example, the St Dunstan one is at the
Westminster Medical School, the St Mary one at the Polytechnic of
West London, the Lambeth one at St Thomas' Hospital, and the
Exhibition Road one at the Science Museum. The Dillon's near Covent
Garden has a large selection of art books. The Dillon's at 8 Long
Acre is next door to Stanford's Map Centre and is a specialist
art/architecture/design bookstore.) Dillon's on Trafalgar Square is
large and spacious, but empty of much substance.
Dover Bookshop (going south down Charing Cross road, take the small road
that's probably second left, counting round anticlockwise
(widdershins) from the southern part of Charing Cross at the
Cambridge Circus junction in the middle of Charing Cross Road. If
you're on the correct road, you should go past a shop called Orc's
Nest more or less immediately.) The Dover Bookshop stock most Dover
books, and similar titles. The owner is very helpful and takes
credit cards. (For the forseeable future, Cambridge Circus is where
"Les Miserables" is on.)
Dress Circle (57 Monmouth). They have the largest selection of material
related to musical on this side of the galaxy. This includes
scores, recordings, books, etc.
The Economist's Bookshop (Houghton St., Holborn tube). Very good history,
economy, related subjects.
Francis Edwards (Charing Cross Road). Second-hand but poor quality.
Fantasy Centre (157 Holloway Road, London N7 8LX, (0)171-607-9433). "One of
the best selections of second hand SF in the country."
Fine Books Oriental (46 Great Russell Street, opposite the British Museum).
Mainly secondhand books on things Oriental.
Forbidden Planet (New Oxford Street, east of Charing Cross Road; Tottenham
Court Road tube). Comics, T-shirts and pins at street level; SF,
posters and videos in the basement. They have some reduced
hardbacks, marked-down paperbacks and sell more-than-2-year-old
copies of Asimov's, F&SF, etc. at a reasonable price. "The SF stock
has gone downhill in recent years IMHO, as they seem to have
concentrated more on marketing the big releases--if you are looking
for something specific you are much better off going to Murder One
(see below) at least in my experience." [Editorial note: this seems
to be a world-wide policy, as their New York City stores have the
same problem.] "Good for US paperbacks, but I've had more luck
finding new US hardbacks at Murder One". Some really good
SF/fantasy art books. They also have author signings. Takes
credit cards.
Foyle's (Charing Cross Road, just after Sutton Row, 071-437-5660 ["but they
never answer"], Tottenham Court Road tube). "Well, this is where
all the guide books are going to send you--I have yet to find
someone that doesn't hate the place. Chaotic--they claim to have
every book in print, but they never seem able to find them....
Utterly ridiculous system of classifying by *publisher*--it makes
browsing a tiresome experience. Staff are sometimes willing, but
often unable to help; more often than not they tell you to try
Dillon's. Good Penguin section, though." Another poster points
out, "Classifying by publisher is not *quite* as stupid as it
sounds. The books are delivered by publisher, so this system makes
it much easier for the staff to get the new deliveries onto the
shelves. It's simply another indication that the convenience of
customers comes very far down Foyle's list of priorities." A weird
pay system: you have to leave your books at the service desk, wander
off in search of a cash desk to pay and get your bill stamped, then
back for your books. One poster writes, "Foyle's, while indeed
awful, has finally given up and since mid-92 accepts credit cards.
All the rest is, unfortunately, as you describe." [There are some
sections by category rather than publisher.] Also has
foreign-language books. Closed Sundays.
Freedom (Whitechapel; Aldgate East tube). Anarchist books. "After their
recent (5/93) attack by neo-Nazis they could do with your support."
French's Theatre Bookshop (52 Fitzroy Street, London W1P 6JR, Warren St or
Great Portland St tube, tel: 071 387 9373). They have a very large
selection of plays, recordings and related material. If you are
looking for an obscure play, they have it or can get it. "I
believe that they will do mail order as well. Credit cards
accepted."
Gloucester Road Bookshop (123 Gloucester Road near Gloucester Road
Undergound). A good, general secondhand bookstore.
Gosh Comics (Great Russell St, opposite the British Museum).
Grant and Cutler (55-57 Great Marlborough Street next to Carnaby Street and
Liberty's) is the place for foreign language books, including
English translations thereof.
H K Lewis Books (136 Gower, WC1, 071-387-4282/9769). Good technical
bookstore at north end of Gower St (can't remember the name but
there's a tube station almost next door). Also specialises in
medical books as it's next door to University Hospital.
HMSO Bookshop (Holborn, 071-873-0011). Halfway along Holborn between
Holborn and Chancery Lane Tubes. Source for all UK government
publications, white papers, etc. Has large stock and can order all
that it hasn't got in stock. Open M-F only.
Hatchards (2 Brook Street, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey KT1 2HA, about 12
miles South West of central London, +44 0 81 546 7592;
hatchards@kingston.ac.uk or dillons@kingston.ac.uk). An academic
bookshop serving Kingston University and other institutions in the
Surrey and South West London area. Part of the Dillons, Pentos
group (hence the dual email address). Will post books worldwide
and accepts credit cards (Visa, Master Card and Amex). The email
address is that of one employee's husband, so when they are on
holiday, things will take longer.
Hellenic Bookservice (122 Charing Cross Road). One of the places for books
in Greek or about things Greek.
Institute of Contemporary Arts (Pall Mall). Has a bookshop (as well as a
cinema, a theatre, and a gallery. (The bokshop does not require a
membership to visit.) "Lots on contemporary art, left-wing,
feminist, gay, (mucho alternative), great post cards."
Lion and the Unicorn (Richmond). Children's bookshop. "Not a vast stock,
but a good range and very helpful staff.
Maggs Bros (50 Berkeley Square). "The place if you would never buy a book
for less than US$1000."
Mega City One Comics (Inverness St). Near Compendium and Stage Door.
Better than Forbidden Planet.
Military History Bookshop (2 The Broadway, Friern Barnet Road, London
N11 3DU, 081-368-8568 (call ahead before stopping by)).
Outstanding selection of military history. Easy to get to by bus or
Underground, but call ahead to make sure they're there first. They
have a quarterly catalog. (The contributor adds, "It is spelled
'Friern' even though that looks wrong; I checked twice. :-)).
Modern Books (19 Praed, W2 1NP, 071-402-9176, FAX 071-724-5736). Less than
100 yards from Edgware Road tube. Excellent technical bookshop with
very wide stocks, very easy to get around, helpful staff.
Motor Books (33 St. Martin's Court, just off Charing Cross Road, near
Foyle's and Trafalgar Square, 071-836-5376, FAX 071-497-2539).
"They have the most incredible selection of books relating to
transportation. As a train buff, I feel that their railroad (yes,
I know they'd call it railway :-)) section is the best in the
world. Their military, aviation and auto sections are top notch as
well."
Murder One (Charing Cross Road, just below Shaftesbury Avenue, Leicester
Square tube). Mystery and romance at street level, SF in the
basement. No SF merchandise--just books. They also seem to have
one or maybe two copies of many titles rather than dozens of a few.
A lot of them are imports so prices are higher than average--but
well worth it if you are after that one elusive volume. Probably
the best source for new US SF hardbacks. Staff is very helpful too.
They have a bookcase of second-hand books that are of *very* high
quality. Takes credit cards, will do mailorder.
Museum Bookshop (36 Great Russell Street). Books on archeology, the Orient,
etc.
Museum of the Moving Image (MOMI) (Waterloo Road, Southbank). It has a gift
and bookshop, but you must pay to see the museum to get into the
bookshop. It's next to the National Film Theatre (NFT). Open
daily 10h-18h daily including Bank Holidays (closed Christmas Eve,
Christmas Day and Boxing Day).
National Film Theatre (NFT) (next to MOMI, Waterloo Road, Southbank). It
has a bookshop. You don't need to be a member to get into the
bookshop.
New Worlds (71-73 Charing Cross Road). The downstairs section of Murder
One. Second-hand SF.
Offstage (37 Chalk Farm Road between Camden Town and Chalk Farm Undergound).
Books on the theater.
Oxford University Press Bookshop (72 Charing Cross Road). Not as big as
the flagship shop at Oxford, but certain to carry almost every OUP
book in print. The OUP publishes (among other things!) some very
good philosophy of science books and its reference series is
unparalleled. Penguin Shops (Covent Garden and across from Camden
Town tube stop). Not bad in a pinch. Harried staff.
The Riverside Studios (by the River Thames in Hammersmith, just down from
the flyover). They have a bookshop as well as a cinema, a theatre
and a gallery.
Silver Moon Book Shop (64-68 Charing Cross Road, across from Foyle's,
071-836-7906). Stocks all kinds of women's and feminist books.
They claim they are Europe's largest women's bookstore, but another
poster describes them as "small, but good."
Skoob Books and Skoob Two (11a-15 Sicilian Avenue between Bloomsbury and
Southampton Row, 071-404-3063, near Holborn tube station). ("Skoob"
is "books" backwards.) The one really exceptional second-hand
bookshop. They have an *amazing* range of technical stuff,
including computer science: they obviously understand what they're
selling here, unlike almost every other second-hand dealer in the
UK. "When the old buildings on Charing Cross Road were knocked
down, the staff at Poole's left to form Skoob. Poole's was at 84
Charing Cross Road and was the subject of Helene Hanff's '84 Charing
Road,' which is now a book, play, musical and probably other things.
Skoob is probably the best general second-hand bookstore in London.
As well as selling secondhand books, Skoob publishes new books
(occult, literature) and also produces the essential 'Directory of
Secondhand Bookshops in the British Isles.' It will cost you around
seven pounds but is well worth it." Closed Sundays.
Stage Door (Chalk Farm Rd). One of London's best theatre bookshops.
Near Compendium and Mega One.
Stanford's (Long Acre at the back of Charing Cross Road off St. Martin's
Lane towards Covent Garden). World-famous for their maps but also
selling lots of travel books.
Travel Bookshop (13 Blenheim Crescent near Ladbroke Grove Undergound).
Carries new and secondhand travel books.
Turkish Language Books (81 Shacklewell Lane). Well-stocked and friendly.
Ulysses (formerly Check) (31 Museum Street). Primarily rare foreign travel
and art books.
Unsworth, Rice & Coe (12 Bloomsbury Street, 071-436-9836, FAX 071-637-7334).
A pleasant bookstore featuring "secondhand and out-of-print books on
history & humanities," although they occasionally get large
shipments of math and science books as well. Among other things
they feature classics for a pound (about US$1.50, depending), and a
wide selection of drama, poetry, film books, etc. Open Mon-Fri
10-8, Sat 10-7, Sun 12-7. "And there's a great, inexpensive
Japanese restaurant across the street."
Waterstone's (Charing Cross Road, just before Sutton Row, 071-434-4291,
FAX 071-437-3319). "Haven't been there too often--it is a very
attractive shop and seems to have a good, all-round stock with an
emphasis on literature and history." Another poster counters, "They
have grown the original shop by opening next door and another one a
few doors away. Has an excellent stock in film, theatre, and
literature as well as a very good selection of just about everything
else. I would try either here or Books Etc across the road before
venturing into Foyle's because at least the staff here know what
they're selling. I think that they're also open Sundays now."
Watkins (Cecil Court). A great bookstore if you are into the occult and
other New-Age-type subjects.
F. E. Whitehart. The best dealer in second-hand mathematics books in
London. He runs the business from home and you have to phone for an
appointment (warning: he's deaf, and you go through either a
switchboard or a voice recognizer).
Zeno (Denmark Street). One of the places for books in Greek or about things
Greek.
Zwemmer's (Charing Cross Road, just north of Leicester Sq tube on Ch X Rd).
Good for art, architecture, cinema.
One person says, "There are quite a few other bookshops along Charing Cross
Road, including some bargain book ones," but another responds, "The
second-hand stores on Charing Cross Road are not impressive though if you
are there...."
"Just off Charing Cross Road, just beyond Leicester Square Underground
if you are going down towards Trafalgar Square, you will find Cecil
Court to the left. The street consists entirely of
second-hand/antiquarian/obscure books stores, including stores
specializing in literature, children's books, dance, theater, travel,
etc. as well as a new Italian bookstore, carrying both books in Italian
and books in English on things Italian. Also just off Charing Cross
Road (on the left going down, just before Cambridge Circus) is a
bookstore specializing in sports. The emphasis is on English soccer
and cricket but you will find all kinds of sports stuff including a
fair amount of US imports of baseball, football, hockey and basketball
stuff."
There are also a few bookshops in Oxford Street, near Tottenham Court
Road tube station. And don't forget the museum bookshops. For
oriental/historical books, try opposite the British Museum (a
reasonably short walk from Tottenham Court road tube). "You can have a
pleasant day out looking round the bookshops and/or the British
museum. There are quite a few restaurants and fast food outlets
around. The booksellers in this are put out a leaflet called
'Antiquarian and Secondhand Booksellers near the British Museum' which
you can get, free of charge, from any of the bookstores or by writing,
with a SASE, to Janet Nassau, Bloomsbury Booksellers' Guide, 46 Great
Russell St., London, WC1B 3PA." [I find it interesting that the British
Museum is the only museum outside of New York that I can tell you the
name of the street it's on.]
There are Chinese bookshops in Chinatown and Soho (don't know this stuff at
all) and some good black bookshops in Brixton (haven't been there for a
while and don't have current addresses). For ethnic categories in general
see the references in the "Guide to Ethnic London."
There are a couple of French bookshops near the South Kensington tube stop,
on a small street off Old Brompton Road.
Away from Charing Cross Road, there is a second-hand book market on
Saturdays just by the Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank, under Waterloo
Bridge.
See Edinburgh, UK, for further details on Smiths, Waterstone's and
John Menzies.
Finally, you might want to look for DRIFFS GUIDE TO THE BOOKSHOPS OF
ENGLAND. Driff is an expert on bookshops and spends his time traveling
the country looking for bargains so he knows his bookshops.
People interested in books published in Britain may also want to know
about the following: THE GOOD BOOK GUIDE MAGAZINE (a bi-monthly review
magazine) which offers an ordering service, available to subscribers
only. Books published in Britain and in stock with the publisher can
be ordered for a research fee plus shipping and handling (plus the cost
of the book, of course). Further details can be gotten by contacting
them at THE GOOD BOOK GUIDE, 24 Seward Street, London EC1V 3GB;
Telephone Order Line +44 71 490 9905; Telephone Customer Service +44 71
490 9900; FAX +44 71 490 9908. [Thanks to Christopher P Salter,
chris@loncps.demon.co.uk for this information.]
Edinburgh
Aria Records (Dundas Street). "The biggest range of second-hand classical
recordings I've seen anywhere, as well as second-hand books on
music."
Bargain Books (Princes Street). Very limited selection, but a good place
for picking up, say, the complete Shakespeare/Conan Doyle/Brothers
Grimm practically free. Part of a chain; if you've been in
one, you've been in them all.
Bauermeisters (on George IV Bridge). Also has a good classical CD section
with a separate entrance).
Campbell and Stilwell (South Bridge, across the street from Thins). "A
remainder shop unconnected with the Bargain Books empire and
accordingly with quite different stock. Their stocks fluctuate
wildly but they sometimes have some of the best bargains you'll find
anywhere."
Castle Books (Canongate). Used.
Dead Head Comics (44 Victoria St). Wide range of US/UK mainstream and
independent comics and graphic novels. Probably superior range to
Forbidden Planet, definitely better atmosphere.
Eddie Fenwick (Thirlestane Lane). Mainly a mail-order business in
mathematics and mountaineering books from his home, but you can
drop in to see the stuff for yourself; phone him.
Donald Ferrier (Teviot Place). Medical, new and secondhand.
Forbidden Planet (Teviot Place). SF.
Macnaughtons (Haddington Place, Leith Walk). The biggest second-hand
bookshop in town and the least friendly.
The One World Shop (in the Cornerstone under St John's Church in Lothian
Road) is a Christian-pacifist shop with a small but good selection
of Third World, environmental and feminist stuff; also Traidfare
goods and world music.
Rae MacIntosh (West End). For sheet music and classical CDs.
Second Edition (Canonmills). Used. Has the highest prices, but is subject
to haggling.
Sheena McNeil (Bruntsfield Links). Sheet music.
James Thins (53-59 South Bridge, 031-556-6743, FAX 031-557-8149). The
biggest bookshop in Scotland and (after John Smiths in Glasgow, the
second oldest. Some people think it's great; others think it's the
worst they've dealt with. One sums up both sides, I think, with:
"They have half a dozen branches in Edinburgh, a vast academic
section, and maintain close contacts with the Universities.
However, they do tend to be rather complacent and unhelpful at
times, and tend to act as if they were a monopoly supplier, with a
'like it or lump it' attitude." For those who follow such things,
another reader says, "They are also a bunch of hypocrites, handing
out propaganda in favour of retaining the Net Book Agreement, while
marking up the prices of Non-Net Books higher than Waterstone's and
Co." Will ship world-wide (or at least to Europe).
Tills (Buccleuch Street). Used.
Waterstone's (128 Princes Street, 13/14 Princes Street, and 83 Georges
Street). Large chain. 128 Princes Street is their new flagship
branch. "Sandwiched between HMV and Virgin so you are in peril of
CD purchasing fever (or would be if both weren't so bad - except the
jazz and classical section at Virgin) but I digress. This was
opened in November 92 and I must admit I am impressed. It is on
four floors, and is second only to the main Thins branch for volumes
carried. There are excellent fiction, biography, foreign
literature, foreign language, history, Scottish, legal, cooking,
gardening, pretty good SF, and the usual range of academic subjects.
It is a very good bookshop." The 83 George Street shop has a large
ground floor and smaller basement. This branch has a bias in favour
of fiction and biography. The SF section is not so good. It has
quite a good section of art books: both textual and coffee table.
Academic areas are rather weak. Scottish authors have their own
section as does Scottish history, etc. These sections are not bad.
Wesley Owen (George Street). (Used to be Church of Scotland Bookshop.)
Stocks a wide range of Christian books.
West and Wilde (25a Dundas Street). Gay/lesbian/bisexual books.
West Port Books (West Port near Lothian Rd.). Used. An amazing range of
Indian stuff, following the owner's holiday-cum-book-buying-trip to
India in 1992; also good for secondhand sheet music, but not for the
claustrophobic.
? (Spittal Street around the corner from Old Grindle's). Used. Has
second-hand football programmes. May have moved (in which case
this listing is really useless!).
(a couple of secondhand book shops in Broughton Street and at the top
of Leith Walk and several secondhand and antiquarian book shops in the
Grassmarket).
You can pick up a leaflet with a full list of secondhand book shops from any
one of them. The Assembly Rooms in George St. often holds book fairs on
Saturdays where many of the second-hand booksellers exhibit.
Waterstones and John Menzies are huge UK-wide chains that sell magazines
and airport bestsellers. "A comment on Waterstones, everywhere: their
scientific/technical sections are an insulting joke. They all have less on
all real science put together than on New Age fads. This alone is enough
to put me off ever using them."
A second opinion on Waterstone's: "It is easily the best book chain in the
UK. The ones in Chester and (especially) Manchester (which are on Bridge
Street Row and Deansgate respectively if you want to include them) have very
good scientific and technical sections. The one in Manchester even stocks a
fair range of US scientific, computer and SF books (and maybe others, but
those are the areas I know about). Waterstone's is owned by WH Smiths, by
the way, which also sells books in its own right and owns the large Sherratt
& Hughes chain. They sell a *lot* of books. One reason for the variable
quality of Waterstone's is that those that have always been Waterstone's are
better than those that were relabelled after Smiths bought the Waterstone's
chain."
A third says: "I don't know what their Scottish shops are like and their
airport shops are about what you expect but their Cambridge and Norwich
shops both have reasonable scientific/ technical sections."
"One of the major remainder dealers in Edinburgh (used to be in Hamilton
Place, Stockbridge) has recently [3/94] gone bust. This is likely to mean
that a vast amount of remainder stock appears on the market again somewhere
else. They had an idiosyncratic selection of academic social sciences and
theology books including what seemed to be the entire backlist of Scottish
Academic Press."
Glasgow
Bargain Books (chain of small shops). Limited stock but excellent bargain
prices. If you've been in one of the chain, you've been in them
all.
Caledonia Books (Great Western Road). Used. Strong in modern literature
and art.
The Christian Book Centre (Great Western Road, very close to Caledonia
Books, Voltaire and Rousseau, Word of Mouth and Gilmorehill
Books). New and second-hand Christian material and the best
selection of second-hand classical records and books on
classical music in town.
Centerpeace (Stockwell Street). Pacifist/feminist/Third World/
environmental/liberation theology material (run by radical
Christians).
Clyde Books (Parnie Street). Radical/socialist/feminist/green.
Dillons (the Argyle Street/Union Street corner). A very large branch.
More modern than Smiths and a great place to pick up book
bargains. Close to Smiths and Waterstones.
Dowanhill Books (in a lane off Byres Road opposite Hillhead tube station).
Used.
Forbidden Planet (Buchanan Street). SF and comics.
Futureshock (31 Byres Road). American imports and OLD paperbacks as well as
imports. They also stock some comics, though not many. The nearest
Underground stations are Partick and Hillhead.
Gilmorehill Books (Bank Street). Used.
The Little Bookworm (a booth in Decourcy's Arcade). For the under-five-
year-old market with new books in bright colours. Not so much
choice, but they will order for you with quick delivery.
Obelisk (Virginia Galleries, Virginia Street). Used SF and mysteries.
"That nice man in Obelisk sold me seven Andre Norton books on Friday
last. When I had picked out three from the shelves and went over to
pay for them, he said that if I was interested he had got in some
Ace doubles and among them I found four more Andre Norton in what
looked to me like perfect condition. With Andre Norton I find that
the older the story, often the better. He had them in his locked
glass bookcase, so if you have some special interest it is a good
idea to talk to him as well as just browse the shelves."
Pitcairn Books (a booth in Decourcy's Arcade). "Has a chatty owner who
seems to want to specialize in books with illustrated covers (those
gilt bindings and pictures actually on the book, not dust covers).
He has a fair amount of modern fiction in stock, while most of his
paperback books are relegated to the corridor outside the booth
selling off inexpensively. I've bought a few Scottish books there.
I think he keeps a lot of books at home, he is overflowing his shop.
No new books."
John Smith and Sons (St. Vincent Street, j.smith@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk).
General and academic stock, no second-hand or antiquarian. Agency
for the Ordnance Survey. This is the main branch and is famous
enough for you to be able to ask directions to it. It has 5 floors
and keeps books on just about any subject you can think of. Main
public transport terminals nearby (i.e., walking distance) include
Central Station (trains), Queen Street Station (trains), Buchanan
Street Station (buses) and Buchanan Street Underground Station.
Close to Dillons and Waterstones.
John Smith and Sons (University Bookshop, University Avenue, Hillhead) (west
of the city centre). A strictly academic bookshop, they specialise
in stocking books on the recommended reading lists for students
supplied by Glasgow University (who keep close links with the shop).
There's a student charity bookshop above it which sells secondhand
textbooks with the profits going to help South African blacks study
at Glasgow: good for medical books and is open 11h-15h in termtime.
Most university courses are in evidence in the shop - medical books
particularly so. Main public transport terminal nearby is Hillhead
Underground Station. They even have an email address:
j.smith@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk, and will ship worldwide. You can't
telnet the catalog, and please note: this is has typical academic
bookshop stock; they don't have an antiquarian department and those
sorts of request are a waste of time.
John Smith and Sons (Byres Road Branch, Byres Road, Hillhead). A mainstream
three-storey bookshop. Simply a scaled-down version of the main
shop. This shop is located next door to the Hillhead Underground
Station. The university shop is five minutes away on foot. A nice
area in general, well worth a look: there are several famous
cafes/coffee shops around here too (e.g., The Ubiquitous Chip, The
Underground Gallery).
Voltaire and Rousseau (Otago Street Lane). Used. Good for cheap grubby
bargains.
Waterstones (Union Street very close to Dillons). Large branch.
More modern than Smiths. Close to Smiths.
Wesley Owen (Buchanan Street near the Underground Station). Near Forbidden
Planet. Christian bookshop. (Used to be Church of Scotland
Bookshop.)
Word of Mouth (?). Food and cookery; this place is amazing. They had to
move from their Bank Street building because it was falling down;
they are now in temporary premises on a mezzanine floor inside
"Moon" clothing shop, which in turn is up a short alley off Great
Western Road, a block above Caledonia Books. The stock is much
smaller than it used to be.
charity shops in Byres Rd, all of which sell books, starting with Cancer
Research, Oxfam, Dr Barnado's, Save the Children, as well as the
back alley secondhand books (next to Oxfam) and occasionally
DeCourcy's arcade)
For books and audiocassettes in Hindi and Urdu there are two shops in
Allison Street, Govanhill. There is a Chinese bookshop in the Garnethill
area (Glasgow's Chinatown).
Regarding Smiths, one reader says:
"There are other branches of Smiths, but these three should cover all
your needs wherever you are in Glasgow. All Smiths shops are tied by a
computer network allowing the facility for quick look up of stocks
elsewhere in the city and quick transfer between branches in the case
where a particular book is not in stock at a certain branch. They can
also order ANY book in print as long as they can locate the ISBN, and
send it to any address you please. They have British and Overseas Books
in Print on Microfiche for this purpose."
See Edinburgh, UK, for further details on Smiths, Waterstone's and
John Menzies.
Birmingham
Andromeda. A science fiction specialist bookstore with many imports from the
States. It is regarded as one of the best SF stores in the whole
UK. Upstairs has a large second hand paperback section; also many
fan magazines.
Dillons. This is a large bookstore in a beautifully restored Victorian (?)
building. The books are arranged on balconies around a huge atrium.
Entering this store is a bit like entering a palace! "Personally I
find it easier to locate books here than in Waterstones."
Nostalgia and Comics. This is a comic book store, with comic-related books
too.
WH Smiths. This store has a reasonable general stock on its second floor,
but has it does have an excellent Star Trek section.
Waterstones. This is a large general bookstore spread over five floors of a
tower block. "I find its layout somewhat of a mess."
Cambridge, UK
Cambridge University Press Bookshop (Market Hill). Has been a bookshop
since before the America was founded! Mostly CUP only.
Children's Bookshop (30 Trinity).
Deighton, Bell and Co. (13 Trinity, +44 (0)223-568585). Used.
Dillons (Sidney Street). Large shop.
Forbidden Planet (behind the Grafton Center). Specialist SF book shop.
Galloway and Porter (Sidney Street). Used to be good; now mostly
remaindered text books and such. Still a very good place to pick up
cheap books on subjects that don't change too much, like anatomy,
European history, or botany. Of course, computer books aren't so
hot.
Heffers Booksellers (20 Trinity Street, Cambridge CB2 3NG,
+44 (0)223-568568; FAX +44 (0)223-410464). Cambridge's answer to
Blackwells. They also own Deighton, Bell and Co. and the Children's
Bookshop. They also have foreign-language books. Heffers issues
catalogues in a variety of fields, and they are really outstanding
about mail order. They accept Visa and Mastercard; they will also
open accounts for customers and accept payment in dollars.
Heffers Paperback Bookshop (St. Andrews Street).
Heffers (the Grafton Centre).
Open Windows (35 Bermuda Terrace, Cambridge CB 3LD, +44 (0)223-313273,
FAX +44 (0)223-461391, JLD1@cus.cam.ac.uk). Supplies books covering
all aspects of the UNIX and Apple OSs, including Languages such as
C. The people who run it are knowledgeble and friendly. The
catalogue they publish is very good, particularly the subject index.
They split their service into two areas publishing two seperate
catalogues: the "Unix Book Service" and the "Apple Mac Book
Service." This is a mail-order service only (no visitors)."
Waterstones (near the Round Church). A very large shop. Good SF
selection compared to Heffers or Dillions.
WH Smiths (Lion Yard). Mostly magazines and stationary but books upstairs.
There are a lot of second-hand book shops in Cambridge, mostly tucked away
down alleys.
Hay-on-Wye
Anyone who is interested in rare second-hand books in the UK may find it
worth travelling to the remote (by UK standards) small town of Hay-on-Wye,
on the English-Welsh border. Somehow, this has become the second-hand book
capital of the UK, with probably about six large shops and any number of
smaller ones.
"The Welsh Booksellers' Association puts out 'Antiquarian and Secondhand
Booksellers in Wales.' Hay-on-Wye is just over the border near Hereford and
Leominster (pronounced Lemster) and is a picturesque little town devoted
entirely to bookselling. There are around thirty bookstores, including the
former cinema and the former firehouse. Quality at Hay goes up and down but
this year (1994) it was very good. You'll need a car to get there but it is
worth the trip. The Hay booksellers put out 'Second and Antiquarian
Booksellers and Printsellers' to guide you around. Contact Hay Tourist
Information Bureau, Oxford Road, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford, HR3 5DG. (Yes, the
postal address is England even though they are in Wales.)"
Oxford
Blackwell's (Broad Street, +44 865 79292, FAX +44 865 791438). "Everyone I
have ever spoken to who has been to Blackwell's views it as the
single best technical bookshop they have ever been to. It is
particularly strong in computer science and mathematics. It also
seems to be strong in philosophy." Another replies, "And not
surprisingly it has large and strong departments for all the other
academic specialities. The main shop for a while was the largest in
the world; the Norrington Room is the largest single room for
selling books in the world. Blackwells apparently also has most of
the world's library trade." Also has various second-hand sections,
foreign-language books, and the following spcial stores, also on
Broad Street: Children's Bookshop Art and Poster Bookshop (postcards
of art too), Paperback Bookshop (and role-playing games and books on
cassette), and Map and Travel bookshop (stocks maps of all of Europe
and much of the rest of the world. Often missed is the rare books
and special editions that Sir Basil Blackwell collected. This is
now in the basement of the Music Shop, in the city centre on
Holywell Street (see below). The atmosphere is fairly rarified and
country house-y, all lockable bookcases and high prices. They
specialise in modern first editions and produce their own catalogue.
Book Bargains (2 St. Ebbe St).
Bookshop on the Plain (cross Magdaelen Bridge and start up the Cowley Rd;
it's immediately on your left).
Dillons (corner of Broad Street). Large shop. Tries to compete with
Blackwells and doesn't really carry it off.
The Inner Bookshop (Magdalen Road [follow Cowley Road out of Oxford, turn
right after Ss Mary and John Church). Probably Oxford's best
collection of "alternative" books. "Might carry Irish stuff for all
the wrong reasons, I suppose, but being a Tory I wouldn't know :-)."
Music Shop (Holywell Street). Part of Blackwells. Sells sheet music and
CDs and cassettes (almost exclusively classical) as well as books
on music. It also sells tickets for many of the concerts in
Oxford. The staff are very knowledgeable: most of the permanent
staff have degrees in music and are active in performing music.
They also have their own mail-order department (ext 4452) for CDs
and sheet music.
Sanders (104 High Street). Secondhand literary and history
books.
Swift's Turl (3 The Turl between High St and Broad St). General secondhand.
Thorton's. "Look out for Thornton's as it's *dear*."
Waterfield's (36 Park End St). Large second-hand bookshop. Good philosophy
section. The antiques emporium just before it and the Jam Factory
over the road by the traffic lights also house minor booksellers
amongst their other denizens.
Further out there is a Bookshop at Oxford Brookes University in Headington
and at the John Radcliffe Hospital.
You can get a leaflet from most of the secondhand stores about the
antiquarian and secondhand bookstores in Oxford.
Opening hours for all the city centre shops are Monday-Saturday 09h-18h
(opens 9:30h Tuesdays). Open several Sundays during the tourist season.