LONDON BOOKSTORES
The Quinto Bookshop, 48a Charing Cross Road, WC2 +44 20 7379 7669 (see map)
A secondhand bookshop with a bounty; the recession friendly Quinto recently restocked its shelves to include large sections on Classical Studies, History, Crime Fiction, Science, Natural History and more, as well as old children’s books such as Rupert the Bear and Alice in Wonderland. Let the treasure hunters loose.
Atlantis Bookshop, 49a Museum Street, WC1 +44 20 7405 2120 (see map)
This Independent Occult bookstore is the oldest of its kind in London, having first opened in 1922. Witches, wizards, shamans and more stop in for cups of tea. Join them if you dare!
Books for Cooks, 4 Blenheim Crescent, W11 +44 20 7221 1992 (see map)
Crammed with cookbooks and tasty morsels to boot, Notting Hills’ Books for Cooks also houses a sofa for snuggling during long reads, while classes, demonstrations, and tastings make for one moreish establishment.
Foyles, 113-119 Charing Cross Road, WC2H +44 20 7437 5660 (see map)
In 1903, two brothers began selling their old textbooks. More than a century later, Foyles has attracted quite a reputation. The Guinness Book of Records once listed the store as the largest bookshop in terms of shelf area: an impressive 30 miles, or 50 kilometers. Get lost.
John Sandoe Books, 10 Blacklands Terrace, SW3 +44 20 7589 9473 (see map)
One of the last remaining idiosyncratic shops off the Kings Road, John Sandoe Books has been running for 44 years, during which time the change in staff has been minimal, and familial. 25,000 titles are stocked, while the experience for bibliophiles is bliss.
Kirkdale Bookshop, 272 Kirkdale, SE26 +44 20 8778 4701 (see map)
Kirkdale Bookshop includes a small gallery with work by local artists, and hosts storytime readings for children, poetry workshops and talks by such folk as literature professors, genealogists, and historians. The books are good too.
Koenig Books, 80 Charing Cross Road, WC2 +44 20 7240 8190 (see map)
The first branch of Koenig in London sprouted in the Serpentine Gallery, while a second one lives on Charing Cross Road (the city’s ‘literary artery’) – Koenig specializes in modern and contemporary art, photography and architecture books sourced from the major arts bookshop in Cologne, Buchhandlung Walter Koenig.
Magma, 117-119 Clerkenwell Road, EC1 +44 20 7242 9503 (see map)
Offering a unique shopping experience, Magma likens itself to ‘a vial in which more or less volatile substances mix to release energy.’ The book is an oasis for all creatives who work in design: as there are books on illustration, fashion, book design, advertising and architecture.
Owl Bookshop, 209 Kentish Town Road, NW5 +44 20 7485 7793 (see map)
Sweet window displays draw one into the Owl Bookshop, which provides a substantive array of titles, including art, architecture, fiction, gay literature, ethnic books and audio tapes, not to mention a great kids section.
Persephone Books, 59 Lamb’s Conduit Street, WC1 020 7242 9292 (see map)
Persephone is a publishing house whose focus is on fiction and non-fiction written by women, for women, and about women. Drop in to pick up some unforgettable and thought provoking tales.
Primrose Hill Books, 134 Regent’s Park Road, NW1 020 7586 2022 (see map)
Located in a terrace building on a quiet local shopping street, Primrose Hill Books hosts regular readings and events, and is run by a family who (shock!) ‘read the books they sell.’ Ian McEwan is a fan – he’s been known to drop in from time to time.
Review, 131 Bellenden Road, SE15 +44 20 7639 7400 (see map)
Yes! A bookshop with outdoor seating, coffee, chess and backgammon! Emphasis is on art, architecture, design and photography books. Events, such as the Peckham Literary Festival and the 5th Annual Bellenden Bun Fight for charity, make this shop a fun and lively bookbound experience.
Stanfords, 12-14 Long Acre, WC2 020 7836 1321 (see map)
Dedicated completely to travel-writing, traveling, and travel paraphernalia (craving ye old world? This is a great place to pick up globes, maps and atlases) Stanfords offers 150 years of travel experience – everyone from Florence Nightingale to Michael Palin are represented here.
Waterstone Books, 203-206 Piccadilly, W1J 9HD 0845 217 2920 (see map)
Currently holding the title of biggest bookstore in Europe, Waterstones boasts six floors sprawled with books at brilliant value, with student discounts. Order a coffee in the basement and a cocktail on the top floor. Centrally located with an easily navigable layout. Big book-time bliss.
