Odd books, good books
On Charing Cross Road, you have a handful of second hand bookshops. Any amount of books is known mostly for its large basement selection.
They tend to buy private collections, and, though not necessarily cheap, they do have the kind of literary little gems which will ensure you become a lifelong customer.
Dust aside, they tend to leave their just-bought-boxes, halfway opened in the basement. I never know if we are meant to look through them or not, but I always do, as do most of the people there. I remember finding a 1930s photographic Encyclopedia of Europe bound in red leather. I came very close to buying it, but could not afford the price. But it was that kind of material which made me return, and continue to return ever since.
And if the selection were not reason enough, they tend to keep late hours during the week, ensuring that more than one happy reader takes their respective nightbus book in hand.
tony4sure discovered this service :-)
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Explore the planet
Summering in Tashkent? Touring Bolivia on a bicycle? Head here first if you feel like exploring planet Earth but don't know where to start.
Stanford's has every conceivable map for almost every place on earth. From Papua New Guinea to a map of Tokyo via Madeira and Patagonia, this is the first port of call for most intrepid (and those more down-to-earth) travelers.
They also have travel books written by those whose footsteps you'll soon follow.
Set up in 1853 by Edward Stanford, this cool temple to travel first opened its doors in 1901 and stocks a massive range of maps, books and travel related goods. Even the basement floor of this flagship Long Acre store is covered in a large scale map of London.
Famous customers include David Livingstone, Scott of the Antarctic, Ernest Shackleton, Florence Nightingale, Ranulph Fiennes, Bill Bryson and Michael Palin. Even Sherlock Holmes bough a map here once....(Hound of the Baskervilles, in case you are wondering).
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London's most famous book shop
You need a book? Go to Foyles, if it isn't there, it will be soon. Foyles was once listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest bookshop in terms of shelf area (30 miles/50 kilometres) and number of titles on display but it was equally famed for its anachronistic, eccentric and sometimes infuriating business practices. Although things have changed, expect the staff to be friendly and, occasionally, odd.
It is also known for its literary luncheons, which have been held since 1930, though they now also hold a large number of evening literary events in the spring and autumn of each year.
Whereas the shop used to sell second-hand and modern books side-by-side on the same shelves, it now primarily sells the modern books found in any other large chain bookshop. But not only that since from November 2007 it has started selling secondhand books again as well as remainders in a special new department on the third floor.
If you can't handle leaving home on a rainy day, go online. Well worth it!
tony4sure discovered this service :-)
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For all your paper needs (giftwrapping, decoration, gifts, calendars, cards, canvass &c)
I never knew all the different types of papers there are on Earth until I discovered this shop.
From small pads, to sheets of colored paper the size of a bay window, they really cater to all tastes. Paper with dried flowers, onion paper, see through paper, cigarette tissue, Azurelaid Paper, Antique Paper, Art Paper, in short, all the paper you will ever need, and then some!
Aside from all the types of papers, they also sell their very snazzy line of greeting cards, gifts, wrapping paper and stationary and it does a good line in kitsch gifts like stuffed animals and novelty mugs.
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Jewels in the dust
If you find yourself on Charing Cross road, and you need to buy a little something for someone special with a penchant for the out of print and the hard to find, you'd be pressed to find a better second hand shop than Quinto.
A stonethrow's from Leicester Square's tube station, here you will find a great deal in a range antique and second hand books on British, American and European history, art, music, and a wide range of war and military titles as well as books on gender studies and social sciences.
Beware, if you see something in the window and you want to buy it, don't wait til later and buy it on the spot!
Books at Quinto often literally fly off the shelfs, and its window display never gather any dust.
PS: Speaking of dust, wear a mask, some book are really really old here.
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Borders books
On Charing Cross Road and a minute away from Centerpoint, it is one of London's best book shops and certainly good value for money.
Built on three floors, with a coffee shop (Starbucks) on the first floor and a Paperchase concession to boot, it is the place to find the latest titles, and the best magazines from abroad, such as US Car & Driver, The New Yorker, US Vanity Fair, as well as the best academic journals : Foreign Affairs, Journal of Gay & Lesbian Studies, Millenium, &c.
It also has a great comics section, and a music & DVD section on the third floor.
A handy place when you need to buy someone a gift late at night.
Right in the middle of Soho, it is one of London's better American imports!
tony4sure discovered this service :-)