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Favorite book store?

J

ja9

New Member
One of the things that I like to do when I'm traveling is go to book stores. I live in Southern California, where most of the book stores are of the Barnes and Noble/Borders type - big chains that all have the same stuff. Some exceptions to this of course, but I love discovering off the beaten track kinds of places that have books you would not find anywhere else.

My favorite book store in the world is Peter Harrington in London, which is a wonderful place to go if you like antiquarian books, rare books or first editions. I love antiquarian books, especially natural history and children's literature, and they have a huge selection of both.

The shop has three stories (oooh, bad pun in there!), and a basement, with lots of narrow aisles and corners to browse. Much of the stock is too expensive for me - I am talking in the thousands of dollars - but even so I can always come out of there with treasures like a first American edition of "Through the Looking Glass" for about $300, or a beautifully re-bound edition of "The Tempest" illustrated by Arthur Rackham for somewhat more. Even if you don't buy anything it's glorious to just spend an afternoon there. The staff is very low key and leaves you alone unless you ask a question, which is wonderful.

Anyone else have a favorite?
 
My favourite bookshops are pretty common, mainly because I live in Cornwall, and we only seem to get the best shops a decade after the rest of the UK.

Anyway, when I have money, I like shopping in Ottakers. They have a huge selection of books, and even import books that are only printed in America (this is how I got a copy of Tale Of The Body Thief by Anne Rice, without having to resort to the ridiculous fees on eBay). Plus, there is plenty of seating, space and a coffee bar.

I also buy a lot of my books from charity shops, as most of the time you can find critically acclaimed books, that sometimes even the best bookshops do not stock, for around £1. Also, my reading is contributing to charity :p
 
One of the public libraries in the suburbs here has a used book sale room. It seems to draw donated books from an unusually well read clientele. We take the long ride out there about once a month and come back with sacks of books.
 
Yeah Chapters/Indigo/Coles are the only way to go for me. There are of course little independent stores in the area but I'm never as comfortable in them as I am in a Indigo. Not sure exactly why but it's a shame because I would rather support the small independent business owner.
 
I went to Tattered Cover in Boulder, CO and loved it. Also, Shakespeare & Company in Paris was very charming :D
 
Patchwork Girl, I used to work in Ottakars, Truro up until about 6 weeks ago. I worked there for 6 years running the MBS section. I'm glad you like it so much. I really enjoyed working there, so obviously it is my favourite bookshop. :D
 
Ooooh, I've been to Tattered Cover too - a good one!

I also remembered Acres of Books right here in beautiful Long Beach. One of my favorite places to go on a rainy day. It's huge and dusty and things are sometimes in very whimsical order, but if you have the time it's great. There are some great bargarins, too. I once picked up a copy of Edward Gorey's "The Disappearing Party", which is a pop-up book, for $3, and after I got it home I discovered that it was autographed (the signature was hidden under one of the pop-up doors), and it's worth several hundred dollars. It's fun to get lucky once in a while!
 
I love Ellison Hawker. Richard is my favourite book seller! A couple years back I was sick and had mandatory bedrest and Richard was the only person who could pick out books that I actually wanted to read! Plus, he finds all the rare odd books I want.

Hail Richard!

PS I asked him for a job yesterday!
 
Powell's is the best store I've found around here, it is big (a city block I think) and has new, used and rare books. It also has a wonderful children's section that my son loves.
 
My favourite shops used to be Foyles for new books and several shops in Charing Cross Road for second hand, but I stopped going to bookshops because half of the time I came back home with lots of book, but could not find the ones I wanted to buy in the first place. Now I only use the internet. It is more expensive because of the delivery charges, so I usually buy several books together to minimise the expense.
 
Patchwork Girl said:
I like shopping in Ottakers. They have a huge selection of books, and even import books that are only printed in America (this is how I got a copy of Tale Of The Body Thief by Anne Rice, without having to resort to the ridiculous fees on eBay).
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What are you talking about? I got The Tale of the Body Thief in Waterstones years ago. :confused:
 
I went to Foyle's when I was in London earlier this year, with expectations of something wonderful because I had read so much about it. I was disappointed; although a fairly large store it also seemed fairly ordinary. In America we have so many huge book stores that stock only the latest best seller, and Foyles seemed much in that mold. Can't blame them - everyone needs to make a buck, or a pound as the case may be - but I did not understand why this store has such a great reputation.

Same with pretty much most of the other stores on Charing Cross Road, although I like that there are so many clustered together. There didn't seem to be any stores that had things you wouldn't find elsewhere.

My expectations were probably too high, which tends to be usual for me. The reason that I like Peter Harrington so much is that there are so many books there that you truly could not find anywhere else, and when I come away form there, poor but happy, I feel like I discovered something.
 
What are you talking about? I got my copy of The Body Thief in Waterstones
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There isn't a Waterstones in Cornwall, the only lifestyle store in the whole of Cornwall is Ottakars. It probably wasn't in stock at the time due to some reason or another, so we ordered it. I used to work for Ottakars, Truro up to a few weeks ago
 
Boy do I feel even lower than the bottom of the totem pole. Similar to the dirt scattered around the bottom of the pole to be exact. I live in a very small town with no real good Book stores anywhere close by. I've always dreamed of a real expansive personal library when I get older, but with nothing but an ordinary Barnes and Nobles close by and a shabby little family owned book store that expansive collection will likely reflect any one of your guys' shelves. :(
 
'round here, we all enjoy when the Greenvalley Bookfair is open. If you can find what you're looking for (and what you're not looking for) you can get it for great prices. Otherwise, we have just the general big bookstores...not that I mind them, but something more unique is good every once in a while.
 
Which bookstore is your favourite ?

Which bookstore is your first choice to buy the books ?

Local bookstore or online bookstore ?
Amazon or AbeBooks ?

For me, I am reading the books in local bookstore, and if I decide to buy it, I will go to online bookstore to find the cheapest one except some urgent books.

The other place for me is library. I like to find some used but good books, and buy them for a very low price. And also, library is a good place for reading and thinking.
 
My first choice is to buy books at my little local bookstore. I like to help the small independent stores as much as possible.

If I'm ordering online it's from Amazon - I'm a sucker for the free shipping.

My other favorite bookstore is Powell's. There's one in the Portland, OR airport - I was stranded there for hours and hours once, so we bonded. :)

I also enjoy a good library book sale where you pay by the inch... I always end up with about 40 books for 10 bucks. :)
 
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