Second hand book shops

[bhowells]

Who is seduced by the allure of these wonderful shops.



I dont go in search of rare first edition I am happy with the thirll of seeing long out of print books, especially old Pan paperbacks from the sixties.



I remember spending an absolute fortune in a book shop near where I used to work in Cardiff. The owner would always comment on my purchases and try to flog me a book on a similar topic.



Another one of my favoirite is a second hand book shop in Poole where the proprireter is always friendly and helpful/



My best purchase there are a bigioraphy of Gerry Anderson and a transcript of dialogue from the old Radio Four series My Musc .



Everyone raves about the Hay on Wye Cinema book shops but its sadly out of my reach as I dont drive, not an easy place to get to by public transport from where I live as far as I know.

[dremble wedge]

It's one of my many dreams to run one of these, with Radio 3 on in the background and leather wingback chairs and cream teas available for all.



Of course my loose grasp of economics would kill the venture stone dead but it's nice to dream...

[lupinpooter]

name='dremble wedge']It's one of my many dreams to run one of these, with Radio 3 on in the background and leather wingback chairs and cream teas available for all.



Of course my loose grasp of economics would kill the venture stone dead but it's nice to dream...

You'd get my custom DW

[CaptainWaggett]

There's a useful site for finding bookshop locations here

[Steve Crook]

name='CaptainWaggett']There's a useful site for finding bookshop locations here

Very useful. Bookmarked, thanks.



I used to visit the bookshops in the Charing Cross Road (and the alleyways off it) quite often in my teenage years. Quite a few of them still survive.



I often check out the independent bookshops (much more interesting than the big chain bookshops) in any town I visit



Steve

[Chevyman]

name='Steve Crook']Very useful. Bookmarked, thanks.



I used to visit the bookshops in the Charing Cross Road (and the alleyways off it) quite often in my teenage years. Quite a few of them still survive.



I often check out the independent bookshops (much more interesting than the big chain bookshops) in any town I visit



Steve

I love the care, attention and knowledge at your disposal in an independent book shop.



The Charing Cross area you mentioned was one of my favourites. In my student days I used Foyles and Dillons(Goodge Street) secondhand departments.

[MB]

BHowells - if you can get to Hay on Wye (not necessarily when the festival is on) then it is worth it.



You can lose yourself for hours in the book shops and it is, generally, a pleasant atmospheric place.



Why not suggest that a local coach company runs a trip?

[Steve Crook]

name='Chevyman']I love the care, attention and knowledge at your disposal in an independent book shop.



The Charing Cross area you mentioned was one of my favourites. In my student days I used Foyles and Dillons(Goodge Street) secondhand departments.

Foyles and Dillons were good, but now they're just part of the empire.

The best ones are in the little alleyways and side streets off Charing Cross Road itself. Like Robinson & Watkins (or just Watkins) in Cecil Court. They've been there since 1897



Steve

[bhowells]

name='MB']BHowells - if you can get to Hay on Wye (not necessarily when the festival is on) then it is worth it.



You can lose yourself for hours in the book shops and it is, generally, a pleasant atmospheric place.



Why not suggest that a local coach company runs a trip?

I will sort something out, my circle of mates in work are all like minded people music freaks and avid book readers, they can all drive a half day from work be an option.



Thanks its gotta be done.

[bhowells]

name='Chevyman']I love the care, attention and knowledge at your disposal in an independent book shop.



The Charing Cross area you mentioned was one of my favourites. In my student days I used Foyles and Dillons(Goodge Street) secondhand departments.

I was very disapointed when I visited Foyles last year,not what it used to be, this is a store which I dearly loved back in the nineties on my visits to London. I always made a beeline for the cinema and tv referece books.



Also enjoyed the Charing Cross area and the Murder one bookshop.



I was also very underhwlemed with one of the Borders stores in the West End, not much better than other branches I have been to/

[Andy H]

I love s/h book shops, but I have to go in on my own because my wife hates the smell of 'damp old paper'. I've got a large collection of old technical books from the old days of TV and radio - they keep me enthralled for hours on end.



Years ago I had a copy of 'The Secret War' (Brian Johnson) that I bought new after watching the excellent BBC series. Foolishly I lent it to a 'friend', who never returned it.

I tried for a copy everywhere, but it was long out of print and no sign of it.

One day years later, we were having a nice day out in Southport and as usual I made a beeline for the s/h bookshops. Lo and behold, what should I see but 'Secret War'! A fiver changed hands and it was mine. I would love to report that it was my old copy, but I cannot.

I too would love to run one of these shops, but I suspect it's hard to make a good living from one.

[batman]

We have several good second hand bookshops in Norwich ....



Norwich Rare and secondhand books, retail sale of second-hand goods in stores

[faginsgirl]

name='dremble wedge']It's one of my many dreams to run one of these, with Radio 3 on in the background and leather wingback chairs and cream teas available for all.



Of course my loose grasp of economics would kill the venture stone dead but it's nice to dream...

Thats my dream too. I would do it if I won the lottery



xx

[HeadPie]

I am a student and always on the look out for cheap books (for study and geneal reading) Found some good study book on studentbooks and recently joined a book swap shop where you swap what you have for stuff you want. Sounds simple enough although havent actually used it yet!

[Chevyman]

name='bhowells']I will sort something out, my circle of mates in work are all like minded people music freaks and avid book readers, they can all drive a half day from work be an option.



Thanks its gotta be done.

Hay on Wye is not that far from you; it could be quite a stunning journey too. Hope you and your mates make it. Some of the bookshops are better than others, as you would expect. I came away from the largest "cinema" bookshop with biographies of Alec Guinness and Marlon Brando.



There is also a music store there, lots of vinyl

[dremble wedge]

One of my favourite book shops was Quinto opposite the British Museum. Upon my last visit to the capital I wandered down there expecting to spend an hour two ferreting around inside only to find that it has closed down!



It really shouldn't be allowed, especially as they had those those big wheeled ladders to muck around on... I mean enable you to reach books on the highest shelf.



I think their other branch on Charing Cross Rd is still going but it's not nearly as nice.

[samkydd]

name='bhowells']Who is seduced by the allure of these wonderful shops.



I dont go in search of rare first edition I am happy with the thirll of seeing long out of print books, especially old Pan paperbacks from the sixties.



I remember spending an absolute fortune in a book shop near where I used to work in Cardiff. The owner would always comment on my purchases and try to flog me a book on a similar topic.



Another one of my favoirite is a second hand book shop in Poole where the proprireter is always friendly and helpful/



My best purchase there are a bigioraphy of Gerry Anderson and a transcript of dialogue from the old Radio Four series My Musc .



Everyone raves about the Hay on Wye Cinema book shops but its sadly out of my reach as I dont drive, not an easy place to get to by public transport from where I live as far as I know.

Next time you're in Bournemouth there's a great one in Winton, at the back of the High Street near the Alma Road junction. I haven't been in a while because you can spend your life in there browsing.

[bhowells]

name='samkydd']Next time you're in Bournemouth there's a great one in Winton, at the back of the High Street near the Alma Road junction. I haven't been in a while because you can spend your life in there browsing.

Thanks my I am going to Bournemouth on Monday. You will no doubt remember the book shop in an old church in Boscombe that was choc full of books, closed down a few years go.

[jaycad]

name='Chevyman']I love the care, attention and knowledge at your disposal in an independent book shop.

tell that to j.r.hartley!

[batman]

name='jaycad']tell that to j.r.hartley!

'His' book made a bloody fortune!