Bookstore Guide

Papyrus, Naxos Town

2008-05-11T16:20:00.015+02:00

Where? Naxos Town, Naxos, Greece

Recommended by Janet (USA)

Janet said: "I can personally vouch for several bookstores I have enjoyed on my 7 extended trips to Greece (I'm ALWAYS running out of books). My favorite is in Naxos -- Vrakas, in Naxos town. It used to be in the back room of the Vrakas Jewelry store on the harborside crescent, with its famous sign "Gold, Silver, Used Books." It became so popular it has moved about 20 meters to the left, in a niche up a few steps. It stocks used hardcover & paperbacks in 6 or 7 languages, English the most extensive-- meticulously shelved by fiction/nonfiction alphabetically. As a North American, I especially enjoy finding UK titles that are not available in the US. You can swap your own books for credit toward purchase."

Located in Naxos Town, on the island of Naxos, the biggest one of the Greek islands in the Cyclades island group in the Aegean Sea, Papyrus, a bookstore which specializes in second hand books, can certainly be considered a rarity for anyone, whether a local or a tourist for it provides literature in many European languages.

About the bookstore

Papyrus, a bookstore selling only used books, both fiction and non-fiction, in many languages, some of which are English, German, French, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Greek and Italian, is located in the small alley between Loca Bar and Vrakas - Silver Jewelry on the waterfront in Naxos Town. The bookstore also buys books for half the selling price.

Papyrus - Used books
Address:
Vaggelis Georgiadis
Waterfront of Naxos Town
Naxos

Website: none

Phone:
+30 22850 23039

Working Hours:
Winter (Low Season): Daily 18-22
Summer (High Season):
Mon-Sat 10-14 and 18-22
Sun 18-22

Atlantis Books, Oia

2008-05-10T12:07:00.008+02:00

Where? Oia, Santorini, Greece

Recommended by: Ingela

Ingela said:"Atlantis books - a GREAT bookshop. As their web site is explaining, it was opened in 2004 by some Americans, some English guys and Maria from Cyprus. The shop has a very cozy, homey atmosphere: they live there, they cook there and sometimes one can even get a meal there. They have a big material hanging on the roof having all the names of people who have worked there during the years. They have a great selection of books and editions that one can't find anywhere in Greece (not that I know of anyway). All of us living here are very happy to have a such a bookstore close by."

Atlantis Books resides in the basement of one of the white houses that create the typical scenery of the beautiful island of Santorini. Although Santorini is one of top Greek tourist destinations, it is still a rather remote island in the Mediterranean with a population of about 7000 and finding a bookstore like this in one of its small villages must seem like a gift from the ancient Greek gods. In four years of its existence, Atlantis Books has become one of the island's main attractions and has received praise and worship from practically everyone who has been lucky enough to visit it.

The story describing the birth of this bookstore is fascinating enough to deserve a post of its own, and it should also serve as inspiration to all those who argue that trully independent bookstores don't exist anymore. Check out the full story on their website, we'll only mention that this bookstore has originated in the whirlpool in an eager-to-be-emptied bottle of Greek wine. Or in other words - how often does it happen that you go on a vacation to a different continent and end up running a bookstore there?

About the bookstore:

Located in Oia, a small village on the island of Santorini, this bookstore opened up in 2004. The founders of this bookstore claim to be inspired by the legendary Shakespeare & Co in Paris, and thus the bookstore is not their workplace but their place of residence and their way of life. Atlantis books also hosts poetry readings, theater performances, movie screenings and other sorts of cultural events on regular basis. The offer of this bookstore is far beyond what you'd expect in a small Greek village. Its selection of English titles, whether fictional or non-fictional, goes unmatched far beyond the island.

The volcano, the sea, and THE bookstore...

Atlantis Books
Address:
Oia, Santorini
T.K. 84702
Cyclades

Website: http://www.atlantisbooks.org/

Phone and Email:
+30 22860 72346, +30 6945 613220
hello@atlantisbooks.org

Working Hours:
June-Sept (High Season) 9:30-2 (yes, we mean past midnight)
Oct-May (Low Season) 10-00 or 01

Blackbird Books, Mitrovicë

2008-04-22T10:37:00.008+02:00

Where? Mitrovicë/a, Kosovo

Recommended by Anthony Barilla

Anthony said: "The bookstore is located in Mitrovicë/a Kosovo, and it operates a free public reading room, a cafe and a bookstore, and it occasionally holds gallery shows as well."

Blackbird Books operates mainly as a cafe and a reading room where many students and other people living in Mitrovicë/a come to relax and read with a cup of coffee in a nice and quiet atmosphere. Blackbird Book's mission is to provide literature to the people of Mitrovicë/a in, as they say, "an environment designed to foster dialog and combat the emigration of artistically-inclined young adults from their community". Their motto is 'Diverse and adventurous literature for a diverse citizenry'. The idea for the bookstore came from its owner, Tony Barilla from Texas, US who said that when he arrived to Mitrovicë/a, he felt that it lacked space for the intellectual layers, a place where they would meet, discuss various topics and organize cultural and artistic events.

About the bookstore
Located in the very center, in the pedestrian zone, Blackbird books, a non-profit venture accompanied with a cafe with wireless internet, provide a free library of books, graphic novels and comics. They also offer books for sale and for trade.
The recently opened bookstore is still in the making but plans to expand in order to provide literature of all language with the majority of works in Albanian, Serbian and English. The books in the bookstore are sorted by the following categories: classics, modern, local (literature produced by Kosovo publishing housed) and cool (comics, graphic novels and other).
The profit from all the books will go to supporting other cultural events both onsite and for other institutions in both south and north Mitrovicë/a.

Blackbird Books
Address
Agim Hajrizi Nr. 15
(between the OSCE and the bridge)
Mitrovicë/a
Kosovo

Website: http://blackbirdbookskosovo.blogspot.com

Email: blackbirdkosovo@gmail.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 10-20
Sun 10-16

Librairie Filigranes, Brussels

2008-04-19T13:06:00.013+02:00

Where? Brussels, Belgium

Recommended by: Christel Vandenbosch

Christel said:"If there's one bookstore I should have to pick in Brussels, it's 'Filigranes'. It's open 365 days a year, you'll find books, magazines, music, a cup of tea or coffee, wine and book lovers all at the same spot. Of course, it's not as 'special' as Selexyz but you'll find 'a place to be' in multicultural Brussels."

The first thing you should know about Filigranes is that the subtitle of their logo 365->365 actually has a meaning (probably not that hard to guess). Yes, this bookstore (considered by many to be the best bookstore in Brussels) is never closed.

Filigranes is a primarily French language bookstore, but it also has a smaller English language section. Upon entering, turn to the right and take the stairs down. And although it's size is not that promising (the whole store occupies an impressive 1700 square meters...) the selection is very decent to say at least. Especially the fiction section goes well beyond the usual offer of bestsellers and recent releases. Then again, I can only judge by their online catalog, so feel free to disagree.

One more interesting fact - the basement, where the English section is stored, originally used to serve as a safe room of a bank and the bars and the bulletproof orange door are still there. So we can conclude that Filigranes is most serious about protecting its English language section. Hmmm... Maybe we'll do a Top 5 category one day - the safest bookstores, or the best protected bookstores - we shall see...

About the bookstore

La librairie Filigranes is located in the so called "European" district of Brussels between the European Parliament bulding and the Parc de Bruxelles. The interior of the bookstore is also designed in a very original way, with a surrealist touch that can't be overlooked. Author signings, concert venues and even wine degustations are also hosted in this space. Besides books, Filigranes also offers coffee, drinks (wine included), sandwiches, sweets and other snacks, and even a small playground for its youngest visitors. You can check out the plan of the store on their website (only available in French, but very nicely done otherwise) and even enjoy an impressive virtual visit of the bookstore. DVDs, CDs, small gifts, lots of newspapers, magazines and comics are a part of the store's stock too. The best advice is to go see for yourselves, there's a very small chance that they won't be open...

Librairie Filigranes

Address:
Av. des Arts 39-40
1040 Brussels

Website: http://www.filigranes.be/fr/

Phone and Email:
+32(0)2 511 90 15 or +32(0)2 502 24 68
info@filigranes.be
englishbooks@filigranes.be

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 8-20
Sat 10-19:30
Sun&holidays 10-19

A Report from Prague

2008-04-05T12:25:00.016+02:00

Our trip to the capital of the Czech Republic Prague took place during the last week of March, however, judging by the weather, it could have been December just as well. During those three days in Prague, we've seen more snow than through the whole winter. Sudden changes of weather conditions didn't prevent us from completing our task and we've divided our bookstore checklist into two days. (Yes, in order to use our time efficiently we actually prepare a list of the bookstores we wish to visit before we arrive to our destination... There's still some space for spontaneous discoveries tho...) We already had three bookstores in our Guide listed under Prague, so we decided to check those out first.

Our first stop was at the bookstore bearing the famous name of William Shakespeare - Shakespeare and Sons. This bookstore can be found in two locations in Prague. We visited the one positioned quite far from the center of the city in Krymska street. The interior of the store is divided into two parts, the front room serves as a cafe, the backroom is dedicated to books. The whole place is very stylish and cozy but it was the sight of the pony bike neatly arranged in the sunlight that stuck in our heads. The selection of books, both new and second-hand was very promising from the first sight. The amount of books on offer is not breath-taking, but the selection itself is very interesting and it covers many topics. Wooden floors, high ceiling, used books mixed with the new ones in tall wooden shelves, Shakespeare and Sons is a place we liked. Our enthusiasm slightly dropped after opening the books, since the prices turned out to be somewhat an unpleasant surprise. Not that we wouldn't be prepared for a different price standard, after all, Prague is Prague. But even the second hand titles were priced at 150 CZK (6Euro) or more.

Later that afternoon we stumbled upon an interesting second hand bookstore (or Antikvariát in Czech) called Antikvariát Kant. It was one of those old school places with loads of books, old maps, postcards etc. The prices were also much more friendly than elsewhere. But the main reason we decided to mention it lies within its unusually varied foreign language section. Ok, the selection of books they offered was nothing special, but besides the standard English and German labels, they also have French, Swedish, Portuguese, Spanish, Hungarian and even some comics in Japanese...

Our next stop was the Globe bookstore and Cafe. Before entering, we were warned by a man who was standing in front of the entrance that was not working. Once we got in, we've been told that the cafe is closed for the day due to some reconstruction work, but the bookstore is working. The books occupy most of the ground floor and also a small upstairs space. There is a counter which looks like a bar, computers to your left and lots good of books. Be sure to check out the window display before you enter, we spotted several interesting titles there. Globe also offers latest English magazines and newspapers, but you can also browse through older issues of the New Yorker. Too bad we couldn't check out the cafe, because we really needed a rest at that point of the day. In the end we decided to leave the the remaining bookstores for the following day.

We would also like to mention the Kafka bookstore located next to the Mucha museum right on Staroměstské náměstí, the famous square in Prague permanently occupied by tourists. Unsurprisingly, it's the name of Franz Kafka that makes this bookstore stand out. The works of this genius are laid out on one long shelf stretching practically through the whole store and you can find all his celebrated and even less-known titles in English, German and even French. Definitely a must see for anyone who considers himself/herself a Kafka reader.

The Big Ben bookshop was the only one that wasn't listed in the Guide prior to our visit. We both agreed that the impression this place made upon us can be best formulated as "family atmosphere". The bookstore is rather small and during our visit it seemed to us that all the people who were there knew each other already and if someone got there for the first time, he was involved in some conversation within the next few minutes. Along with the fact that the books are concentrated on a limited space, it made the overall atmosphere very friendly. Big Ben bookshop is a nice drop-in-to-say-hi whenever you're around and pick a book from time to time place. They managed to use the available space in a very nice way - maintain a selection of books that can be described as more than decent and not to cram the space at any price.

The Anagram bookshop is located only a few streets away from Big Ben but its atmosphere is completely different. It took us a while to find Anagram and when we finally spotted it, we were more than surprised to find out that we have actually already been there last year in May, few months before the idea of the Bookstore Guide was born. This fact can prove several facts (that we've seen too many bookstores by now to remember each and every one of them, or that we're getting old and senile maybe, or perhaps something else...) We really liked Anagram. It has a small second hand section in a separate room, and the main room looks like a bookmarket alley - very browsing-friendly. The selection of books ranks Anagram very high, especially the offer of non fiction (psychology, philosophy, political science and history, but also art to be more specific) was exquisite, in our opinion the best in Prague. No need to mention the question of high prices, since that is common for all the bookstores we found in Prague, although the second hand section in Anagram did have some cheaper titles on offer.

You certainly won't have any serious trouble searching for a specific English title in Prague. Ticking Prague off our list also meant completing the capitals of the four Central European countries (reports from Poland and Hungary have already been posted and since half of our team is from Bratislava, Slovakia, we were only lacking Prague) and since these countries also share a common past behind the Iron curtain, we thought of putting together a separate Top 5 in the near future.

Big Ben Bookshop, Prague

2008-03-29T11:20:00.007+01:00

Where? Prague, The Czech Republic

Visited: March, 2008

A cozy bookstore by the name of Big Ben is a common meeting point for expats in Prague. Unlike its name suggests, it's neither big, nor Ben. No, seriously, it is a rather small place with a pleasant, almost family-like atmosphere. For people spoiled by second hand bookstores in other parts of Central Europe (yes, we mean Budapest), the prices may seem a bit high. However, for those accustomed to regular priced bookstores with new English stock, Big Ben may not appear expensive at all.

The selection of books offered in Big Ben is actually very good, taking the limited available space into consideration. The books are arranged in several categories, we really appreciated the fiction and the children's section. Besides the usual paperbacks of your favorite titles, you can also find nice hard cover editions, for reasonable prices, which may serve as an excellent gift. Another noteworthy thing is the section devoted to Prague, its history and books on the communist era in general.

Big Ben is not the sort of bookstore where you'd come to buy books randomly, but a place where one goes with a purpose of purchasing a particular book. With this approach, we doubt that you'll be leaving disappointed.

About the bookstore

Located only a few hundreds of meters from the Old Town Square, tucked away in the little narrow streets of Prague, the Big Ben Bookshop is a very pleasant place to browse through. The bookstore was established in 1994 and has been operating for over a decade successfully and it has maintained its independent status. In Big Ben you can find all sorts of books in English, from dictionaries, teachers resources and course books to full range of fiction and non-fiction titles, as well as a children's section.

Big Ben Bookshop
Address:
Malá Štupartská 5
110 00 Prague 1

Webiste: http://www.bigbenbookshop.com/

Phone and Email:
( +420) 224 826 565
bigbenbooks@email.cz

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 9-18.30
Sat 10-17
Sun 12-17

Top 5: Impressive Appearance

2008-03-07T16:07:00.032+01:00

Livraria Lello, Porto

If you were wondering why Livraria Lello came to be our undisputed numero uno, then look no further than this article which should explain it all, and if you're still not impressed, why not visit it yourself and report back to us with your pros and cons.

Located near Praca dos Leoes, Livraria Lello & Irmao was established in 1906 after being designed by a Portugese engeneer Xavier Esteves. This fine example of art nouveau, with its stunning facade in a late neo gothic style is also decorated with two painted figures, one representing Art and the other representing Science. The bookstore's interior is nothing less impressive than its exterior which spreads on two levels and is connected by an amazing stairway inspired by the Parisian Galleries Lafayette. Furthermore, stained glass skylight, walls heavily decorated with carved wood, the railway track on the floor along which employees move carts filled with books are among other features of the bookstore. Even the pillars inside are decorated with bronze bas-relief ornaments of figures from Portugese literature.

All in all, Livraria Lello & Irmao is one of the finest works of the “second eclecticism” style in Portugal, with beautiful art nouveau elements which, once all combined, create an amazing visual (as well and intellectual) experience indeed. Take a tour through the Livraria Lello via this YouTube Video.

Selexyz Dominicanen, Maastricht

The close runner-up in our Top 5 can be found in Maastricht. Selexyz Dominicanen was opened up in November 2006 in a 800 year old Dominican church. Although it's hard to believe, the monumental building has been previously used for bicycle storage. Architects Merkx and Girod gave the interior of the store a full makeover and turned it into one of the most amazing bookstores worldwide. The task wasn't an easy one, maintaining the unique character of the church and creating a modern bookstore within its core is a true challenge.

We can safely say that they have succeeded and their effort has been appreciated by all the visitors of the bookstore and also by awarding them the the Lensvelt de Architect Interior Prize 2007. Originally, the church only offered 750 m2 of floor area, which wasn't sufficient. To overcome this obstacle, a multi-floor steel structure carrying most of the books has been raised along the walls. The space problem has been thus solved by taking advantage of the monumental ceiling of the old church and using the available vertical space. The visitors can use the stairs or take an elevator and climb to the roof of the church while browsing books and at the same time admiring the majestic view below them. The interior itself is designed in a very simple and modern manner which doesn't interfere with the historical setting. The huge shelves are plain black and made of steel, the massive walls behind them are made of solid stone. The resulting effect is a pleasant contrast which enables you to fully appreciate both the modern and the historical.

In the case of Selexyz Dominicanen, the words "sanctuary of books" are not a mere metaphor.

The Bookàbar Bookshop, Rome

Located in the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, the largest inter-disciplinary exhibition area in central Rome, the Bookabar Bookshop definitely deserves a mention as one of the most impressive bookstores appearance wise. The whole Palazzo has been designed by Firouz Galdo, an architect from Rome. The bookstore, accompanied by a bar, spreads on some four hundred and fifty square meters (just a little less than 5000 square feet).

The fact that it's closely associated with artistic exhibitions and becomes pretty obvious upon entering, since it is a work of art itself. The surroundings seem surreal: spacious with white walls and shelves among which many books find their place, the curved ceiling with modern lightning in three rooms of which the bookstore consists, this bookstore is indeed an appeal to every eye which craves for a modern look. The snow-white interior and minimalistic design make the exposed books naturally shine and stand out in this 'one of a kind' bookstore.

Being relatively new, the Bookabar Bookshop will certainly draw more attention in the future and perhaps we have made one of the first steps of placing this bookstore in a place it truly deserves to be - among one of the best looking bookstores in Europe.

Daunt Books, London

For the next bookstore on our list we are moving to London. The city of London has a whole collection of exceptional bookstores, and logically enough, books in English are not as rare as in continental Europe... However, our choice in the "impressive appearance" Top 5 unhesitatingly fell on Daunt Books.

Located in central London, in the Marylebone High Street, this independent bookstore is a true gem. This bookstore almost manages to provide its visitors with a time-travel experience, since they find themselves immersed in London from the beginning of the 20th century. The elegant Edwardian interior with its almost endless rows of shelves and impressive galleries, both made of oak wood, underline the majestic look. The unique arrangement of books, where all the genres are displayed according to countries, also contributes to the overall atmosphere of singularity. Streams of natural light pouring down from the glass skylights symbolize the enlightement you're about to experience while browsig through the store's carefully selected offer.

Daunt Books also maintains a strict no-music policy, which helps to create a calm ambience, so much different from the lively streets of the city. Three floors of elegance, history and knowledge and a peaceful refuge in the middle of London. See for yourself.

Galignani, Paris

There were several canditates for the last available spot on our list. In the end, Galignani from Paris managed to break its way through. Galignani is the first English bookstore established on the continent, and besides a rich history it also offers a aesthetic experience to remember.

For Galignani, even the first impression counts, and the owner of this bookstore makes sure that once you pass by it, you will be tempted to enter. Special care payed to the window displays at Galignani is a part of the bookstore's tradition and you can check out some of their impressive captures on their website.

Hidden behind old arches, Galignani is situated at Rue Rivoli since 1856 and its interior breathes with history. The long wooden shelves along with the mezzanine create an air of exclusiveness, style and elegance. The offer of the bookstore is mostly praised for its wide selection of books on art, and it is also a favorite place for many artists and fashion designers to browse. If there was a category based solely on elegance, Galignani would undisputedly occupy one of the initial positions. To view a video of the Galignani bookstore, visit their official website.

Pasajes Libreria Internacional, Madrid

2008-03-04T13:27:00.008+01:00

Where? Madrid

Recommended by Miguel Marcos

Miguel said: "Pasajes sells books in Spanish and other languages, including English. They have a good fiction section."

This bookstore is known all over Madrid for its international character, since it offers books in English, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Catalonian and even Russian. It's very popular among students of foreign languages as well, since they stock all sorts of dictionaries, language resources and study books. Besides the teaching materials, the English section contains several other fictional and non-fictional categories. The fiction section consists mainly of a fine choice of classic and modern authors, you can also find science fiction and fantasy, or a separate corner dedicated to children's books. Pasajes can also pride itself on its humanities section, which is divided into Philospohy, History, Politics, Sociology, Psychology and Religion. In fact, many locals claim that Pasajes offers the most extensie selection of books in English in the city. Movies, audio books and magazines in English and other featured languages can also be found in this smaller version of Babylon.The bookstore only offers new books at regular prices, but the selection is anything but regular.

About the bookstore

Located close to the Alonso Martinez metro station, this bookstore which truly deserves the right to call itself international occupies two floors in Genova street.

Pasajes Libreria Internacional
Address:
C/ Genova 3,
28004 Madrid

Website: http://www.pasajeslibros.com/

Phone and Email:
(+34) 91 310 12 45
libreria@pasajeslibros.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri: 10-14 and 17-20
Sat: 10-14

Hatchard's, London

2008-02-26T14:24:00.008+01:00

Where? London, UK

Recommended by Sean Dodson
The courtesy of the Guardian Unlimited

Sean said: "Although the bookshop of Cambridge University is technically the oldest bookshop in Britain, Hatchards of Piccadilly, which has been trading since 1797, is definitely the most aristocratic. Not only does it boast three royal warrants, meaning it supplies books to Her Majesty, it has counted Disraeli, Wilde and Byron among its regulars. Today it retains the spirit of days past, with an interior described by one follower as "reminiscent of being inside a rambling old house, with six floors of small rooms all linked together curling around a central staircase."

Located opposite the Royal Academy, Hatchard's seems like a a bibliophiles dream. It's easy to get lost in this shop for hours, strolling from section to section from popular fiction via the computer manuals to travel guides and photography books. There is a help desk on each floor, with employees always there at your hand, if you need any, because most of the sections are rather east to navigate through on your own.

About the bookstore
Hatchard's is certainly the oldest bookstore having first opened to the public in 1797 by John Hatchard on one of then most fashionable streets in London. Spreading over five floors and with over 100,000 titles in stock, the shop is a heady mix of genuine character and first-class personal service. A favourite with both writers and readers alike, Hatchards not only holds regular book signings but can obtain any British book currently in print. Travel, fiction, history and biography genres are all well represented.

Hatchard's
Address:
187 Piccadilly
London W1J 9LE

Website: http://www.hatchards.co.uk/

Phone and Email:
020 7439 9921
books@hatchards.co.uk

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 9.30-19
Sun 12-18

Anthony Frost, Bucharest

2008-02-24T21:43:00.006+01:00

Where? Bucharest, Romania

Recommended by Kelly Amabile

Taken from The Diplomat Bucharest

"Since opening in December, the bookshop has become popular among students, academics and expats, especially for its fair pricing system – which sees English language books on sale for the same cost as in the west. Set up by three friends with a fascination for the English language, Nicolae Ion, Dan Nicolaescu and Vlad Niculescu, the shop is located in an arcade opposite the Kretzulescu Church on Calea Victoriei, around the corner from the Orange Concept Store.
One of the store’s unique selling points is helpful staff who know what they are talking about. For browsers, this makes the experience of speaking to shop assistants a pleasure rather than an act of public humiliation."

About the bookstore
Named after Anthony Frost, an English artist noted for his abstract works consisting of brightly-colored prints and collages, this English language bookshop was opened in December 2007. The Anthony Frost Bookshop stocks titles from various domains such as art, architecture, children's literature, comics, fantasy, fiction, biographies, humanities, science, sport and travel. The books come from known publishing houses such as Penguin, Faber & Faber, Random House, MacMillan and publishing wings of universities such as Cambridge, Yale and Harvard. All books are sold at their regular prices.

Anthony Frost English Bookshop
Address:
45 Calea Victoriei
Bucharest

Website: none

Phone:
021 311 5128

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 10-21
Sat 10-19
Sun 10-14

La Mar de Letras, Madrid

2008-02-21T14:46:00.007+01:00

Where? Madrid, Spain

Recommended by Miguel Marcos

Miguel said: "La Mar de Letras is a small but nice children's bookstore."

The name of this bookstore can be loosely translated as "The Sea of Letters" and to stick with this metaphor, this bookstore is definitely a ship which will ensure a safe and entertaining journey for all the kids on board.

The offer of this bookstore is aimed primarily at kids and juveniles, but parents will also find some interesting reading material. The stock holds more than 15 thousand books for kids and juveniles and over 3 thousand books about parenting. You can find a wide selection of books ordered into several categories with the age target group ranging from just several months to teenagers. The offer of books for adults mainly consists of books which focus on pregnancy, baby care and parenting in general, but you can also find titles about nutrition, healthy lifestyle or ecology, education, history of children's literature, psychology. Although the majority of the books is available in Spanish, you can also find titles in English and we decided to include this bookstore in our guide as a noteworthy place especially for expat families with kids in Madrid.

The activities of La Mar de Letras go well beyond the scope of a usual bookstore. This bookstore is a place where all sorts of events connected with kids literature and mainly with promoting reading among children take place. Weekly readings of books for kids (each time a different age group) are on the program each Saturday, different workshops or storytelling meetings are also frequent. La Mar de Letras also has a very nice, informative and obviously frequently updated website, which proves their dedication to the their work. Our only reproach is that the contents of the website are only available in Spanish.

About the bookstore

Situated in the center of Madrid between la Plaza Mayor and la Plaza de Oriente. In 2007 this bookstore was awarded the prize "Premio Librero Cultural", which also shows that their efforts are being noticed.
This bookstore is worth a visit thanks to its unique interior as well, since it is adjusted to the interests and needs of the majority of its visitors - that is why toys are a part of the decoration.

La Mar de Letras
Address:
Santiago 18
28013 Madrid

Website: http://www.lamardeletras.com/

Phone and Email:
+34 91 541 7109
lamardeletras@gmail.com

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 10:30-14 and 17 -20:30
Sat 10:30-14:30

Booksellers, Madrid

2008-02-21T11:20:00.009+01:00

Where? Madrid, Spain

Recommended by Miguel Marcos

Miguel said: "Booksellers is a medium sized bookstore. It virtually has all English books."

Located near the Metro Iglesia, Booksellers offers a wide selection of English language books and publications. The bookstore itself has two areas: one where teaching materials and various other teaching aids can be found (from books on linguistics and methodology via dictionaries and audio books to books on business and medicine) and the other where fiction books (general fiction, SF, crime, romance, historical novels, etc) and non-fiction books reside (biographies, literary criticism, current affairs, history).
The bookstore also has a section dedicated to Spanish literature and history as well as a section with newspapers and magazines imported from the United States and the UK.

About the bookstore
Booksellers was founded over some 20 years ago when four unsatisfied employees from a formerly successful bookshop, whose name shall be left undisclosed, decided to put together their own bookstore. The business was not blooming the first years upon the opening, still, the bookstore persisted and the business grew. The Bestsellers bookshop specializes solely in English-language books, from the latest U.K. and U.S. novels to travel, history and teaching materials. They stock plenty of children's literature and English-language videos and DVDs.

Booksellers
Address:
Fernández de la Hoz 40
28003 Madrid

Website: none

Phone and Email:
91 442 79 59
booksellers@wanadoo.es

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 9:30-14 and 17-20
Sat 10-14

A Report from Budapest

2008-02-11T15:06:00.001+01:00

The long awaited report from Budapest, Hungary is finally here. In the past few days we've been adding the recently visited bookstores in Budapest, but we figure all of them deserve another mention as a part of this report - sort of a way to circle Budapest as a bookstore rich city which deserves a special mention in our Guide.

We should thus start chronologically, with Red Bus Bookstore which we've found a long time (ok, prehaps not AS long) before Bookstore Guide had been conceived. It all happened somewhere in June last year while we were wandering about Budapest. Unfortunately, the bookstore was closed at the time of our discovery (either it was Sunday or past 6pm, or perhaps both) but we made sure we came back a couple of months later and we were left breathless both by the prices and the selection. Red Bus Bookstore is one of our favorites to this very day since it will be very hard to beat the impression it had left on us. Not once had we left without a book. Or two. Although it's usually more than 4.

After Bookstore Guide had been born, we stumbled upon some websites which listed Treehugger Dan's bookstore and it was only after we recieved a recommendation by one of its customers that it got a place among all of the bookstores in the Guide. Treehugger Dan's has two locations (due to the first, original one being overpopulated with books - Dan, the owner himself said that even his toilet is to this very day cramped with books) and we visited them both. The old one (the one in Csengery utca) is by far better stocked with books, with the prices usually ranging from 900HUF to a few hundreds HUF more, with an excellent selection of fiction and non-fiction both. Be sure to check out the new arrivals because it was there that we found the most interesting books (the 'new arrivals' section is something every bookstore should have, especially if you are a regular customer since you shouldn't go through all the shelves over and over again). We had a pleasant chat with Dan about bookstores in Budapest while we were book browsing.

Our next stop came as a huge surprise because at the time we thought we had already exhausted all the second-hand, afordable bookstores. Although located a bit far from the center, Bookstation definitely deserves the attention from all the book lovers with the shelves from floor to ceiling (literally), from English languge to French, German and even Spanish. While trying to balance ourselves on the high ladders while trying to reach the books, we found some real gems among all of them (perhaps it is also important to mention that one should look behind the books on the shelves because there is a whole another row of books behind the visible ones). We also found an interview made with Marton Gulyas, the owner of Bookstation. "Choosing a bookstore is a little like choosing a dentist - you want to create a sort of relationship, where you feel comfortable, especially if for whatever reason you spend a significant portion of your income on books." (taken from Budapest Funzine)
We certainly agree with Mr. Gulyas and we hope that many people would choose Bookstation for their "dentist" as they most likely won't get disappointed.

Budapest, being a large city as it is, hides more bookstores in its numerous streets. Another one of them is D2K (certainly an unusual name for a bookstore although we haven't tried to guess the meaning behind it). This specialized bookstore is just around the corner from Treehugger Dan's Lounge and it stocks books on design, art and architecture - something certainly useful for students of arts and art lovers. The interior of the bookstore is very interesting, since it is spacious and "artsy" itself and the book selection is carefully chosen and unique. After this bookstore, we headed on north to Pendragon Books (a bookstore which stocks only new books). Pendragon (which got a name after a legend - we did some research on this one) has a wide assortment of books out of which we were most impressed by the children's books section (something that most bookstores do not pay a special attention to). We also went to Bestsellers, a bookstore just a 5 minute walk from the very center of Budapest. This bookstore also stocks new books and it is especially useful if you're looking for specialized books, for example on literary criticism or politology. If you are an expat living in Hungary, you also won't be disappointed by their stock of foreign newspapers and magazines - just to catch up with the current trends of your native country.

And thus our three day Budapest bookstore hunt had ended (thanks to the Hungarian railway strike - originally we planned a two day stay but were held in the city a bit longer) with 13 books in our bags and our shelves. We will add the titles and prices of some of the books into the Comments section of the respective bookstore. Perhaps it would be important to mention another two bookstores we visited but haven't added to our guide - one of them being the bookstore chain Libri and the other bookstore being Alexandra. Both of them stock mostly books in Hungarian but some English language books can be found as well. Alexandra, just across the Nyugati trainstation, is particularly interesting since it spreads on four floors and is open until midnight.

To sum it all up, the search for English books in Budapest does require a certain amount of energy, but its results are most rewarding. Several English bookstores, each of them unique and special in its own way, wide selection and in some cases more than friendly prices, all these aspects make Budapest almost impossible to leave (in our case literally) and will surely draw us back soon.

Hugendubel Bookshop, Munich

2008-02-10T23:53:00.001+01:00

Where? Munich, Germany

Recommended by: Emily Rash

Emily said: "English-language bookshop on Salvatorstrasse. This shop is the most comprehensive English book store in Munich. It has new releases and an interesting mix of both British and American books. There is also a branch of this shop in Frankfurt."

Hugendubel is a chain bookstore operating all over Germany. However, this specific Hugendubel bookstore at Salvatorplatz in Munich is their only bookstores selling exclusively English books (there's another bookstore in Frankfurt with a considerable English section, but that one offers books in German as well). Its great advantage is the favorable location in the very center of the city, between the Marienplatz and Odeonsplatz. Hugendubel bookshop is definitely a great source of English literature in Munich, but it does have some bugs as well.

The offer of the bookstore is quite wide, ranging from fiction (mostly new releases and also classics), biographies, history or politics, to traveling, business, books for kids and audiobooks. Some visitors still find the offer of the bookstore to be limited and too “chain-store-like”. The other reproach made against Hugendubel is linked to the prices of the books. However, this is mostly due to the fact that books have a fixed price in Germany and you can't expect any radical deviations unless you decide to visit a second hand English bookstore.

About the bookstore

The Hugendubel family has a long tradition in the bookstore business, consisting of several generations and more than one full century. The bookstore at Salvatorplatz was actually the first one in the line, acquired in 1893 (there already was a bookstore at this address when the Hugendubel family bought it). The last crucial change in the history of this store came in September 2004, when it was reopened as an “English language only” branch.

Hugendubel Bookshop
Address:
Salvatorplatz 2
80333 Munich

Website: http://www.hugendubel.de/books_in_english/Liste.aspx

Phone:
01801/484 484

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 10-20

Robinson Crusoe, Istanbul

2008-02-10T11:35:00.001+01:00

Where? Istanbul, Turkey

Recommended by Jan Baker

Jan said: "Robinson Crusoe stocks a good range of English language titles alongside its Turkish stock. It's a good place for fiction, philosophy, biography and art and design. It's also really easy to find: look for the stylish wood and glass facade, on the left as you are walking down the Istiklal from Taksim Square (a leisurely twenty-minute walk from Taksim Square, past Galatasaray High School), or on the right if you are walking up the Istiklal from Tunel and Asmalimescit."

Robinson Crusoe has been selling English-language books for almost fiftteen years and has always had an up-to-date and relevant collection of fiction and non-fiction items. It has one of the best selections of Turkish writing and Turkish literature translated into English. The shop's interior resembles a literary bricolage set in an old-world library, with dozens and dozens of dark-wood shelves climbing from the very ground along the walls all the way up to the ceiling, and assiduous shop assistants balancing on ladders trying to reach the dusty tomes at the top. When not performing acrobatic feats, the staff there are more than helpful and will order any books that are not in stock.

About the bookstore
Existing since 1994, Robinson Crusoe Kitabevi (bookshop) stocks a decent selection of everything from fiction and philosophy to current affairs and history reads, as well as a rather good range of travel books and magazines and newspapers in English and French. The bookstore also stocks books in Turkish.

Robinson Crusoe Kitabevi
Address:
Istiklal Caddesi 389
Beyoglu
34433 Istanbul

Website: none

Phone and Email:
+90 (0)212 2936968
rob@tnn.net or rob@turk.net

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri

Bestsellers, Budapest

2008-02-08T16:52:00.001+01:00

Where? Budapest, Hungary

Visited: February 2008

This is the last bookstore we visited during our stay in Budapest. Bestsellers is an exclusively foreign language bookstore and it only stocks new books.

The stock of Bestsellers amounts to more than 10 thousand titles. One part of the store is reserved for a wide offer of magazines and newspapers in English and partly in French. We also appreciated the selection of books in the humanities section, which contains titles on psychology, cultural studies, philosophy, politics, international relations, religion or sociology. There also is a history section, with a special focus on Hungarian history, but also on the Central European region in general and the Balkans. The bookstore stocks numerous books by Hungarian authors, which were translated into English. The travel section offers a wide selection of all the usual travel guides, even of the unusual destinations. The fiction section can be found in the back part of the store. The offer contains most of the new releases, and although its limited size doesn't allow for a breathtaking selection, it is surely decent. Besides books in English, which are the primary focus of this bookstore, you can also find a few shelves devoted to French books. Bestsellers also offers its customers the possibility to order the titles they desire and fail to find in the store.

About the bookstore

Bestsellers was opened in 1992 as the first English-language bookstore in Budapest, near the Szt. István Basilica. From our point of view, this store definitely deserves your attention especially because of the well-stocked non-fiction section, while on the other hand, the rather high prices are the bookstore's downside.

Bestsellers
Address:
Október 6. ú. 11
(V district)
1051 Budapest

Website: http://www.bestsellers.hu/

Phone and Email:
(36-1) 312-1295
bestsellers@bestsellers.hu

Working hours:
Mon-Fri 9-18:30
Sat 10-17
Sun 10-16

D2K, Budapest

2008-02-07T21:38:00.000+01:00

Where? Budapest, Hungary

Visited: February 2008

This is another bookstore we stumbled upon during our visit to Budapest. Unlike all the other bookstores in the city, the D2K bookstore has a very narrowly defined field of interest. It focuses uniquely on books related to design.

First of all, the owners of this bookstore deserve praise for being brave enough and starting a project like this. Since no other people entered the bookstore during our visit, we assume that D2K probably serves the needs of a smaller number of specific customers. However, this is not due to a lack of interesting titles on the shelves, but probably also to the other negative factor in play - the location of the store.

Their growing collection currently comprises of several hundred titles and each one of them is a visual delight. We found books on graphic design, photography, many books on architecture, calligraphy, typography, posters and many other related subjects. The vast majority of their books are in English.

About the bookstore

D2K is Hungary's only design bookstore. The whole store is actually one big room, with lots of space occupied by two armchairs and a table in the middle. The shelves are spread along the walls a are filled rather sparsely. The overall impression is close to something like a museum of books, where each book is exposed in its own proper space. Anyone interested in visual arts won't leave this store disappointed. Also, be sure to check out their cool business cards...

D2K
Address:
Ó utca 19
(VI district)
1066 Budapest

Website: http://www.d2k.hu/

Phone and Email:
331 49 31
info@d2k.hu

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 10:30-20
Sat 10:30-15

Pendragon Books, Budapest

2008-02-07T19:48:00.001+01:00

Where? Budapest, Hungary

Visited: February, 2008

This bookstore specializes in English books only and the books themselves are very neatly organized by sections in two large rooms of the bookstore. It seemed to us that their focus were books on art and architecture but these are accompanied by a great number of fiction books (for example, there was a huge choice on particular writers such as Rushdie), children's books and travel guides. We tried finding more information on the bookstore itself but since it is probably a recently opened bookstore, their website is still under construction. The best way to find out more about the bookstore is to visit it by yourselves. We're sure you won't be disappointed, especially if you are looking for a particular book because, just judging by the number of them, they'll surely have it.

About the bookstore

Located not so close to the center of Budapest, Pendragon Books, probably named after a novel called The Pendragon Legend by Antal Szerb (written in 1943), is definitely worth a visit especially because of their large and specially chosen sections of books: from books on movies, photography, art and architecture to fiction, science fiction and, what came as a big surprise, a corner full of books for children - bigger than what one may usually expect. The prices in Pendragon Books are of the regular kind i.e. the original price at the back of the book is converted into Hungarian Forints.

Pendragon Books
Address:
Pozsonyi út 21-23
(XIII district)
1137 Budapest

Website: http://www.pendragon.hu

Phone and Email:
+361 349-3049
pend@t-online.hu

Working Hours:
Mon-Fri 10-18
Sat 10-14

Bookstation, Budapest

2008-02-07T16:36:00.001+01:00

Where? Budapest, Hungary

Visited: February 2008

This bookstore turned out to be a very positive surprise of our Budapest trip. Although it is mostly referred to as a primarily internet based bookstore, this is a huge understatement. Bookstation is a bookstore offering a mixture of carefully selected new books (mostly remainder) and loads of second hand books. It focuses uniquely on books in foreign languages, with the English section being the most prominent, but it also has a considerable German, French and Spanish section. Especially the French section deserves to be mentioned, since such a selection of second hand French books at such prices is very rare in non-francophone parts of Europe.

All in all, the Bookstation is the home of more than 30 thousand titles. The prices of the second hand books are very affordable, mostly around 5€. The English stock comprises of several sections (though they were not labeled) - science fiction/fantasy and books for kids and juveniles can be found in the first room, the second room houses fiction, biographies, social sciences, history, travel and also the only dark corner of this store, the chick lit section. (although De gustibus non es disputandum...) The selection itself is quite wide, and a thorough browsing of the fiction section will almost surely make you cheer over the discovery of some unexpected gems.

Be sure to check out the store's website (available in four languages), with a very well organized online catalogue of all the books on stock and the possibility to order.

About the bookstore

The Bookstation was founded in 2003 and has been growing in size ever ever since. The location of the bookstore is not very favorable, although it's really close to one of Budapest's two major train stations - Keleti. Books are stored in shelves which reach all the way up to the ceiling and in order to explore the upper parts of the shelves you have to climb a pretty high ladder. There's also a reading corner with a table and several chairs which along with the good music underline the pleasant atmosphere.

Bookstation
Address:
Thököly út 18
(VII district)
1076 Budapest

Website: http://www.bookstation.hu/

Phone and Email:
413-1158, 413-1159
info@bookstation.hu

Working Hours:
Mon-Sat 10-19