British Bookshops - Bring Me Back
Okay, not just British bookshops, but ALL the bookshops we visited in the United Kingdom.
Before leaving Helsinki for our fall break to the United Kingdom, I couldn’t stop talking about all the bookshops we were going to visit. Don’t get me wrong, there are bookshops in Helsinki and they are very charming. The problem is…most of the books are in Finnish. So I was very excited to browse through shelves and shelves of books that I could actually read. I warned Jon in advance that we would be visiting as many bookshops as possible and we did just that. It was a miracle that I fit all the books I bought in my suitcase back.
Here is a little bit about each bookshop we visited while in Scotland and England.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Topping & Company was the first bookshop we visited in Scotland. It was recommended to us by Jon’s cousin and her husband, Hilary and Hamish. Topping & Company is FILLED with books. It feels like you are in an old house, browsing a good friend’s book collection. What impressed me the most was the collection of graphic novels. This was where Jon and I realized that we would both love to be school librarians at some point in the future.
Typewronger Books was charming and quaint. It is attached to McNuaghtan’s Bookshop, which was closed when we went to visit. It is on my list when we return! This bookshop was small but the walls were packed with thoughtful displays, interesting book categories, and lots of typewriters.
Golden Hare Books was my favorite bookshop that we visited in Edinburgh. It was the place where I ended up making my first book purchase of the trip. The exterior of the shop is painted a dark blue with enticing gold font and a leaping hare. The inside is bright and clean. The shelves immediately draw you in. The back of the store housed the children’s books. It took all my willpower not to buy any of the beautiful picture books. I can no longer use the excuse, “they are for my classroom”.
Tills is a bookshop with a mix of used and new books. It was fun to browse all the titles in the used section. It also had the cutest fireplace that was painted with little doodles. We didn’t buy anything here, but we loved the shop!
London, England
Foyles was my absolute favorite spot when I was studying abroad in London. You could get lost in the five floors of books, then sit down for a full feast in the cafe. I make it a point to visit there every time I am in London. It is funny because this is a chain bookstore, similar to Barnes and Noble, but I still love it. It always brings back great memories of when I was living in London during grad school. The cafe is always packed with people doing work and the food is always delicious. They also have virtually any book you’d want or need. Located in SOHO, it is the perfect place to stop after visiting all the touristy sites.
London Review Bookshop is right near the British Museum. So after pursuing the artifacts, we went to this bookshop. This bookshop embraces the feel of the review of books articles. It is small, but mighty and has a mix of classics and contemporary literature.
Daunt Books is a classic. It is hard to walk around London without seeing someone with a Daunt Books tote bag. I had been there before but wanted to show Jon the magic. This independent bookstore sells recent bestsellers, the cutest children’s books, and all the nonfiction. It specializes in travel books. The architecture and giant window in the back room make for a great backdrop for browsing the book stacks.
The Broadway Bookshop was one of the places we stopped in during our adventures in East London. It was cute, charming, and hipster so it fit in well amongst the other Broadway Market shops. I ended up buying an Octavia Butler book here and read it in a coffee shop while I waited for Jon to join me at a local pub.
Oxford, England
Blackwell’s Bookshop is located right in the center of all the happenings in Oxford. I had been there before and loved it, so I knew I had to bring Jon. The family we were staying with recommended it as well. I went there searching for His Dark Materials, a book recommended to me by Sarah. She was explaining it to us while we were on a walk. I love reading books set in places I’ve been. This book is perfect because it is set in London, Oxford, and Lapland! As I was checking out, the cashier asked if I had ever read the book before. I said no. He lifted his shirt sleeve to reveal a tattoo of the cover of the book on his arm! He said it was his favorite book.
Let me know if I’m missing out on any bookshops. I will add them to my list for our next trip to the United Kingdom!
