Bookstores in the United Kingdom (Scotland)
Last change:
24 Oct 2005
Bookstores in other parts of the UK are in separate files:
Northern Ireland, England, and Wales.
Just to be perfectly clear, bookstores for the Republic of Ireland/Eire are in
the Europe file.
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Cities include (listed basically west to east, north to south by region,
alphabetically within region, counties together if I know them; if anyone
has a better ordering, let me know):
Bridge of Allan, Scotland
Edinburgh, Scotland
Glasgow, Scotland
Inverness, Scotland
Iona, Scotland
Lochinver, Scotland
Perth, Scotland
St Andrews, Scotland
Wigtown, Scotland
Miscellaneous UK notes
other geographic areas
The UK country code is 44. To dial from outside the UK, drop the leading
"0" in the telephone number given and prefix it with "44" (after whatever
your phone system requires). The phone numbers here reflect the recent
change requiring "1" after the "0" and before the city code; update your
other phone numbers accordingly.
[Note 1: I collected these comments from a variety of people. I personally
have no knowledge of many of these places and take no responsibility if you
buy a book you don't enjoy. :-) Phone numbers and precise addresses can be
gotten by calling directory assistance for the appropriate city. Call ahead
for precise hours, as even when I list them they are subject to change.]
[Note 2: If you can add information for any of these, in particular
addresses when they are missing, please send it to me.]
[Note 3: I know they're bookshops in Britain, not bookstores. In the text
I try to follow this; the introductory material is used world-wide and
uses "bookstores" instead.]
[Note 4: Someone sent this for a particular store, but it applies
everywhere: "Don't complain about high prices; the people in the shop don't
make them, we only try to get a wide range of books and help customers as
well as we can. Books might look a bit than dearer in your home country but
the costs, the costs! We are not, I repeat not, a tourist office--it can be
very annoying to try to do your job and being interupted a hundred times a
day for the way to the Rijks-, Van Gogh or any other museum. (We are
willing to sell you a map of Amsterdam and then point you in the right
direction.)"]
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Bridge of Allan, Scotland:
Bridge of Allan Books (2 Henderson, 01786-834483). Antiquarian, secondhand
books, and prints, with preference to works about Scotland.
Academic material prevails due to the University of Stirling which
is in town.
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Edinburgh, Scotland:
Archways (50 Lochrin Buildings, 0131-228 8182). Sports books.
Aria Records (Dundas St). "The biggest range of second-hand classical
recordings I've seen anywhere, as well as second-hand books on
music."
Armchair Books (72 West Port, 0131-229-5927, armchairbooks@hotmail.com).
Second-hand bookshop, strong on SF.
Avizandum (56a Candlemaker Row, 0131-220-3373, http://www.avizandum.com).
Specialist law bookshop.
Bargain Books (Princes St). Very limited selection, but a good place for
picking up, say, the complete Shakespeare/Conan Doyle/Brothers
Grimm practically free. Part of a chain; if you've been in
one, you've been in them all.
Bauermeisters (on George IV Bridge). Strong on arts; biggest ranger of
Dover publications in Edinburgh. Also has a good classical CD
section with a separate entrance).
Peter Bell (68 West Port, 0131-229-0562). Antiquarian books, much of
Scottish interest.
Body and Soul (52 Hamilton Place, EH1 and 166 Bruntsfield Place). Specialist
New Age bookseller. Open Mon-Sat 1000-1800.
Borders (Fort Kinnaird Shopping Complex). "A huge Borders and a blessing
overall. Good for US imports, no surprise there. Best range of
periodicals since Thin's George Street branch closed. Borders
are still pretty rare in the UK, which is why I'm not as jaded
about it as my American friends."
Broughton Books, 2a Broughton Place, EH3. Second-hand books. Strong on
Scottish history.
Canongate Jerseys and Crafts (164-166 Canongate, Royal Mile, EH8,
http://www.edinburghcitydirectory.com/canongate). Knotwork
everything, books on "Celtic" and Pictish art.
Cooks Bookshop (118 West Bow, EH1 2HH, 0131-226-4445, FAX 0131-226-4449).
Cookbooks. "Owned by Clarissa Dickson-Wright of 'Two Fat Ladies'
fame, but is still surprisingly nice to vegetarians and the woman
who runs it is always interested to hear about unusual veggie (and
other specialist) cookbooks. Tries to have a contantly changing
range." [05/05]
Cornerstone Bookshop (St. John's Church Terr, Princes St, EH2 4BJ,
0131-229-3776, FAX 0131-229-0382). Describes itself as "Books for
people who like to think..." Next door to The One World Shop.
Stocks a broad to left-wing range of Christian books. "Probably the
polar opposite theologically of Wesley-Owen." Open Mon-Sat 0930-1730.
Crystal Clear (Cockburn St). "Typical New-Agey 'Mind, Body and Spirit'
shop. A few books."
Dead Head Comics (44 Victoria St). Wide range of US/UK mainstream and
independent comics and graphic novels. Probably superior range to
Forbidden Planet, definitely better atmosphere.
Eddie Fenwick (Thirlestane Lane). Mainly a mail-order business in
mathematics and mountaineering books from his home, but you can
drop in to see the stuff for yourself; phone him.
Enchantment (Cockburn St). "Pagan and 'Celtic' crafts, tarot cards and a
few books."
Donald Ferrier (Teviot Place, 0131-225-5325, http://www.donfer.co.uk).
Medical, new and secondhand.
Forbidden Planet (40-41 South Bridge, 0131-558-8226, FAX 0131-556-9907).
SF. "A not-bad selection of translated manga--the best you'll get in
Edinburgh. The Glasgow branch is better for this kind of material."
Free Church of Scotland Bookshop (15 The Mound, 0131-718 4141). "As it says
- the Free Church is, I think, Presbyterian and/or Calvinist."
Helios Fountain (7 Grassmarket, EH1, 0131-229 7884,
http://www.helios-fountain.co.uk). "Arts and craft materials, beads
and crystals and lots of New Age and Steiner books." Open Mon-Sat
1000-2000, Sun 1200-1700. Extended hours during the Festival.
Macnaughtons (Haddington Place, Leith Walk). The biggest second-hand
bookshop in town. "The stock's large, wide-ranging and
well-organised, and ranges from obscure pamphlets and paperbacks
costing a few pence to much grander items in glass cases costing
hundreds of pounds. The vast majority of the stock's very
reasonably priced, though, and contains some real gems I've seen
nowhere else. They're particularly strong on art, literature and
Scottish books. Definitely not to be missed."
McCall Barbour (28 George IV Bridge, EH1 1ES, 0131-558-5897). "Christian
bookshop at the [fundamentalist] end of the scale. The UK
distributer for Jack Chick Publications, so you can find nearly
all of those funny little comics (10p each) as well as more
anti-occult literature than your sense of humour can bear,
particularly the hard-to-get American stuff."
The Old Children's Bookshelf (175 Canongate). Second-hand and antiquarian
children's books.
McFeeleys (Buccleuch St). Used. Irish interest.
Old Town Bookshop (8 Victoria, 0131-225-9237). "17th to 20th century books,
old maps and prints."
The One World Shop (in the Cornerstone under St John's Church in Lothian
Road) is a Christian-pacifist shop with a small but good selection
of Third World, environmental and feminist stuff; also Traidfare
goods and world music.
Ottakers (George St). Used to be James Thin.
Andrew Pringle (39 Dundas, 0131-556-9698). Antiquarian books, same
ownership as Old Town Books. .
Rae MacIntosh (West End). For sheet music and classical CDs.
Second Edition (Canonmills). Used. Has the highest prices, but is subject
to haggling.
Sheena McNeil (Bruntsfield Links). Sheet music.
Southside Books (58 South Bridge, 0131-558-9009). "Quality remainders and
second-hand books, strong on history. One of my favourite haunts."
The Stationery Office (71-73 Lothian Rd, 0870-606-5666). UK and European
government publications. Sideline in business books.
James Thin (53-59 South Bridge, 0131-556-6743, FAX 0131-557-8149). Owned
by Blackwells, but keeping the Thin name.
Transreal (the Grassmarket). SF. "They have most of the US books shortly
after publication."
unFamiliar (19 Candlemaker Row, 0131-225-4583). Pagan shop with a few
second-hand books.
W H Smiths (Cameron Toll shopping centre on Lady Road, and The Gyle Shopping
Centre).
Waterstone's (128 Princes St, 13/14 Princes St, and 83 Georges St). Large
chain. 128 Princes Street is their new flagship branch.
"Sandwiched between HMV and Virgin. This was opened in November 92
and I must admit I am impressed. It is on four floors, and is
second only to the main Thins branch for volumes carried. There are
excellent fiction, biography, foreign literature, foreign language,
history, Scottish, legal, cooking, gardening, pretty good SF, and
the usual range of academic subjects. It is a very good bookshop."
The 83 George Street shop has a large ground floor and smaller
basement. This branch has a bias in favour of fiction and
biography. The SF section is not so good. It has quite a good
section of art books: both textual and coffee table. Academic areas
are rather weak. Scottish authors have their own section as does
Scottish history, etc. These sections are not bad.
Wesley Owen (George St). (Used to be Church of Scotland Bookshop.) Stocks
a wide range of Christian books.
West Port Books (West Port near Lothian Rd,
http://www.portbooks.freeserve.co.uk). Used. An amazing range of
Indian stuff (at least as of around 1995 following the owner's
holiday-cum-book-buying-trip to India in 1992); also good for
secondhand sheet music, but not for the claustrophobic.
Wildwood Books (Royal Mile, EH8). "New Age book and gift shop with an
emphasis on 'Celtic' stuff."
Word Power (43 W Nicholson, EH8, 0131-662-9112. http://www.word-power.co.uk).
Radical bookshop including books on feminism, ecology and lots of
periodicals. Open Mon-Fri 1000-1800, Sat 1030-1800.
The Wyrd Shop (154 Canongate, Royal Mile, EH8 8DD, 0131-557-2293,
http://www.wyrdshop.com). "A proper occult supplier disguised as an
unusual gift shop - tarot cards, second-hand books, oils, incense,
jewellery, posters and odd bits of paraphenalia.
? (Spittal St around the corner from Old Grindle's). Used. Has
second-hand football programmes. May have moved (in which case
this listing is really useless!).
(foreign language specialist) (West Port)
(a couple of secondhand book shops in Broughton St and at the top
of Leith Walk and several secondhand and antiquarian book shops in the
Grassmarket).
several charity bookshops (Oxfam and Barnardo)
There is branch of Books Etc at the airport, landside.
You can pick up a leaflet with a full list of secondhand book shops from any
one of them. The Assembly Rooms in George St. often holds book fairs on
Saturdays where many of the second-hand booksellers exhibit.
Waterstones and W H Smiths are huge UK-wide chains that sell magazines
and airport bestsellers. "A comment on Waterstones, everywhere: their
scientific/technical sections are an insulting joke. They all have less on
all real science put together than on New Age fads. This alone is enough
to put me off ever using them."
A second opinion on Waterstone's: "It is easily the best book chain in the
UK. The ones in Chester and (especially) Manchester (which are on Bridge
Street Row and Deansgate respectively if you want to include them) have very
good scientific and technical sections. The one in Manchester even stocks a
fair range of US scientific, computer and SF books (and maybe others, but
those are the areas I know about). Waterstone's is owned by WH Smiths, by
the way, which also sells books in its own right and owns the large Sherratt
& Hughes chain. They sell a *lot* of books. One reason for the variable
quality of Waterstone's is that those that have always been Waterstone's are
better than those that were relabelled after Smiths bought the Waterstone's
chain."
A third says: "I don't know what their Scottish shops are like and their
airport shops are about what you expect but their Cambridge and Norwich
shops both have reasonable scientific/ technical sections."
"The Edinburgh International Book Festival (http://www.edbookfest.co.uk)
ought to be mentioned. Lots of literary events and a huge temporary bookshop
in a tent." During the Festival.
There is a listing of shops of Pagan interest at
http://www.paganlink.org/edinburgh.
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Glasgow, Scotland:
AKA Books and Comics (Parnie St). Not many books, but probably *the* place
for comics.
Bargain Books (chain of small shops). Limited stock but excellent bargain
prices. If you've been in one of the chain, you've been in them
all.
Borders (Buchanan and Queen). Reasonable Scottish section. Shortly after
it opened it was a bit chaotic, but that will probably settle down.
Coffeeshop. It is developing some writers' groups.
Caledonia Books (Great Western Road). Used. Strong in modern literature
and art.
The Christian Book Centre (Great Western Road, very close to
Caledonia Books, Voltaire and Rousseau, and Word of
Mouth). New and second-hand Christian material and the best
selection of second-hand classical records and books on
classical music in town.
Centerpeace (Stockwell St). Pacifist/feminist/Third World/environmental/
liberation theology material (run by radical Christians).
Clyde Books (Parnie St). Radical/socialist/feminist/green.
Comhairle nan Leabhraichean (22 Sraid Achadh a'Mhansa, Glaschu, Alba
G11 5QP, 0141-337-6211) (a.k.a. The Gaelic Books Council,
22 Mansfield Street, Glasgow, Scotland G11 5QP; note: I'm told
Gaelic addresses can be used fine provided the postcode is written.)
The Gaelic Books Council stocks every Gaelic book in print including
prose, poetry, songs, music, children's material etc. They have a
catalogue. The Gaelic Books Council ships worldwide, and now takes
credit cards.
Dillons (the Argyle St/Union St corner). A very large branch.
More modern than Smiths and a great place to pick up book
bargains. Close to Smiths and Waterstones.
Forbidden Planet (168 Buchanan St, G1 2LW, (141)-331-1215). SF and comics.
Crowded, but if you call they'll check if they have a particular book.
Futureshock (Woodlands Rd). American imports and *old* paperbacks as well
as imports. They also stock some 20,000 used comics, and several
thousand new ones. The nearest Underground stations are Partick and
Hillhead.
Kollectables (51 Parnie, Trongate, Glasgow G1 5LU, 0141 552 2208). "The
shop is an amalgamation of three people's different collectables
interests. The section run by Fred Rennie (not in on Wednesdays) is
a very good collection of SF, fantasy, and horror books (around 1500
at a guess)." The shop is next door to Adam's Books. Open Mon-Sat
1000-1700.
The Little Bookworm (a booth in Decourcy's Arcade). For the under-five-
year-old market with new books in bright colours. Not so much
choice, but they will order for you with quick delivery.
John Smith and Sons (University Bookshop, University Avenue, Hillhead) (west
of the city centre, and other locations in Glasgow and Scotland,
http://www.johnsmith.co.uk/). Mostly academic (though some branches
have general stock), they specialise in stocking books on the
recommended reading lists for students supplied by Glasgow
University (who keep close links with the shop). There's a
student charity bookshop above it which sells secondhand
textbooks with the profits going to help South African blacks
study at Glasgow: good for medical books and is open 11h-15h
in termtime. Most university courses are in evidence in the
shop--medical books particularly so. Main public transport
terminal nearby is Hillhead Underground Station. They will
ship worldwide. Check their web page for current locations
and email for other locations.
Voltaire and Rousseau (Otago Street Lane). Used. Good for cheap grubby
bargains.
Waterstones (Sauchiehall St). "Superstore with couches and coffee centre
with posh coffee--think fancy patterns on top of cup of fat crockery
and 'death by chocolate' gateaux. Strangers chat happily. Stocks
British and American import books--lots of good books, but I have
already read nearly all of them. They also offer web access."
Wesley Owen (Buchanan St near the Underground Station). Near Forbidden
Planet. Christian bookshop. (Used to be Church of Scotland
Bookshop.)
Word of Mouth (?). Food and cookery; this place is amazing. They had to
move from their Bank Street building because it was falling down;
they are now in temporary premises on a mezzanine floor inside
"Moon" clothing shop, which in turn is up a short alley off Great
Western Road, a block above Caledonia Books. The stock is much
smaller than it used to be.
charity shops in Byres Rd, all of which sell books, starting with Cancer
Research, Oxfam, Dr Barnado's, Save the Children, as well as the
back alley secondhand books (next to Oxfam) and occasionally
DeCourcy's arcade)
a booth in Decourcy's Arcade. "Second-hand academic bookshop with some
old books in decorated covers."
For books and audiocassettes in Hindi and Urdu there are two shops in
Allison Street, Govanhill. There is a Chinese bookshop in the Garnethill
area (Glasgow's Chinatown).
Regarding Smiths, one reader says:
"There are other branches of Smiths, but these three should cover all
your needs wherever you are in Glasgow. All Smiths shops are tied by a
computer network allowing the facility for quick look up of stocks
elsewhere in the city and quick transfer between branches in the case
where a particular book is not in stock at a certain branch. They can
also order ANY book in print as long as they can locate the ISBN, and
send it to any address you please. They have British and Overseas Books
in Print on Microfiche for this purpose."
See Edinburgh, UK, for further details on Smiths and Waterstone.
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Inverness, Scotland:
Books etc. (Victorian Market, Western Entrance). A good selection of the
normal range of secondhand books.
Leakey's Secondhand Bookshop (Greenfriars Hall, Church St, 01463-239947).
"A bookshop in a disused church, which allows for a spacious lay-out
of the really superb selection of used books. Plenty of paperbacks
and hardcovers in a quite well-ordered arrangement. I enjoyed the
choice on SF and crime."
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Iona, Scotland:
"There is a small second-hand bookshop (must be one of the most remote
in the world) on the road between the village and the abbey.
Reasonable general stock, not as touristy or religious as the location
might lead you to expect."
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Lochinver, Scotland:
Books & Teas (some 5km south on the coastal road at the start of the path to
the Falls of Kirkaig). One of the very remote bookshops Scotland
has to offer. A standard choice of new books.
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Perth, Scotland:
The Perth Bookshop (Abbot St). Secondhand books.
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St Andrews, Scotland:
Bouquiniste (31 Market). "Inexpensive, medium-sized stock (small premises,
but full of books), though probably not too much for collectors. A
few more expensive books on local history and topography. (Not in
the main part of Market Street, but in a narrow extension, not much
more than a lane, at the east end of the street.)
Innes (corner of Church and South). Medium-sized new book department on the
first floor, but more of a newsagent and stationer's.
John Smith (Market Street). Another branch of the Glasgow-based firm. Used
to be the main academic bookshop (particularly after the University
Booksellers closed), but has more or less given this up since a
branch of Blackwell's (based in the Students' Union) opened. Now a
good, though not huge, general bookshop.
Quarto Bookshop (Golf Pl). "Wide range of stock, including secondhand
textbooks, reasonably priced and with friendly staff. Also a
section of new paperbacks, and new and secondhand golf books, both
hardback and paperback. Good on Scottish books, history and
literature (and not just textbooks in these subjects)."
"About 10 miles from St Andrews, in Newport-on-Tay (opposite Dundee, on the
south side of the Tay Bridge), is Mair Wilkes Books (3 St Mary's Lane).
They claim 10,000 books, but it seems more than that, somehow; it certainly
takes a few hours to do justice to their stock, which consists of a very
wide range of interesting books (although not much in the way of modern
firsts). Scottish (again) is a strength, particularly local books, but
another specialism is psychology/psychiatry, along with a considerable
amount of early 20th Century scientific and medical works. One of the most
interesting shops in Scotland, I'd say, as long as you're not just looking
for recent fiction."
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Wigtown, Scotland:
Wigtown is "Scotland's National Booktown." There seem to be a dozen or so
"Book Towns," (at least as of 1999) following the lead of Hay-on-Wye in
Wales. Wigtown was selected in 1997 as the Scottish town with the best
prospects of becoming a successful book town and launched in 1998.
Commercial it may be, but anything that increases the number of bookshops
is fine by me. Their website is http://www.wigtown-booktown.co.uk/home.htm.
Alternatives (27 N Main, DG8 9HJ, 01998-402522, alteralba@aol.com).
"Alternative nooks." Seems to include alternative medicine,
alternative lifestyles, occult, and SF and fantasy. Open Mon-Tue,
Thu-Sat; also seasonal Wed and Sun.
Artyfacts (14 N Main, DG8 9HL, 01671-840324 (evening)). Arts and crafts.
Open Mon-Tue, Thu-Sat; also seasonal Wed.
A P & R Limited (Curch Ln, DG8 9HT, 01988-403348, FAX 01988-403443,
alteralba@aol.com). Second-hand and antiquarian archaeology,
history, art, and early English literature. By appointment only.
At The Sign Of The Dragon (St. Ninians, New Road, DG8 9JL,
Tel/FAX 01988-403446, atthesignofthedragon@tiscali.co.uk).
Previously located in London. SF, fantasy & mystery book specialist. [10/06]
Book Corner (2 High Street, DG8 9HQ, 01988-402010,
http://www.book-corner.co.uk). Specializes in natural history
and gardening. Open seven days.
Books 'n' Looks (15 S Main, DG8 9EH, 01988-402604). New and second-hand
handicrafts and home improvement. Open Mon-Tue, Thu-Sat.
The Bookshop (17 N Main DG8 9HL, 01988-402499,
http://www.gcbooks.demon.co.uk). Second-hand general stock;
largest second-hand in Scotland. Open Mon-Sat.
Box of Frogs (12 N Main, 01988-403231). New and second-hand children's
books, games, and puzzles. Open Mon-Sat.
Byre Books (Byre at 24 S Main, 0845-458-3813,
http://www.byrebooks.co.uk).
Second-hand books on folklore, mythology, Celtic and Scottish
culture, and movies and theatre. Open seven days a week, but
closed for holiday in October and a month of Jan-Feb, so call
ahead at those times.
Cauldron (3 High St, DG8 9HH, 01988-402417). New and second-hand general
stock, with emphasis on food and cooking. Also carries food.
Open Mon-Tue, Thu-Sun.
Eleven High Street (11 High St, DG8 9HH, 01988-402317, mosscree@beeb.net).
New and second-hand general stock with an emphasis on pets and
children's books. Also has pet food and products. Open Tue-Sat;
also Sun-Mon seasonally.
.451 (degrees) f (29 S Main, DG8 9HG, 01988-42515,
www.virtual-pc.com/pens/451.f).
Computers, technology, philosophy, and science fiction. (With a nod
to Ray Brabury.) Open Mon-Sat.
High Street Number One (1 High St, DG8, 9HH), 01988-402590, FAX 01988-403422,
bdirks@btconnect.com). Carries Dutch and German titles. Open
seven days.
M. E. McCarty Bookseller (13 N Main, DG8 9HL, 01988-402062). General new
books. Open seven days.
Ming Books (Beechwood, Acre Place, DG8 9DU, 01988402653 or 01988-402625, FAX
01988-403472, UK 07092-218017, US 617-5981046x8829,
http://www.mingbooks.com). "Largest stock of secondhand
crime fiction mysteries and thrillers in UK." Also modern
firsts, espionage fiction and fact, true crime, cookery,
natural history, and history. Open seven days.
Music Shop (29 S Main, DG8 9HG, 01988-402515, FAX 01988-403208,
jhaigh@wigtown6.freeserve.co.uk). Music books, as well as sheet
music, instruments, CDs, etc. Open Mon-Sat.
Old Bank Bookshop (7 S Main, DG8 9EH, 01988-402688). Outlet for the
Bookshop and A P & R Baker Ltd. Open seven days.
Readinglasses Bookshop-Cafe (17 S Main, DG8 9EH, tel/FAX 01988-403266,
angela.everitt@readinglasses.demon.co.uk). New and second-hand
women's studies and gay/lesbian/bisexual studies. The cafe advertises
"real coffee." Open Mon-Sat; also Sun seasonally.
Textile Book Bazaar (6 S Main, DG8 9EH, 01988-402080). Books on textiles.
Also rugs, hangings, textiles. Open seven days summer only (?).
Transformer (26 Bladnoch, DG8 9AB) 01988-403455, C.A.Weaver@caweaver.freeserve.co.uk). Second-hand general and academic.
Emphasis on science and technology, foreign languages, and SF and
fantasy. Also has crafts. Open seven days; longer hours in summer.
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Miscellaneous UK notes:
See Edinburgh, Scotland, for further details on Smiths and Waterstone.
Government Bookshops: These are situated in a few of the major urban
areas. They used to be exactly what they say they are and sell
official government publications of all sorts such as Acts of
Parliament, Government Statistics, Official Reports, Advisory
Publications and the like. Now they've been privatized and sell other
stuff too. Still a very important source for researchers and students
as well as for those involved in business, commerce, etc.
Most of the Oxfam Shops in the UK have some secondhand books--if the town
doesn't boast of a separate Oxfam Bookshop. The same is true of many other
charity shops as well.
The Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association, as well as holding bookfairs
at the Hotel Russell in London (see under British Museum above) also hold
fairs all over the country. In September 1995, for example, they had fairs
in Norwich, Exeter, Ulverston, Scarborough, York, Wilton, Swansea, Kew,
Cambridge, Sherborne and Stamford as well as two in different parts of
London. You can get a free annual calendar from them at PBFA, Old Coach
House,-16-Melbourn-St.,-Royston,-Herts,-SG8-7BZ.-Tel:-01763-248400.--FAX:
01763-248921. Their information line, which gives recorded details of
forthcoming fairs, is 01763-249212. And they now have a web site:
http://www.pbfa.org.
Finally, you might want to look for DRIF'S GUIDE TO THE BOOKSHOPS OF
ENGLAND. Drif is an expert on bookshops and spends his time traveling the
country looking for bargains so he knows his bookshops. A new edition of
DRIF'S GUIDE TO THE SECONDHAND BOOKSHOPS of the British Isles was
published at least as recently as in 1995. It costs #9.95. Though Drif
has amazingly visited virtually all the bookshops he mentions--and by
public transport at that--you should take both his factual comments
and, in particular, his opinions with a large pinch of salt. Drif is a
character, one of those eccentrics like Basil Fawlty of FAWLTY TOWERS
that Americans like to think are typical of all the English. The
opening words of his guide are "They [the secondhand bookshops] are
dreadful, you are wasting your money buying this guide. It will only
tell you how dreadful they are in more detail." He proceeds to
castigate virtually every secondhand bookshop as well as the media,
politicians, British Rail and lots of others. Some of it is very funny
("If only the owner was as sober as her books" is one comment), much of
it libelous, some of it obscene, all of it opinionated. Buy the book
to find out where the bookshops are, for a good laugh and to confirm
your views of how eccentric the Brits are, but do not follow his
recommendations, beware of his directions and ignore his indications of
when the stores are open. If you want accuracy, buy the factual but
more sober SKOOB DIRECTORY OF SECONDHAND BOOKSHOPS IN THE BRITISH
ISLES. The Seventh Edition was published in July 1999.
There is a directory of Christian bookshops in the UK at
http://www.christianbookshops.org.uk.
People interested in books published in Britain may also want to know
about the following: THE GOOD BOOK GUIDE MAGAZINE (12 colour review
magazines a year) offers an ordering service available to subscribers
only. Books published in Britain and in stock with the publisher can be
ordered for a research fee plus shipping and handling (plus the cost of
the book, of course). Books reviewed in THE GUIDE are not subject to a
research fee and are usually available from GBG's own stock. Further
details can be gotten by contacting them at THE GOOD BOOK GUIDE, 24
Seward Street, London EC1V 3GB; Telephone Order Line
0171-490-9905; Telephone Customer Service 0171-490-9900; FAX 0171-490-
9908. [Thanks to Christopher P Salter for this information. He wishes
to make clear he has no connection with THE GUIDE.]
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Copyright Notice
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The comments are provided "as is" with no warranty, express or implied,
for the information provided within them.
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4) They will agree, in writing, that the collection including the FAQ will
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counts.
To support this, this FAQ is Compilation Copyright 2005 by Evelyn C. Leeper
(the FAQ maintainer).
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Evelyn C. Leeper
Evelyn C. Leeper (eleeper@optonline.net)
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