| Evelyn Hannon 
In
a recent newsletter we posted the question about bookshops
displayed below. This topic seemed to hit a very special chord
for many of you. The response was immediate and very generous.
You told us about forty shops in over twenty different countries
which we've listed in alphabetical order. We'll continue to
post listings of your special places as they come in and we
know they'll be many more. Thank you very much, everybody.
This is the kind of wonderful female-friendly travel information
we love to share. You, our readers make this Journeywoman
website a treat for travelling women around the globe.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE
ENGLISH BOOKSTORE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD --
It could be an absolutely tiny used book shop down a little
lane or a mega store that lists thousands of titles. It could
be in your hometown or in a village in the UK or The Netherlands,
etc. Our aim is to list these shops so that Journeywoman bookwormettes
everywhere can find their 'happy place' when travelling. Please
send your tips to: editor@journeywoman.com
and put the word, 'bookstore tips' in the subject line. As
soon as we have ten tips we'll begin posting them at the website.
|
|
Australia...
 |
I'd
like to recommend Fullers
Bookshop in Hobart,
Tasmania. It's
located in the centre of town, has a coffee store
called Afterword Cafe on the Mezzine level which does
the BEST spiced hot chocolate in the winter months.
Expect to find some chairs, knowledgeable staff, and
they don't have a problem with you just wandering
around looking and reading extracts. They also have
a really good selection of Tasmanian centric books.
Website: http://www.fullersbookshop.com.au/
Zelda, Hobart, Australia
|
|
My
favourite bookstore is just around the corner from
where I live in Bondi
Beach, Sydney (40 Hall St Bondi Beach
NSW 2026 ). It's called Gertrude
and Alice's, after early 20th century
lesbians Gertrude Stein and Alice Tolkas. It features
new, old and rare books, a relaxed, bohemian vegetarian
cafe, and the strong smell of coffee. It's the place
to go if you are in Bondi but more into art and culture
than bikinis and surfboards. Tel: +61 (2) 9130 5155.
Jamie, Bondi Beach, Australia
|
|
One
of the most wonderful bookstores I know about is Readings
Bookstore in the suburb of Carlton
in Melbourne (309 Lygon Street). While Melbourne is
romantic and cultured, Carlton is the cool and funky
University suburb. Readings is pure delight with a
huge range of literature, biographies, travel, architecture,
film and art books. Ready for a coffee? Just go to
Tiamo's cafe next door -- I think it's the most authentic
Italian bistro outside of Italy; their aromatic coffee
is divine. Come to Melbourne, drop into Readings and
enjoy! Website: http://www.readings.com.au
Sibylle, Melbourne, Australia
|
|
I
just wanted to let you know about the Annerley
Community Bookshop and neighbourhood
centre on Ipswich Rd (at the Annerley Junction) in
Brisbane
Australia. It’s the only community owned bookshop
in this country and it sells the most wonderful collection
of secondhand books at the cheapest prices in the
city. There's even a foreign language book section.
We're a not for profit organisation and any profits
that are made are re-invested into local community
development initiatives to help local refugee and
migrant communities, homeless people and folks who
are laid up in hospitals. You can visit our website
at www.annerleybookshop.com.au
and if you are in Brisbane you can call on 3892 5050.
Please pop in when you're in this part of the world.
Kathy, Brisbane, Australia
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT
FEMALE-CENTERED TRAVEL IN AUSTRALIA?
Check
this link. |
|
|
Bali...
|
If
you're looking for specialty books on Bali
and Indonesia I'd like to recommend
Ganesha Bookshop.
Located on Jalan Raya, near the Ubud Post Office, Ganesha
Bookshop has an amazing selection of new and used books
(bought and sold) - the majority in English. Topics
include everything from your Balinese horoscope to yoga
and children's books. They also have some books in Indonesian,
French, German, and Dutch. In addition, they sell magazines,
maps, postcards, locally made bookmarks and notecards,
and even musical instruments. The staff are helpful
and friendly. Secondhand books bought at Ganesha can
be returned for 50% credit or cash. Website: www.ganeshabooksbali.com
Tandy, Ubud, Bali |
|
|
Bulgaria...
|
My
favorite bookstore isn't a store at all. In Sofia,
Bulgaria, while on a three-month volunteer assignment,
I spent many hours browsing tables of books by vendors
outdoors in front of the main McDonald's
hamburger shop. Most of the books are in Bulgarian,
but several vendors have used English books. They are
mostly books that were airplane reading for consultants
who worked in Bulgaria several years ago.
June,
Alexandria, USA |
|
|
Canada...
|
My
favorite bookstore is Timeslip
Secondhand Books in the village of Palgrave,
Canada. It is just south of Highway 9 between Newmarket
and Orangeville (north of Toronto). They have an excellent
selection, great prices, and it is run by really friendly
people. They also sell Pottery made by one of the owners,
Arlene Peters. It is a gem! http://www.timeslip.ca/main.html
Linda, Palgrave, Canada
|
|
In
Toronto,
mystery fans should head for The
Sleuth of Baker Street at 1600 Bayview
Avenue. It's an absolute wonder world for those of
us devoted to any part of the genre, from cosies to
the gritties. State your preferences and the staff
will be happy to point you to books you may not have
heard of before. (Should Paddington, the resident
feline, be in sight he'll appreciate a friendly pat.)
The Sleuth website http://www.sleuthofbakerstreet.com
is a good way to check their stock and/or order online.
P.S. Best wishes to Journeywoman...a great read!
Gloria, Toronto, Canada
|
|
My favourite
English-language bookstore is so out-of-the-way that
I'm afraid most tourists and travellers will never get
there.
It is on Highway 11 in the north of Ontario near the
village of Cobalt,
and that's probably why it's called the Highway
Bookshop. Google it. The site is covered
by a white, clapboard building trimmed in dark green
with so many nooks and crannies that have been added
to an original barn over the years that it is easy to
get lost in. There are huge stacks of old books on every
subject under the sun and new editions that overflow
every shelf and table set to hold them. The staff is
knowledgeable. They can dig out a rare gem with only
the barest clues. The owners also publish authors from
northern Ontario, and they take orders and ship all
over. I enjoyed a yearly road trip to Cobalt before
I retired and moved too far away, but if you are heading
anywhere within a few hours, try to visit. The Highway
Bookshop is fabulous.
Ruth, Ottawa, Canada
|
|
Queen Bee Books
is located at Port Alberni
(right downtown and just up the street from the Waterfront
and Quay)on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, B.C.
When you enter the store, which feels like an inviting
living room, you are drawn to the full shelves filled
with an eclectic mix of books of a wide range of variety.
Colorful local art, paintings and ceramics add to the
warm and inviting feel. The vivacious and knowledgable
owner organises Children's Story Time every Tuesday
at 11am and 3:30 pm. This store is the fulfillment of
many years of dreaming and planning and my daughter,
the owner, is about to start her second year in this
successfull business.
Anke, Salt Spring
Island, Canada
|
|
I'd
like to recommend Good
Words Bookshop (http://www.GoodWordsBookshop.com)
in downtown Amherst
(9 LaPlanche Street), Nova Scotia. It has great new
and secondhand books on most subjects, but specialises
in travel writings, literature, children's books,
and books in languages other than English. It carries
beautiful journals and stationery, including a whole
display of book-&-reading-related cards. Fiercely
independent, it is definitely not a cookie cutter
bookstore! If you live anywhere near Amherst, call
& ask to be put on their e-mailing list; they
host author readings on a fairly regular basis. Amherst
is right on the Nova Scotia border, so it's easy to
reach if you're travelling to and from both New Brunswick
and Prince Edward Island in Canada.
Sydney, Amherst, Nova Scotia
|
|
My
favorite English book store opened last winter in
Ottawa,
Ontario. Baico Books
is unique in that every book is displayed face out,
designed to make it easier for shoppers to find what
they're looking for or to discover a new title they
didn't know existed. The store is dedicated to Canadian
authors, and has books by many local authors on its
shelves, authors whose books might be lost in a large
chain store. Located a bit west of the downtown core,
at 102 McEwen, just off Richmond Road, the store also
hosts book launches and readings.
Barbara , Ottawa, Canada
WANT TO KNOW MORE
ABOUT FEMALE-CENTERED TRAVEL IN TORONTO?
Check
this link.
|
|
I came across Vine &
Fig Tree Books in Vancouver
by happy accident. Slightly off the beaten track, this
simple, cosy little shop carries a rich and wide-ranging
stock of brilliantly chosen spirituality and theology
titles, along with complementary fiction, poetry, children's
books, music and delightful fair-trade gifts from around
the world. Its creator and owner Elaine Perry has an
amazing antenna for key writers and her regular recommendations
list has become essential reading, even though I live
in the UK. Find Vine & Fig at 4109 Macdonald Street,
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6L 2P1 phone 00 1 604 734 2109.
Website: www.vineandfig.ca
Eliy, Eley from a tiny village 15 miles from
Oxford, England
|
|
|
China...
|
Here
are my three suggestions for bookstores in Beijing:
(1) Foreign Languages
Bookstore (235
Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District, 6512-6927) This
old standby has it all! On the first floor, you will
find practically everything you want to have related
to China and its culture. The third floor is the better
choice if you are hankering after a modern novel.
(2) Le Petit Gourmand
(3/F, Tongli Studio, Sanlitun, Chaoyang District,
Tel. 6417-6095) This cozy place boasts French food
and a growing lending library. Some books are available
for sale.(3) The Bookworm
(http://www.beijingbookworm.com)
I must confess that I haven't been here since it has
changed locations, but I am sure (and have heard)
that this combination lending library, bookstore,
and restaurant is just as good as the original!
Linda, Beijing, China
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT
FEMALE-CENTERED TRAVEL IN CHINA? Check
this link.
|
|
Look for other bookshops:
Page 1: Australia, Bali, Bulgaria,
Canada, China
Page 2: Ecuador, France, Germany,
Greece, Hawaii, Holland
Page 3: India, Israel, Italy, Japan
Page 4: Laos, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand,
Nicaragua, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand
Page 5: United States
Page 6: United Kingdom
|
