Xref: nuchat rec.arts.books:72502 rec.arts.sf.written:33567 news.answers:11757 Newsgroups: rec.arts.books,rec.arts.sf.written,rec.answers,news.answers Path: nuchat!menudo.uh.edu!swrinde!network.ucsd.edu!pacbell.com!att-out!cbnewsj!ecl From: ecl@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (evelyn.c.leeper) Subject: Bookstores in Various European Cities List (rec.arts.books) Expires: Thu, 25 Nov 1993 16:35:39 GMT Organization: AT&T Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1993 15:35:39 GMT Approved: ecl@cbnewsj.att.com Message-ID: Followup-To: rec.arts.books Keywords: monthly Supersedes: Lines: 974 Archive-name: books/stores/european Last change: Fri Aug 20 11:28:06 EDT 1993 Additions: Bergen, Norway Mega City One Comics (London, England) Stage Door (London, England) Changes: Compendium (London, England) (corrected address) Obelisk (Glasgow, Scotland) (more description) American Book Centers (dropped "Discount" from their name--but still offer discount) Copies of this article may be obtained by anonymous ftp to rtfm.mit.edu under /pub/usenet/news/answers/books/stores/european.Z. Or, send email to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with "send usenet/news/answers/books/stores/european" in the body of the message. ============================================================================ Cities include (listed basically west to east, north to south by country, but associated areas and language groups are listed together; if anyone has a better ordering, let me know): Dublin, Ireland Edinburgh, Scotland Glasgow, Scotland Iona, Scotland Cambridge, England London, England Norwich, England Oxford, England Lisbon, Portugal Madrid, Spain Barcelona, Spain Grenoble, France Paris, France Amsterdam, The Netherlands The Hague, The Netherlands Rotterdam, The Netherlands Copenhagen, Denmark Bergen, Norway Oslo, Norway Stockholm, Sweden Helsinki, Finland Berlin, Germany Cologne, Germany Zurich, Switzerland Vienna, Austria Istanbul, Turkey [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 am cross-posting this to rec.arts.sf.written, but the bookstores listed include *all* types of bookstores, so please don't tell me that a particular store has a limited SF section unless I have specifically claimed otherwise.] [Note 4: 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.] ============================================================================ Dublin, Ireland: Books Upstairs (Dame St opposite the Bank of Ireland and the front entrance to Trinity College). Leftish. Chapter's (Middle Abbey St & Henry St). Mostly second-hand. Duffy's (Lincoln Place?). Second-hand. Eason's (O'Connell St). The big one for new books. Forbidden Planet (Dawson St). Science-fiction, fantasy, role-playing games. Fred Hanna's (Nassau St). University bookshop with books of general interest. Geo. Webb's (Aston Quay). Mostly second-hand and antiquarian. Greene's (Clare St). New and second-hand. Hodges Figgis (Dawson St, directly across from Waterstone's). Also big, with an eclectic selection. Good Irish-interest section. Provisional Sinn Fein's Shop (Parnell Square) Rathmines Bookshop (Lower Rathmines Rd). Second-hand. Walton's (just off Parnell Square). The best sheet music shop. Waterstone's (Dawson St). Big, with an eclectic selection The Winding Stair (Lower Ormond Quay near the north end of the Halfpenny Bridge). The biggest used bookstore, with a cafe as well. ? (another leftish bookstore across the Liffey from the Winding Stair). Run by the Stickies (half feminist and half Stalinist). ============================================================================ Edinburgh, Scotland: Aria Records (Dundas Street). "The biggest range of second-hand classical recordings I've seen anywhere, as well as second-hand books on music." Bargain Books (Princes Street). 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). Castle Books (Canongate). Used. Church of Scotland Bookshop (George Street). Stocks a wide range of Christian books. The Church of Scotland has recently sold its chain of bookshops, but the terms of the deal constrain the new owner to continue them as Christian bookshops without much change. 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. Forbidden Planet (Teviot Place). Science fiction. Macnaughtons (Haddington Place, Leith Walk). The biggest second-hand bookshop in town and the least friendly. 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. Second Edition (Canonmills). Used. Has the highest prices, but is subject to haggling. Sheena McNeil (Bruntsfield Links). Sheet music. James Thins (South Bridge). The biggest bookshop in Scotland and (after John Smiths in Glasgow, the second oldest. Some people think it's great; others think it's the worst they've dealt with. One sums up both sides, I think, with: "They have half a dozen branches in Edinburgh, a vast academic section, and maintain close contacts with the Universities. However, they do tend to be rather complacent and unhelpful at times, and tend to act as if they were a monopoly supplier, with a `like it or lump it' attitude." For those who follow such things, another reader says, "They are also a bunch of hypocrites, handing out propaganda in favour of retaining the Net Book Agreement, while marking up the prices of Non-Net Books higher than Waterstone's and Co." Tills (Buccleuch Street). Used. Waterstone's (128 Princes Street, 13/14 Princes Street, and 83 Georges Street). Large chain. 128 Princes Street is their new flagship branch. "Sandwiched between HMV and Virgin so you are in peril of CD purchasing fever (or would be if both weren't so bad - except the jazz and classical section at Virgin) but I digress. 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. West and Wilde (Dundas Street). Gay/lesbian West Port Books (West Port near Lothian Rd.). Used. An amazing range of Indian stuff, following the owner's holiday-cum-book-buying-trip to India in 1992; also good for used sheet music, but not for the claustrophobic. ? (Spittal Street around the corner from Old Grindle's). Used. Has second-hand football programmes. May have moved (in which case this listing is really useless!). (a couple of shops in Teviot Row). Medical, new and used. (a couple of used book shops in Broughton Street and at the top of Leith Walk and several used and antiquarian book shops in the Grassmarket). You can pick up a leaflet with a full list of used 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. W. H. Smiths and John Menzies 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." ============================================================================ Glasgow, Scotland: 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. 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, Word of Mouth and Gilmorehill Books). New and second-hand Christian material and the best selection of second-hand classical records and books on classical music in town. Church of Scotland Bookshop (Buchanan Street near the Underground Station). Near Forbidden Planet. The Church of Scotland has recently sold its chain of bookshops, but the terms of the deal constrain the new owner to continue them as Christian bookshops without much change. Centerpeace (Stockwell Street). Pacifist/feminist/Third World/environmental/ /liberation theology material (run by radical Christians). Clyde Books (Parnie Street). Radical/socialist/feminist/green. Dillons (the Argyle Street/Union Street corner). A very large branch. More modern than Smiths and a great place to pick up book bargains. Close to Smiths and Waterstones. Dowanhill Books (in a lane off Byres Road opposite Hillhead tube station). Used. Forbidden Planet (Buchanan Street). Science fiction and comics. Futureshock (31 Byres Road). American imports and OLD paperbacks as well as imports. They also stock some comics, though not many. The nearest Underground stations are Partick and Hillhead. Gilmorehill Books (Bank Street). Used. Obelisk (Virginia Galleries, Virginia Street). Used SF and mysteries. "That nice man in Obelisk sold me seven Andre Norton books on Friday last. When I had picked out three from the shelves and went over to pay for them, he said that if I was interested he had got in some Ace doubles and among them I found four more Andre Norton in what looked to me like perfect condition. With Andre Norton I find that the older the story, often the better. He had them in his locked glass bookcase, so if you have some special interest it is a good idea to talk to him as well as just browse the shelves." John Smith and Sons (St. Vincent Street). Quite close to George Square. This is the main branch and is famous enough for you to be able to ask directions to it. It has 5 floors and keeps books on just about any subject you can think of. Main public transport terminals nearby (i.e., walking distance) include Central Station (trains), Queen Street Station (trains), Buchanan Street Station (buses) and Buchanan Street Underground Station. Close to Dillons and Waterstones. John Smith and Sons (University Bookshop, University Avenue, Hillhead) (west of the city centre). A strictly academic bookshop, 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 used textbooks with the profits going to help South African blacks study at Glasgow: good for medical books and is open 11AM-3PM in termtime. Most university courses are in evidence in the shop - medical books particularly so. Main public transport terminal nearby is Hillhead Underground Station. John Smith and Sons (Byres Road Branch, Byres Road, Hillhead). A mainstream three-storey bookshop. Simply a scaled-down version of the main shop. This shop is located next door to the Hillhead Underground Station. The university shop is five minutes away on foot. A nice area in general, well worth a look: there are several famous cafes/coffee shops around here too (e.g., The Ubiquitous Chip, The Underground Gallery). Voltaire and Rousseau (Otago Street Lane). Used. Good for cheap grubby bargains. Waterstones (Union Street very close to Dillons). Large branch. More modern than Smiths. Close to Smiths. Word of Mouth (?). Food and cookery; this place is amazing. They had to move from their Bank Street building because it was falling down; I have no new address for them. 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) 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." W. H. Smiths and John Menzies 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." ============================================================================ 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." ============================================================================ Cambridge, England: Children's Bookshop (30 Trinity). Deighton, Bell and Co. (13 Trinity). Used. Dillons (Sidney Street). Large shop. Heffers Booksellers (20 Trinity Street, Cambridge CB2 3NG, Telephone (0223) 358351; FAX 0223 410464). Cambridge's answer to Blackwells. They also own Deighton, Bell and Co. and the Children's Bookshop. Heffers issues catalogues in a variety of fields, and they are really outstanding about mail order. They accept Visa and Mastercard; they will also open accounts for customers and accept payment in dollars. ============================================================================ London, England: In general when people ask about bookshops in London, the only answer they get is to take the Underground to Charing Cross and walk down the street. Charing Cross Road runs N/S from the junction of Tottenham Court Rd to Trafalgar Square. Tube statios to go to are Tottenham Court Rd (Northern Line/Central Line) or Leicester Square (Northern/Picadilly/? Line). However, the following may be of more specific help. ? (Oxford St, heading from Oxford Circus to Tottenham Ct, right side of street). An independent; interesting travel section, respectable trade paperback good fiction section. ? (all the way up the Archway Rd, near Archway tube stop). Dusty used place. Owned by wife of poet Adrian Mitchell. ? (across from Kentish Town branch library, Kentish Town road). Near the tube stop of same name, head south on the road, right side of st. Good and interesting collection, especially British history. The library's not bad either. ? (south end of Charing Cross Road). Comics and some SF books that other shops stopped selling half a year ago. ? (on the first [second to Amercians] floor in a major cross-street near the north end of Charing Cross Road). They have a LARGE stock of comics. At The Sign Of The Dragon (131, Sheen Lane, SW14, 081-876-3855; Mortlake BR station and walk south). Run by Richard and Marion van der Voort, is a small shop with a good selection of titles. They rival (often beat) Forbidden Planet in early stocking of titles, and are happy to reserve and special order books. "A lot more friendly than FP!" Books Etc (Charing Cross Road opposite Foyle's, Tottenham Court Road tube). Good general stock, with emphasis on fiction and modern literature. SF section is also surprisingly good for a non-specialist store, including some US imports. Lots of other stuff, including a reasonable technical section. Staff helpful, often beyond the call of duty. Takes credit cards, will order books from the US. Sometimes open Sunday PM. Branches include: 30 Broadgate Circle, London EC2M 2QS, tel. 071-628-8944; 120 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0JR, tel. 071-379-6838; 60 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 4AQ, tel. 071-481-4425; 176 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2AB, tel. 071-353-5939; 263 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EE, tel. 071-404-0261; 26 James Street, COvent Garden, London WC2E 8PA, tel. 071-379-6947; 54 London Wall, London EC2M 5TR, tel. 071-628-9708; 163 Oxford Street, London W1R 1TA, tel. 071-734-8287; 66 Victoria Street, London SW1 5LB, tel. 071-931-0677; 19 Whiteleys of Bayswater, London W2 4YQ, tel. 071-229-3865). Compendium (Camden High St between Camden Town and Chalk Farm tube stations almost by the bridge over the canal). A very intellectual and political bookshop--quite large and well-organized. Been around since the Sixties. Go on a Saturday to visit Camden Lock, one of the biggest markets in London. (This had previously been listed as Portobello Road; I suspect it was the market that confused someone.) Dillon's (82 Gower St, Goodge Street tube). Beautiful, general, moderately helpful staff. Smaller than Foyle's but it more than makes up for it in efficiency. Excellent science and medicine depts, and generally strong on textbooks and "recommended reading" in all subjects--this is an academic's bookshop. (It caters for University College that is a block away, and the student population of London at large.) One of the three main technical bookshops in London, and easier to find your way round than Foyles. Also has a reasonable SF section (all UK, though), and lots of other stuff. There is a bargain department on the ground floor. Very knowledgeable staff. Strategic reduction in prices in order to challenge the NBA [the Net Book Agreement prevents bookshops from selling books at less than the recommended retail price; Dillons are leading a campaign against this by deliberately cutting prices]. Accepts credit cards. "While you're there, visitors should go and look at the outside of Senate House (one of the models for Orwell's ministries) and on Russell Square, which is where T. S. Elliot worked for Faber's." (Other branches at 150-152 Kings Road, SW3; 48-52 Kensington High Street, W8; 8 Long Acre, WC2; 213 Picadilly, W1; St Dunstans Road, W6; St Mary's Road, W5; Exhibition Road, SW7; Lambeth Palace Road, SE1; 37 Upper Berkeley Street, W1; Trafalgar Square, WC1. Most of these are associated with a college, so are likely to be small and have a specialist selection. For example, the St Dunstan one is at the Westminster Medical School, the St Mary one at the Polytechnic of West London, the Lambeth one at St Thomas' Hospital, and the Exhibition Road one at the Science Museum. The Dillon's near Covent Garden has a large selection of art books.) Dress Circle (57 Monmouth). They have the largest selection of material related to musical on this side of the galaxy. This includes scores, recordings, books, etc. The Economist's Bookshop (Houghton St., Holborn tube). Very good history, economy, related subjects. Forbidden Planet (New Oxford Street, east of Charing Cross Road; Tottenham Court Road tube). Comics, T-shirts and pins at street level; SF, posters and videos in the basement. They have some reduced hardbacks, marked-down paperbacks and sell more-than-2-year-old copies of Asimov's, F&SF, etc. at a reasonable price. "The SF stock has gone downhill in recent years IMHO, as they seem to have concentrated more on marketing the big releases--if you are looking for something specific you are much better off going to Murder One (see below) at least in my experience." [Editorial note: this seems to be a world-wide policy, as their New York City stores have the same problem.] "Good for US paperbacks, but I've had more luck finding new US hardbacks at Murder One". Some really good SF/fantasy art books. They also have author signings. Takes credit cards. Foyle's (Charing Cross Road, just after Sutton Row, Tottenham Court Road tube). "Well, this is where all the guide books are going to send you--I have yet to find someone that doesn't hate the place. Chaotic--they claim to have every book in print, but they never seem able to find them.... Utterly ridiculous system of classifying by *publisher*--it makes browsing a tiresome experience. Staff are sometimes willing, but often unable to help; more often than not they tell you to try Dillon's. Good Penguin section, though." A wierd pay system: you have to leave your books at the service desk, wander off in search of a cash desk to pay and get your bill stamped, then back for your books. "I don't think they take credit cards." Freedom (Whitechapel; Aldgate East tube). Anarchist books. "After their recent (5/93) attack by neo-Nazis they could do with your support." French's Theatre Bookshop (52 Fitzroy Street, London W1P 6JR, Warren St or Great Portland St tube, tel: 071 387 9373). They have a very large selection of plays, recordings and related material. If you are looking for an obscure play, they have it or can get it. "I believe that they will do mail order as well. Credit cards accepted." Mega City One Comics (Inverness St). Near Compendium and Stage Door. Better than Forbidden Planet. Motor Books (33 St. Martin's Court, just off Charing Cross Road, near Foyle's and Trafalgar Square, 071-836-5376, FAX 071-497-2539). "They have the most incredible selection of books relating to transportation. As a train buff, I feel that their railroad (yes, I know they'd call it railway :-)) section is the best in the world. Their military, aviation and auto sections are top notch as well." Murder One (Charing Cross Road, just below Shaftesbury Avenue, Leicester Square tube). Mystery and romance at street level, SF in the basement. No SF merchandise--just books. They also seem to have one or maybe two copies of many titles rather than dozens of a few. A lot of them are imports so prices are higher than average--but well worth it if you are after that one elusive volume. Probably the best source for new US SF hardbacks. Staff is very helpful too. They have a bookcase of second-hand books that are of *very* high quality. Takes credit cards, will do mailorder (I think). Oxford University Press Bookshop (72 Charring Cross Road). Not as big as the flagship store at Oxford, but certain to carry almost every OUP book in print. The OUP publishes (among other things!) some very good philosophy of science books and its reference series is unparalleled. Penguin Shops (Covent Garden and across from Camden Town tube stop). Not bad in a pinch. Harried staff. Skoob Books and Skoob Two (Sicilian Avenue near Holborn tube station). The one really exceptional second-hand bookshop. They have an *amazing* range of technical stuff, including computer science: they obviously understand what they're selling here, unlike almost every other second-hand dealer in the UK. They publish a directory of second-hand bookshops in the British Isles. (The other guide to these is "driff's", which is rather hard to get but absolutely hilarious). Stage Door (Chalk Farm Rd). One of London's best theatre bookshops. Near Compendium and Mega One. Turkish Language Books (81 Shacklewell Lane). Well-stocked and friendly. Waterstone's (Charing Cross Road, just before Sutton Row). "Haven't been there too often--it is a very attractive shop and seems to have a good, all-round stock with an emphasis on literature and history." F. E. Whitehart. The best dealer in second-hand mathematics books in London. He runs the business from home and you have to phone for an appointment (warning: he's deaf, and you go through either a switchboard or a voice recognizer). There are quite a few other bookshops along Charing Cross Road, including some bargain book ones. There are also a few bookshops in Oxford Street, near Tottenham Court Road tube station. And don't forget the museum bookshops. For oriental/historical books, try opposite the British Museum (a reasonably short walk from Tottenham Court road tube). The British Museum sells historical and art books. Also opposite the BM is Gosh Comics. (You can have a pleasant day out looking round the bookshops and/or the British museum. There are quite a few restaurants and fast food outlets around.) For clip art and other Dover books, try the Dover Bookshop. Going south down Charing Cross road, take the small road that's probably second left, counting round anticlockwise from the southern part of Charing Cross at the Cambridge Circus junction in the middle of Charing Cross Road. If you're on the correct road, you should go past a shop called Orc's Nest more or less immediately. The Dover Bookshop stock most Dover books, and similar titles. The owner is very helpful and takes credit cards. (For the forseeable future, Cambridge Circus is where "Les Miserables" is on. According to one poster, just to the right of the theatre is a dead good Italian restaurant.) There are Chinese bookshops in Chinatown and Soho (don't know this stuff at all) and some good black bookshops in Brixton (haven't been there for a while and don't have current addresses). For ethnic categories in general see the references in the "Guide to Ethnic London". W. H. Smiths and John Menzies 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." ============================================================================ Norwich, England: Jarrolds (on the market square). The biggest bookshop for general new stock. Scientific Anglian. The place for used books--really big and with a huge range. You need a good head for heights to get at the stuff on the upper shelves and had better not be allergic to dust. ============================================================================ Oxford, England: Blackwell's. "The typical university bookshop but often missed is the rare books and special editions that Sir Basil Blackwell collected and put on display in a rather pleasant country house just south of Oxford. The problem is, I cannot remember the village. Near Nuneham Courtney? Clifton Hampden? Someone will know. Sometimes a special book deserves a special typesetting, printing and binding." Also has various second-hand sections. Book Bargains (2 St. Ebbe St). Bookshop on the Plain (cross Magdaelen Bridge and start up the Cowley Rd; it's immediately on your left). Dillons (corner of Broad Street). Large shop. The EOA Communist Bookshop (across the road from Bookshop on the Plain). Might carry Irish stuff for all the wrong reasons, I suppose, but being a Tory I wouldn't know :-." Thorton's. "Look out for Thornton's as it's *dear*." Waterfield's (36 Park End St). Large second-hand bookshop. Good philosophy section. The antiques emporium just before it and the Jam Factory over the road by the traffic lights also house minor booksellers amongst their other denizens. ============================================================================ Lisbon, Portugal: Alfarrabios (Calcada do Carmo No. 50). Used books. Alfarrabista (R. do Alecrim No. 44). Used books. Antunes (R. da Voz do Operario No.7-B). Used books. Barata (Av. de Roma 11-A, 1000 Lisboa, 848 16 31, fax: 80 33 44). (ALso has another store at Amoreiras Shopping at Torres das Amoreiras.) New books. Barateira Lda. (R. Nova da Trindade No. 16-C). Used books. Bertrand (Av. Roma 13-B, 1000 Lisboa, 796 92 71, 793 63 56; R. Garrett 73, Chiado, 1200 Lisboa, 346 86 46, 346 76 29; R. da Anchieta No. 15). (Also has a store at Shopping Amoreiras.) New books. Britanica (R. Luis Fernando 14/8). New books. Buchholz (R. Duque de Palmela 4, 1200 Lisboa, 315 73 58, fax: 352 26 34). New books. Camoes (Misericordia 137/41). Used books. Castil (C.C. Alvalade, lj 15, C.C. Fonte Nova, lj 63). New books. Europa-America (Av. Marques de Tomar 1-B). New books. Historica e Ultramarina - Travessa Queimada No.28, 1). Used books. Olisipo (Largo Trindade Coelho No.7). Used books. Manuscrito historico (Calcada do Sacramento No. 50). Used books. Mundo do Livro (Largo da Trindade 11/3). Used books. Portugal (R. do Carmo No. 70). New books. Rui Alberto (Largo do Carmo). Used books. Sociedade Biblica (R. Jose Estevao 4-B). Christian literature. There is anlso an annual book fair in Eduardo VII park every May/June where you can find a stand for every major editor and bookstore and get some nice discounts too. Someone initially had said: "This place is a book desert. Apart from an antiquarian shop up on the hillside above Restauradores I've seen nowhere I was even tempted to go into, and this is the only major city I've been to where I've never bought a book. Somebody tell me there's something somewhere." To which Antonio Leal (abl@cybill.inesc.pt) replied: "We keep our bookstores carefully hidden, so that only the cognoscenti can find them. Innocent tourists only get to see airport shops ;-)" (but then sent some of the above list). pl@ssf.pt also sent a long list (inlucded above) and said: "Well, I really don't have much time to complete the list (I'm at work here), but if you didn't buy a book when you were in Lisbon it's because you really didn't try!" ============================================================================ Madrid, Spain: Booksellers S.A. (Jose Abascal 48, 28003). New books in English. English as a Second Language materials. Casa del Libro (Gran Via, 29). Mostly new Spanish books, with an English section. Turner English Books (Genova 3, 28004). New books in Spanish, English, and French. Also check out the bookstalls on Claudio Moyano, between the Prado, Atocha station, and Retiro Park (more precisely, it's the street that runs between the Botanical Gardens and the Agriculture Ministry; but no one knows where those are). Spanish books, new and used, old volumes often very reasonably priced. ============================================================================ Barcelona, Spain: Casa del Libro (Rda. Sant Pere, 3; 08007, Tel. 318.51.46). Spanish books on science and art, and Catalonian books. Crisol (Rbla. Catalunya, 81; Tel. 215.27.20). An excelent bookstore on literature, art, travel, etc. Open on Sunday. Liberia Bosch (Rda. Universitat, 11; 08007, Tel. 317.53.08). Spanish books on a important variety of themes: science, legal, education.... Libreria Herder (C/ Balmes 26; 08007, Tel. 317.05.78). This has a good technical section with books in English, German, etc. [This part contributed by Gloria Soriano (isidre@hg.vhebron.es).] ============================================================================ Grenoble, France: Arthaud (Grand Rue). The big general bookstore, which has everything. Glenat (avenue Alsace-Lorraine). For "bandes dessinees" (comix French-style). Get "Le Dahu" (the local alternative/student guidebook, updated annually) for reviews of other bookshops. ============================================================================ Paris, France: Brentano's (37, avenue de l'Opera, 400m from the Opera, 75002 Paris, Tel (1) 42 61 52 50). American bookstore, with specialized sections, French books and a newsstand that carries American mags. Very large array of fantasy and science fiction paperbacks just to the right of the main entrance. The Horror section is separate. Very few hardbacks, located near the cashier No comics to speak of. Will take orders. FNAC (several *big* shops in Paris, and many in other major French towns). Galignani (224 rue de Rivoli, Paris I). Was the bookstore of the expatriates of the lost generation, and countless others. Has managed (for how long?) to preserve the same decor, and same atmosphere. Good selection of current fiction, paperbacks. Also magazines (art, fashion and decoration; French, British and American), and current French titles. Many books on the arts in general. Librairie Breizh (near the Gare Montparnasse). Books and music about Britanny and the Celtic world in general. Librairie du Pacifique (near the Sorbonne). A good range of books on Polynesia. Librairie Gourmande (4, rue Dante, Paris 5). For those who are interested in books about food and cooking. Some books in english, but a large and good selection in french. Transmondia (Rue Douai, Metro Place Clichy or Blanche). Nice selection of books on railroad topics, on both European and American prototypes. Also N Gauge model trains. Credit cards accepted and English spoken. The Village Voice (6, rue Princesse, Paris 6). A nice store; only books in the English language. Some readings by poets or writers coming through town. The owner is a pleasant lady who has lived in the US, and knows the current literature. Virgin Megastore (Champs Elysees). Music and books. W. H. Smith (rue de Rivoli near the American Embassy and the Concorde Place). Large English bookstore, carries about everything from comics to videotapes. The SF/Fantasy/Horror section is now at the bottom of the store, near the rear entrance. Hardbacks are displayed on the top of the shelf, with some of the newest paperbacks. The fantasy and SF are mixed; the horror books use a separate third of the back shelf. More expensive in the average than Brentano's. ============================================================================ Amsterdam, The Netherlands: AKO Paper booth (the main concourse of the Central Station, Stationsplein 13, 1012 AB Amsterdam, +31-20-6266747: almost all trains, trams, buses and subways stop here). Sells daily papers from all over the world, including the New York Times, Intl. Herald Trib, USA Today, Wall Street Journal. Even sells Turkish, Russian, Greek, German, Indian, French and other-language-papers. American Book Centers (Kalverstraat 185, 1012 XC Amsterdam, +31-20-6255537; Tram 16, 24 and 25, stop 'Munt'). They cater to the large English-language community in Holland. Besides a large selection in recent American fiction they stock a lot of SF and fantasy. The staff is friendly and helpful. If they don't have the books you want in stock they will try to order them for you. They recently (8/93) dropped the word "discount" from their name, but still offer a 10% discount to students, teachers, and discount card holders. Atheneum Bookstore (Spui 14-16, 1012 XA Amsterdam, +31-20-6233933) and Atheneum Newscentre (Spui 14-16, 1012 XA Amsterdam, +31-20-6242972); (Tram 1, 2 and 5, stop 'Spui'). Next to each other. At the newscentre you can buy all periodicals printed almost anywhere in the world. It used to sell Marxist papers and other out-of-the-ordinary-stuff. The bookstore is much like Scheltema, Holkema, Vermeulen, but somewhat smaller. The staff know *everything*. De Slegte (Kalverstraat 48-52, 1012 PE Amsterdam, +31-20-6225933; Tram 1, 2, 4, 5, 13, 14, 16, 17, 24 and 25, stop 'Dam square'). A huge bargain- and used-bookshop. Sells novels, academic books and maps. Check out the antiquarian selection on the second floor (which might be the third floor to Americans?). Het Computercollectief (Amstel 312, 1017 AP Amsterdam, +31-02-6223573, fax +31-20-6226668; Tram 6, 7 and 10, stop 'Oosteinde'). Amsterdam's source for computer-related information; it sells a large range of computer software for different operating systems, computer magazines, guidance books and software manuals in Dutch and (most of them in) English. Kloof Antiquarian (Kloveniersburgwal 44, 1012 CW Amsterdam, +31-20-6223828; Subway, stop 'Nieuwmarkt'). An antiquarian bookshop similar to Kok, selling books about economics, law, history, psychology, science, literature and encyclopedias. Kok Antiquarian (Oude Hooghstraat 14-18, 1012 CE Amsterdam, +31-20-6231191; Subway, stop 'Nieuwmarkt'). A very interesting antiquarian bookshop that sells second-hand Dutch books and English paperbacks (in the basement), maps, books about art, architecture, history, encyclopedias and illustrations. Scheltema, Holkema, Vermeulen (Koningsplein 20, 1017 BB Amsterdam, +31-20-5231411; Tram 1, 2 and 5, stop 'Koningsplein'). This is not only the best but also the largest bookstore in The Netherlands. Donner in Rotterdam may be the biggest in square meters, but SHV has more titles in stock. Six floors full of books, from academic books to poetry and from travel to literature in Dutch, English, French and German language. WH Smith (Kalverstraat 152, 1012 XE Amsterdam, +31-20-6383821). As most Dutch shops, these bookshops are opened on Monday to Friday from 9.30h to 18.00h. On Saturdays they close an hour earlier. They are closed on Sundays and some on Monday mornings. ============================================================================ The Hague, The Netherlands: American Book Centers (Lange Poten 23, 2511 CM 's Gravenhage, +31-70-3642742). They cater for the large English-language community in Holland. Besides a large selection in recent American fiction they stock a lot of SF and fantasy. The staff is friendly and helpful. If they don't have the books you want in stock they will try to order them for you. They recently (8/93) dropped the word "discount" from their name, but still offer a 10% discount to students, teachers, and discount card holders. ============================================================================ Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Donner (Lijnbaan 150/Binnenwegplein 7). Largest bookstore in the Netherlands. ============================================================================ Copenhagen, Denmark: Athenaeum (Noerregade 6). Medicine, psychology, paedagogics, and English-language and literature. Boghallen (Raadhuspladsen 37, DK-1550 Cop. V, +45 33 11 85 11). A good place to buy books in English in Copenhagen. Dickens--The Bookshop (Sankt Pedersstraede 30, +45 33 93 01 23). Complete line of Penguin books. Munksgaards Bog- & Tidsskriftservice (Noerre Soegade 35 DK-1370 Cop. K, Voice + 45 33 12 85 70; Faks + 45 33 15 34 19). Used to be Ejnar Munksgaard. Fantask (Sankt Pedersstraede 18, +45 33 11 85 38). Comics and SF. Polyteknisk Boghandel (Anker Engelundsvej 1, +45 42 88 14 88). Technical books. (This is the main building of the Technical University of Denmark, and the bookstore is right across the corridor from Danmarks Tekniske Bibliotek, the country's main library for technical books and periodicals.) In general, Noerregade and Fiolstraede (next to the Noerreport Station) are the places to go shopping for books. A few large shops on Stroeget as well. ============================================================================ Bergen, Norway: Erasmus Montanus (Torgalmenningen 6, in the center of town, Galleriet)). Mainly English-language books. Good selection of SF. F. Beyer (Strandgaten 4, just off Torgalmenningen). Has both Norwegian and English books. A few French, German, Spanish books. Good selection of SF. Studia (Students Centre, Parkveien 1). University bookstore. Has large selection of literature about many subjects, also paperbacks. Has several sub-departments at five other places in town (law, economy, medicine, etc.) (Reduced opening hours in the summertime.) The various Narvesen kiosks have a varying amount of English-language books, mainly best-sellers and SF, and also some foreign magazines in various languages. Try the ones at the railway station and in Olav Kyrres gate (by the Music Pavillion). The used-books stores have usually a small number of English books. Bergen is one of the four university towns of Norway (the other are Oslo, Trondheim and Tromsoe. [This part contributed by Frank H. Flaesland (frank@imr.no).] ============================================================================ Oslo, Norway: Akademika (on the Blindern university campus, pb.84 Blindern; tel. 22 85 30 30). University bookstore, fairly large selection in most subjects. Penguin Classics and Penguin Modern Classics. Slightly more expensive than most. Law department in the centre building of the old university campus on Karl Johans gate. English contemporary fiction on the Blindern campus in the "Frederikke" cantine building neighbouring the main bookshop building. Avalon (upstairs from Tanum, on Karl Johan, nr. 37/41, tel. 22 41 43 36); SF, comics and games. The SF is mostly run-of-the-mill American editions, nothing especially exciting or literary. No SF magazines last time I looked. The service is very gaming-orientated. Damms Antikvariat (between Karl Johan and the Akershus fortress, Tollbugt. 25, tel. 22 41 04 02). Used, for first editions, professional collectors place. J W Cappelens antikvariat (between Norli & Norlis antikvariat, Universitetsgt 20, tel. 22 42 15 70). Used, like Damms, and publishes regular catalogue. Auctions. Majorstuen antikvariat, (off Bogstadveien, Vibesgt. 15, tel. 22 60 06 48). Used, well-stocked. Norli (just off Karl Johan by the old University campus, Universitetsg. 24; tel. 22 42 91 35). Very good selection of books (fiction, philosophy) in all Scandinavian languages, in addition to a fairly well-stocked section of contemporary English-language novels, etc. Good periodicals section, and language-learning sections. Very competent service. Norlis antikvariat (further up the road from Norli, Universitetsgt 18, tel. 22 20 01 40). Used, well-stocked. Oslo Nye Antikvariat (off Bogstadveien, Majorstuvn. 15, tel. 22 46 67 38). Used, very good for all sorts of non-fiction. English fiction (classics) down the stairs. Quist (to the left of the Royal Palace, Drammensvn. 16, tel. 22 44 52 69). Slightly eccentric, "Your English-Language Bookshop." Scanalka (on the East side of the Akerselva river, in Grunerloekka, Thorvald Meyers gt. 42, tel. 22 35 36 40). Occult, new age, health stuff. Tanum (on Karl Johan, nr. 37/41, tel. 22 41 11 00). Largest bookshop in Oslo, plenty of English-language paperbacks, a very good art section. Travellers Shop (Uranienborgvn. 4?, tel. 22 56 25 30). For travellers. Tronsmo (Kr. Aug. gt. 19, tel. 22 20 25 09). A very political, left-wing bookshop with lots of theory and radical magazines - and a large comics section in the cellar. Very competent service. (university campus bookshop at Blindern). A good range of material in foreign languages, especially English. (Norwegian for bookshop is "bokhandel"; some will have stationary too-- "bok-og papirhandel"; for second hand books, try "antikvariat." Few of the second-hand shops deal very much in English-language books for some reason-- they especially avoid paperbacks; but the ones listed have some. None have any sort of expertise on contemporary international fiction. The Oslo students' SF club has auctions twice a year (and also at conventions), very reasonable prices for exciting books. Write to Aniara, pb. 38 Blindern, N-0313 OSLO for details.) ============================================================================ Stockholm, Sweden: SF-Bokhandeln (Stora Nygatan 45 in Gamla Stan). Specializes in SF. Open weekdays 1100-1900, Saturdays 1000-1600. During June, July, August and December also open on Sundays 1200-1600. Telephone +46 8 215052 and fax +46 8 247730. ============================================================================ Helsinki, Finland: Akateeminen Kirjakauppa (Akademiska Bokhandeln in Swedish -- the other official language there) (across the street from (and legally a part of) the large Stockmann department store on Keskuskatu (Centralgatan) at the corner of Pohjoisesplanaadi (Norra Esplanaden)). Despite the name (literally: "Academic Bookstore"), Akateeminen carries a large selection of modern fiction as well. Books are in Finnish, Swedish, and English, and to a lesser extent German, French, and Russian. This used to be the largest bookstore in the world, with some 250,000 titles. (Akateeminen is actually a chain, and their shops are found in or near most Stockmann locations, but the one in Helsinki is the largest and best.) ============================================================================ Berlin, Germany: Near the Technical University (former West Berlin) around Ernst Reuter Platz, the two biggest stores are "Kiepert" (with two other (smaller) outlets in Berlin near the Free University and the Humboldt University) and "J. F. Lehmanns" (with three other (smaller) outlets in Berlin in or near University Hospitals). For Lehmanns, there probably could be given the same comment as above for the shop in Cologne ("Outlets also in other towns .... Still, not a chain store"). Lehmanns also has net access: J.F.Lehmanns (D-10623 Berlin, Hardenbergstrasse 11, +49 30 617911-0, fax: +49 30 6115015, orders and questions via email: bestellung@jf-lehmanns.de, orders via free phone (corresponding to US 800-numbers) : 0130 4372). (German "bestellung" translates to English "order") "Kiepert" near Ernst Reuter Platz has several departments which are specialized in Maps, Old Books, Pocketbooks, Art and many others, including a big selection of books in English/original language. As far as I know, "Lehmanns" was founded as a bookshop specialized for medical books, but now they have other books too, eg. computer and technical sections. (they advertise as "Fachbuchhandlung fuer Medizin, Technik, Naturwissenschaften, Computerliteratur") And besides these two big shops, there are many more (>10) small shops in a range of few minutes walk by foot, part of them specialised in certain kinds of books and literature, e.g., several shops for foreign books (different shops for different languages/countries), one for feminist books, some for Antiques, etc. In Germany, postal codes (zip codes) are changing on 1st of July and all cities get new numbers. Bigger cities like Berlin and Cologne get up to 800 new numbers for one city and maybe one of the bookstores mentioned above (Kiepert) might even have three different codes for two halves of its shop (it's around a corner of two streets at a 'zip boundary', and if they have a postbox, that's the third number). People should watch for new and correct codes if they already have addresses of some German shops. [This part contributed by Andreas Bewersdorff (anson@akb.in-berlin.de).] ============================================================================ Cologne, Germany: Buchhandlung Klaus Bittner (Albertus Strasse 6; across the street from Walther Koenig). Modern German language literature. Very helpful and knowledgeable as well. Has also a very broad selection of books on opera, theatre and ballet. Carries a small stock of English paperbacks. Regular reading and lecture events with German language and international writers. On Saturdays a meeting place of the Cologne writers and would-be writers. Buchhandlung Walther Koenig (Breite Strasse 93). A classic! Specialized in fine arts,with an emphasis on contemporary art, design, museum catalogues, architecture, photography, film. Two bookshops next to each other. The one directly at the corner has bargain books; the store next to it has the current editions as well as journals. "In my personal view among the best for these subject areas. Good selection of English language publications. The owner is a walking CD-rom and famous in the German art scene. Equally helpful and knowledgeable staff." English and French spoken. Outlets also at the Museum Ludwig (Cologne's Museum of Contemporary Art close to the Cathedral), at the Bundeskunsthalle (Bonn), in Duesseldorf and Frankfurt am Main and may be at other places. Still, not a chain store... ============================================================================ Zurich, Switzerland: Filmbuchhandel Rohr (Oberdorfstrasse). Good selection of books about film. Orel Fuessli (Pelikanstrasse). Largest bookstore in the city. Large general selection, excellent collection of German-language paperback novels, travel guides for all over the world, maps, coffee-table travel picture books. Decent selection of English-language books. Payot (Bahnhofstrasse). Good French- and English-language bookstore. General selection, good collection of art books. English-language books are generally British editions. Travel Bookstore (Rindmarkt). Excellent collection of travel guides and maps. English-language guides available. ============================================================================ Vienna, Austria: British Book Shop (Weihburggasse). Regular book store with lots of English stuff and staff. Nice people. Frick (Graben). Mainly German, but has a nice department of foreign (French & English) books. Perhaps not quite the size of the one at the British Bookshop. Pickwicks (Marc-Aurel-Strasse). Specialises in English second-hand paperbacks and videos. Shakespeare & Company (Sterngasse near Pickwicks). Regular book store, lots of English stuff. Morawa (Wollzeile 11 (?)). Mainly German, but also has a small department of foreign books, mostly English. Best known for magazines (domestic and lots of foreign) because they are one of the biggest importers (and resellers) of foreign magazines in Austria. Very good selection of newspapers and of German and English-language travel-guides. In general Wollzeile and the surrounding areas has many bookshops. All of these are in the 1.Bezirk (the City), and are within easy walking distance from Stephansplatz. ============================================================================ Istanbul, Turkey: There are two areas to look at. One is the bookseller's market at Beyazit; this is mind-bogglingly chaotic, particularly the second-hand shops, and mainly good for Turkish-language material. The other is in the Pera/Beyoglu area from the Tunel to Taksim Square; there are a few places here that sell foreign-language books, and one small shop in a square near the Tunel has the only second-hand shop in town that sells English and French language stuff (the square it's in will make any cat lover go all wobbly, there are dozens of lovely fluffy moggies outside). There are also bookshops attached to publishers all over the city (though predominantly in Sultanahmet as that's where the publishers themselves congregate). But for general tourist guides and informative material about Turkey in any language you probably can't beat the shop beside the Blue Mosque. ============================================================================ Evelyn C. Leeper | +1 908 957 2070 | ecl@mtgpfs1.att.com / Evelyn.Leeper@att.com