Books

London Review Bookshop

Kate Weston | Friday 30 March, 2012 14:25

Nestled comfortably between Holborn and Tottenham Court Road, the London Review Bookshop provides a welcome oasis of calm from the bustling and tourist-ridden West End. It’s classy dark exterior beckons you in to a small yet spacious, light and well stocked bookshop. Complete with friendly, and more importantly book loving staff.

Opened nine years ago this month by the London Review of Books. Bookshop manager John Creasy tells me their aim was to “create a small, independent but well stocked bookshop offering a range of literary and academic titles which, at the time, were not being given much prominence by the largely dominant chain shops.” They have certainly achieved this. The usually dominant fiction section of a bookshop is somewhat overshadowed in London Review Bookshop, by vast and packed non fiction sections. This is a serious bookshop, one where a rouge Jilly Cooper novel would get bullied.

When i asked John what it was that he thought made the bookshop so special he told me, “I think it is the range that we offer that sets us apart. We cram a lot in to a relatively small shop so customers wanting the range we offer can find plenty to interest them in a small. friendly and easily negotiated space. We have very experienced and knowledgeable booksellers and a lovely cafe to meet friends or relax in.”

The cafe was added to the Bookshop three years ago. It’s a wonderful space, with seating in light, sunny (obviously not all the time, this is still London, in England) square, perfect for reading the books you’ve just brought or just meeting people for a relaxed catch up.

With such a fabulous space and location, it makes sense that the shop holds events. John tells me they are more panel discussions, rather than author readings. For upcoming events see here.

I found books here that I’ve never seen anywhere else on my bookshop travels, and an atmosphere that made me want to curl up in a chair and read till closing time. A must-visit for those looking for academic books, or simply those who don’t know what they’re looking for. There’s plenty to choose from.

London Review Bookshop, 14 Bury Place, WC1A 2JL

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