There is a wealth of bookstores in London. Some of my favorites are Stanfords in Covent Garden, John Sandoe in Chelsea, Waterstones on Piccadilly, Foyles - Charing Cross Road and Travel Bookshop - Notting Hill (the store that was the inspiration for the movie Notting Hill).

Book Lovers' London by Lesley Reader is an excellent guide to London's bookstores. And one of favorite movies 84 Charing Cross Road with Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins gives a nice sense of London in the 1950's.

My hands-down favorite is Hatchards.

Second vote for Hatchards. I collect signed first edition books and there is nothing to compare with it for all round books.
For sports books, the best is SportPages just off Charing Cross Road.

Actually, I meant to add Hatchards to my list as well. That was the first bookstore I went to in London. Great store.

Murder One


Keith

Stanfords and Murder One- both without doubt

(Politicos is pretty good too)

I used to like the one near UCL/Tottenham Crt. Rd. called Dillons - it is now a Waterstones, has millions of floors, and every book!

Double ditto for Hatchards. I like Waterstones for the Brit equivalent of Borders. Very pleasant. I also like Zwemmers for photography and graphic designs (2 shops on Charring X Rd).

For Foyles I say bleh. I want to like it but have always found it unfathomable.

If you want photography and art books, Magma in Covent Gdn. or Farringdon have a super selection of "coffee table books".

It was a sad day here in Boston when Waterstones went out of business. the stacks were mostly empty, when the last guest reader, Peter Mayle read from his book. Recently, we lost Victor Hugo, (new and used) and Grolier(strictly poetry) The internet and real estate rents are driving out all our bookstores bookstores.
You've got to respect London for not losing theirs.

I can't believe no one has mentioned
G. Heywood Hill (10 Curzon Street W1)!
This is a real book-lover's bookstore. Has
been written about profusely. Very personal
and intimate. Both new and used. Extremely personal selection, and a very
lovely children's section with unusual and
charming hard-covered choices. Established in 1936, and a very special place!

Another vote for Hatchard's. The last time I was there, I had spent about an hour happily browsing downstairs, went upstairs to pay for my books and leave, only to discover there was a raging rainstorm going on outside. Well, what else could I do but carry on browsing until the rain let up? Best-timed storm I've ever experienced.

My second choice would be the bookstore in the British Library, which doesn't have anything like the ambience of Hatchard's, but has a great selection considering what a small space it occupies.

Personal favorites: Is it Dillons or Waterstones at Trafalger? Same difference. Maybe it's the coffee shop I like. Hatchard's although their history selection is limited. Foyles is good if a bit claustiphobic. The best has to be Blackwell's in Oxford. Where is Murder One ?

MK2 - Thank you for the mention of Magma - I have several "coffee table books". They make nice gifts as well. I had some nice deals at Dillons.

Boonie - I will definitely pay a visit to G.Heywood Hill later this year. Thank you.

Cigalechanta - It is a sad day indeed when a bookstore goes out of business. There was a store here in Del Mar (Northern San Diego County) - Esmeralda Books that I had been meaning to visit for some time. I finally got there and found an intimate well designed bookstore that reminded me of a nice home library. I put my name on their mailing list and 2 months later got an e-mail that they were going out of buisness! I support independent bookstores whenever I can.

I like Foyles because they have a very good travel literature section - row after row of travel books. Quite a few authors, of course, that you would not see here in the States. I enjoyed Peter Moore's book Swahili for the Broken-Hearted about his travels in Africa.

Books for Cooks in Blenheim Crescent; a must for any cook! (in fact, I think the Travel Bookshop is opposite).
Where is Murder One?

Yes, please tell us where Murder One is? I remember reading about it before, but I don't think I got the address then either.

Please, please, give us the address.

Tulips, lyb

I just pulled out my copy of Book Lovers' London and Murder One, New Worlds and Heartlines is at 71-73 Charing Cross Road. Nearest tube - Leicester Square. The writeup says they have a free mailing list, a noticeboard with book reviews and book signings and readings.

rj007,

Thank you!!! one more place added on my list to visit on my upcoming trip! Some of the people think I'm a little nutty because one of the things I'm looking forward to and planning time for is to go to several of the bookstores in London! And I love Murder mysteries, so I'm very excited about Murder One!

Thanks again!

lyb

You're quite welcome! I do the same thing, so I don't think you are nutty at all. I love London's bookstores. At the Travel Bookshop in Notting Hill which is very small - I spent 2 hours one Sunday afternoon last Nov. (then I found out they are open on Sundays just every now and then).

At my local bookstore today, I bought 2 more guidebooks for London (I don't know how many I have!). One was for daytrips out of London and the other was walks in London. Just glancing thru them, I found out Mozart's house is just a short walk from Leicester Square!
All my visits there and I just found out today! Things like that and all the wonderful sights and bookstores will keep me coming back to London for the rest of my life. Can't wait to get back!

I haven't been to London yet, so I'm really planning for it. But even in homogeneous Borders, I can spend hours and more $ than I should. Having to pack and carry the books back might keep me somewhat in control this time.