Somewhere, I read about a particular London bookstore, and although I thought I bookmarked it, I can't track it down. Does this description sound familiar to anyone?
It's an old bookstore, very narrow, with wooden counters and shelves running the length of the building. If I remember correctly, the books are arranged according to country, instead of author, fiction vs non-fiction, subject, etc.
It's driving me crazy that I can't find where I saved the information about it!
Annette

I think you might be thinking of Foyles.

Foyles
113-119 Charing Cross Road
London
WC2H 0EB

www.foyles.co.uk

While it may not be the one you are describing, I certainly think Hatchard's on Picadilly is worth a visit. A uniquely London bookshop of character.

Rouss

The description doesn't sound familiar. I don't think such a place exists.

It certainly isn't Foyles, which has many inadequacies, but isn't narrow, isn't old, uses practically every horrid material it can think of except real wood and doesn't arrange its stock by country. Though, in fairness, finding any book there is so difficult, it's hard to think what basis they do organise books by.

The Travel Bookshop in Blenheim Crescent does have wooden shelves running the length of the building, and arranges all its stock (including fiction) by country. It's not remotely old (founded in the mid 1970s), but the art direction and lighting in the "Notting Hill" film made it look rather more antique than it is. It's never struck me as particularly narrow, but then in a city where property costs what it does here, no-one ever uses more space than they have to.

"Nowhere" is a risky word to use about things in London. But I'm pretty confident there's no old (pre-1850, say) shop that merchandises books the way you describe.

foyles is a very large modern bookstore so very unlike what you describe.

btw, foyles are well known for allowing each department manager to arrange their section as they wish.

i have no idea what it could be.

The bit about narrow and wooden counters isn't right, but otherwise it sounds like Stanfords.

I suspect the comments on Foyles are from the old days of Mrs F. I find it very user-friendly these days. But I think the suggestion of Stanfords in Long Acre sounds about right, since it specialises in travel and maps, and would therefore organise most of its material by country. But Hatchards also has something of the feel the OP describes.

Stanfords doesn't organise by country.

It separates fact from colour: guide books in one part (by country): travel writing elsewhere. Precisely what Sarah Anderson was trying to get away from when she set up the Travel Bookshop.

Stanford's? You've got to be kidding. It is quite modern in appearance inside, with rather new shelves throughout, it is strictly travel related, you wouldn't think of anything running the "length of the building" because it is sort of odd but overall square shaped to begin with, certainly not "narrow" by any stretch of the imagination, it has entrances at two sides, and it really doesn't handle things like "fiction - non, fiction". I didn't get the impression that snnettetx was talking about a travel bood store, but rather one where fiction and non-fiction books are arranged by country. No?
My rental flat is almost next door to Stanford's and I pop in a lot, but I can't think of a single thing about the description that sounds like Sanfords except for arranging things by country. Doesn't every travel bookstore in the world do that?

You all gave me just the help I needed!

In the process of looking up all the shops you mentioned, I found the one I had been thinking of: Daunt Books (http://www.dauntbooks.co.uk/).

If there's time left in our schedule, I'm going to try to visit Hatchard's and The Travel Bookshop. If only I had more time in London....

Thanks!
Annette

Daunt is my favorite bookstore in London! The main store on the marlebone High Street is also open on Sundays- a great day to visit the street. They also have a good kids selection.
The back section is filled with fiction and non fiction by area/country.
I've gone through reading phases - South American, Russian novels and this is the place to go!!

Well, looking at the pictures, I must say you described it perfectly. I'm not much of a bookstore person, but I'm now surprised that no one figured it out from your description, and I certainly can't imagine why anyone should suggest it wouldn't exist.

I adore Daunt - and have posted about it here on Fodors (at least a couple of years ago though).

I mentioned that the books were organised by country rather than content (so maps, guide books and travel literature about a destination together) - that's how it was last time I went (to the Marylebone branch) but I haven't been for ages so I can't vouch for the current system of organisation.

I love the store though, all wooden shelves and flooring and wooden stairs and bannisters down to the lower floor and on the ground floor lovely glass roof panels letting in light...

Lovely!

Actually, I think it was a Fodorite who originally recommended Daunt to me as I was working on a project just around the corner...

I'm too senile to remember his/ her name though and too lazy to search back!!!!

A very big "thank you," then to the original Fodorite who mentioned it -- London bookstores are the best, and I'm looking forward to seeting this one.
I tried searching for it in the forum, but a million messages pop up when you search for "London bookstore!"
Annette

I'm sorry I didn't see your post earlier. We stay in Marylebone about five times a year and Daunt's is my favourite neighborhood haunt besides the Wallace Collection.

I could, and have, spent hours in their travel section (upstairs) and as highledge said, they have a terrific children's department on the ground floor as well as select fiction and non-fiction. If you go on a Sunday, eatandtwoveg up the street has a good brunch menu.

Here's a good site to see other shops/restos along the high street:

http://www.streetsensation.co.uk/marybone/mh1_west.htm

Enjoy!

Oh wow!

Don't anyone tell my husband about this or London will be off limits for a decade.

Sheila, I thought London was already off limits?

That's choice, not command!

....and don't forget to visit the oxfam charity used bookstore on marylebone high street. it's only a few doors from daunt books and arguably a more interesting place to browse than daunt (although not as opulant an atmosphere).