This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is about bookish places I’ve visited! I think the emphasis is more generally on cool places from books, author residences, etc, but somehow that’s not a thing that really excites me and I can’t think of much right now!
So… time to talk about my favourite bookshops! After each I’m listing their locations that I’ve visited and can personally recommend, not their full list of shops.
- Portal Bookshop (York).
From when Lali saved my bacon with a copy of one of Martha Wells’ books at a signing at Worldcon, I’ve been a big supporter of Portal Bookshop, and was so happy when they managed to set up premises in York — which is close enough to be a good day trip. They stock a range of queer books and diverse SF/F works, and I have them to thank for my love of authors like Jordan L. Hawk and much of my collection of KJ Charles’ books in print. - Topping & Company (Bath, Edinburgh, Ely).
This is a growing chain of indie bookshops, but I first met them in Edinburgh, where the shop is downright magical. I swear there are more rooms than physically make sense with the footprint of the shop, and every time I turned around there was somehow another one. The ladders on wheels and wooden shelving add to that experience a lot. They’ve recently opened a shop in York too, though I just visited their shop in Bath yesterday as part of my birthday trip! - Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights (Bath).
I love the name of this bookshop; the whimsy is definitely part of why I went there. I did find the organisation of the shop a bit bewildering, since all fiction is shelved together without distinction by genre: maybe it sounds weird, given the range of genres I read, but I don’t really like that. It makes my job browsing the shelves harder, when I don’t know if a dragon on the spine means a dragon or just a literary thing. If you’re looking for a bookish conversation or some bookseller recommendations, though, it’s a good one. - Gay’s the Word (London).
Gay’s the Word is the oldest queer bookshop in the UK, and I visited it recently on my graduation trip to London. The shop feels pretty small, but I carried away a sizeable pile of books anyway. I recently read and cried a little over the history of the shop and persecution against its owners and workers in A.J. West’s How Queer Bookshops Changed the World, which is a book I definitely recommend. - Forbidden Planet (London, Bristol).
I know, this is somewhat less potentially niche, but the London store is amazing, with a selection of comics, manga, danmei, and SF/F books that really have to be seen to be believed. I can never leave without new books, and the sheer number of books they showcase means I often find temptations that Waterstones don’t seem to stock. I found a few treasures in the Bristol shop, too, though it’s considerably smaller. - Troutmark Books (Cardiff).
This secondhand bookshop was vital to me in my teens and twenties. Whenever I went home to Wales in my teens, and when I lived there as a student, I loved turning up to look at the SF/F section, poke my nose into the comics, etc. It’s been a long time since I visited, but I imagine it pretty much unchanged, with the high shelves still packed to the ceiling. Maybe I’ll pop my head in today, since I might be in the area… - Paramount Books (Manchester).
In the same vein, this secondhand bookshop in Manchester impressed me so much that at one point I actually wrote a review of it on this blog. I don’t buy secondhand books much at the moment, but if that changes I’ll definitely make return visits — perhaps not too regularly, as Manchester isn’t super convenient… but when I can! - Criminally Good Books (York).
On my last trip to Portal Bookshop, I also heard about this shop and had to take a look. I was admittedly more impressed by their non-fiction selection, since I’m a fan of classic crime and there wasn’t a lot of that to be seen (and what they had, I’d read), but I did enjoy the selections of non-fiction and inevitably left with a few books. - The American Book Center (Amsterdam, The Hague).
When I lived in Belgium, we made semi-regular trips to get me English-language books to keep my engines running. The selection (particularly at the Amsterdam location) was unbelievable, though it was mostly the SF/F that drew me. I haven’t visited since we moved to the UK in 2018, but I’m sure it’s still amazing. - Bookshop.org (online).
If you want to support indie bookshops, then this is an indispensable resource in the UK, and almost as quick as getting your books off Amazon — just as quick, if you pay a little extra for first class delivery, at least in the UK! You can choose a specific bookshop to support with your purchases, or it’ll be divided up between signed-up bookshops.
There are a few others I would’ve mentioned but found out they’ve closed since — don’t forget that an independent bookshop can be a fragile thing and needs the support of its enthusiastic community!
How is it that I’ve never visited these shops? I’ve never been to Britain, and I’d love to go.
Deb Nance at Readerbuzz recently posted…Bookish Places I’ve Visited
They’re all lovely, and I found a new favourite today a couple of hours after I posted, too!
Second hand bookstores are my favourite places to visit so if I’m ever in England I’ll be sure to check out Troutmark and Paramount.
Thanks for sharing your #TTT
Shelleyrae @ Book’d Out recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Places I’ve Visited
I love them both! Even though I don’t buy second hand books at the moment, they’re good for a browse.
Bookshop.org is a fantastic resource! Thanks for sharing.
Lydia recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Places I Want to Visit
I’ve been very grateful for Bookshop.org in recent years, since I’ve tried to cut out Amazon!
I have been to a couple Forbidden Planet locations, and I swear there used to be one in the Los Angeles area, but maybe I’m remembering it wrong.
I mostly know the ones in Cardiff and Leeds which are both mostly comics/merch focused, but the one in London is such a haven of SF/F in general.
Terrific list!
I remember Topping & Company from when we visited Bath in 2014. I got a book of walks to take around town that was very helpful and my partner bought a thick history of the English Civil War that he read during quiet moments for the rest of our trip.
Bath is so lovely, too!
I love this! If I ever make it back to the UK, I’ll have to check out some of these bookstores!
Karis @ This Side of Storyland recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Places I’ve Visited
There are so many good ones! So many places I haven’t been to even in the handful of cities I mentioned, like Transreal in Edinburgh which is an SF/F specialist… they were closed when we were there!
You have been to some really cool sounding stores! And I need to utilize Bookshop.org more.
I love them!
Great list! I’ve been to Topping & Company in Edinburgh and loved the store! I wished that I had been in more of a book loving era back then cos I defo would’ve gone to Forbidden Planet as well when I was living in the UK, but it’s on the bucket list for next time! I’m jotting down some of these other places to go to as well 🙂
Dini @ dinipandareads recently posted…#TopTenTuesday: Spilling the “T”
The Topping & Company in Edinburgh is particularly magical somehow, it’s so big! Though they all have those signature rolling ladders and wooden shelves…
You’re so fortunate to have visited so many lovely sounding book shops! Where I am is a dead zone for indie bookstores. Here they are usually found near bigger cities or in small touristy areas and I am close to neither!
They’re definitely in bigger cities usually here — you might get a small one in a market town or something, but most of the ones mentioned if not all are in major cities. But Britain is a small place so easier to travel all over to find the major cities!
I’ve spent many a happy hour in Forbidden Planet in London:)). A lovely post with a reminder to spend more time in bookshops – they are good for the soul!
The Forbidden Planet in London has such an astonishing range, too! I always find something new.
I love that you’ve got so many great bookshops that you’ve been to. One day if I visit Britain, I’ll have to come back to your list. I have been mostly reading ebooks and audiobooks and borrowing from the library because I don’t have the space for physical books at the moment and so I’ve actually been avoiding going to bookshops because it’s so hard to resist buying books otherwise!
Haze @ The Book Haze recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday | Books Beginning with I
Yeah… I’ve done my wallet some damage this week so far, ahaha. But it was expected and I’d worked so hard to clear the decks, so that’s fiiine.
Oh goodie. This is a timely post for me. Our trip to UK is upcoming and we will be in London, Edenborough, Bath, and York. Adding those bookstores to my must-visit-while-there list. Thank you.
Anne@HeadFullofBooks recently posted…TTT: Bookish Places I’ve Visited
Ah, then you’ve got some good options here! There are some other good ones in London too, like the Waterstones and Foyles which are huge.
My list is also made up of mostly bookshops 🙂
I’m also going to Scotland next month, flying into Edinburgh, so I just added Topping & Company to my itinerary!! I’m excited 🙂
Edinburgh has a couple of good ones — there’s also Transreal which is supposed to be amazing for SF/F, but was closed when I was there, so I haven’t been there myself.
Ooooh I’ll add that to my list too!! Hopefully it’ll be open when I go, but if not, I’ve got more 🙂
I think it’s certain days of the week, so depends how long you’re there!
Ohhh I just looked and we’ll be there at the perfect time ^.^
Hurrah! Let me know if it’s good, ahaha.
Will do!
It sounds like you’ve visited a lot of magical bookshops.
Here’s my TTT for the week: https://readbakecreate.com/fictional-bookstores-i-would-love-to-visit/
Happily, yes!
I’d definetly have included Gay’s the Word too if I’d remembered lol!
Louise @ Foxes and Fairy Tales recently posted…Top Ten Bookish Places I’ve Visited
Gay’s the Word was lovely! Will definitely go back when I’m in London in future.
These sound wonderful. I’d love to visit them and the UK. What a great trip that would be.
Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Bookish Places I’ve Visited
Just mind the rain, haha. Getting books home in the rain is nooot fun.
I’ve been to almost all of these cities but not to any of these bookshops. Shame on me! I’d better take another trip to the U.K., I guess 😉
Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Oh nooooo, etc. 😀
Great list! Sadly I haven’t been to any of them (well, except Bookshop.org) so that’s something I need to remedy!
Nicole @ BookWyrm Knits recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday ~ Bookish Places I’d Like to Visit
So many good bookshops, so little time! 😀
These are such great names for bookshops.
Carla@CarlaLovesToRead recently posted…Great Canadian Reading Challenge: Leave and Come Back (27) and The Break (28) #BookReview #Audiobook GreatCanadianRdgChal2026
There are indeed some excellent ones!
Love Portal Bookshop! I don’t get over to York that often, but whenever I do I always make time to pop in, especially because they stock books I don’t usually find in UK bookshops!
Yeah, Lali’s great about stocking self-published and imported books! It’s always worth a look.
I loved Topping & Company, as well as Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights when I visited Bath!
Caroline recently posted…10 bookish places I’ve visited
They’re both lovely!