Thread by @RMotti

OMG, it's #bookshopday!

London's bookshops are the single best thing about the city. This is a fact. It's the reason I gave up Kindle and Amazon orders.

Entering a good bookshop feels like a hug. So here's a thread with my 10 favourite London bookshops:

10. @Hatchards — The oldest bookshop in London and the most imposing. It feels like you're entering a very rich person's library.

It's incredibly beautiful (that spiral staircase! the lighting on the shelves!). I probably only got one or two books there, I feel intimidated. 😳

9. @GoshComics — I'm not a big graphic novel fan, but Gosh!'s selection is so great that I always end up buying something. In the heart of Soho, it's perfect if you have some time (and some cash) to spare.

8. @ArtwordsMags — No visit to Broadway Market is complete without a little browse at Artwords. While their strength is magazines, they have a really great selection of cool non-fiction books. Spent a lot of money there over the years.

7. @ShopWellcome — Wellcome Collection has a great museum bookshop and.... maybe this is cheating, but their Reading Room is my favourite place to read probably ever. It's such a great combination: buy a book, then go to the Reading Room and lie around. (Reopens next week!)

6. @WaterstonesPicc — The mother of all bookshops. I wish I lived here. Beautiful, beautifully organised, has everything, super nice staff. Deducted points for not being independent, but... wow. (Sadly, no more reading chairs post-Covid.)

5. @LibreriaLondon — The coolest bookshop in London, with a quirky decoration and the lovely "theme shelves": instead of alphabetical or fiction vs non-fiction, there's a shelf about "death" or "the sea". Small and mighty. Mandatory visit if you're around Brick Lane.

4. @LRBbookshop — Oh, the high shelves and the little staircase to get books from the top! When I think of a London bookshop, I think of this one. Awesome selection, beautiful organisation, it does feel like being hugged. Lovely café and the funniest Twitter of all.

3. Bookmongers Brixton — Confession: I hate 2nd-hand bookshops. But I love Bookmongers. It's messily organised enough that you'll always find something, prices are cheap, books are in good condition, no old bookstore smell. The owner is adorably grumpy and so is the cat.

2. @claphambooks — I'm biased: this is *my* bookshop. Well, I don't own it. But it's the closest one, the one I visit at least 2x a month, where I see what's been released, where I get books delivered. It was a major factor in moving to Clapham. Nice staff too. Love it. <3

1. @Dauntbooks — Well, it was always going to be Daunt Marylebone at the top, right? It's just too beautiful, too cool, too perfect. The best bookstore in a city full of fantastic bookstores. Makes me thankful for living here.

BONUS TRACK: outside London, @mrbsemporium alone is worth a visit to Bath. One of the cutest bookshops I've ever visited, and BY FAR the nicest and most knowledgeable staff. Can't wait to visit again.

To make things easier and prettier, I created a Medium post with my thoughts on my 10 favourite London bookshops.
link.medium.com/mvuun81Fjab