Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Lost in the Stacks: My Favorite Bookshops Around the World



            Lost in the Stacks: My Favorite Bookshops Around the World
By Erin Sherry, Spring 2018 Intern

I’ve spent countless hours wandering the shelves of my favorite bookstores and always carve out ample time for bookshop hopping whenever I travel. A city’s bookstores are usually what I remember most about my trips. My three favorites are located in France, Italy and Scotland.

Shakespeare and Company – Paris, France
This Parisian staple is easily one of the most famous bookstores in the world. It’s been open for nearly a century, and has served as a home to many famous writers. To amble through Shakespeare and Company is to amble through literary history itself—a dream come true for a booklover like me!

Libreria Acqua Alta – Venice, Italy
Situated right on the edge of a Venetian canal, this sprawling shop is truly magical. However, it’s on the verge of sinking, so get there before it’s gone! Books are piled up in bathtubs and gondolas, with whimsy tucked into every nook and cranny.

Armchair Books – Edinburgh, Scotland
Nestled into the cobblestone streets, it’s the perfect place to duck for cover if you’re waiting out a Scottish rain spattering, or scoping out rare editions of the Harry Potter series. My bookish friends and I like to say that our favorite bookstores are the ones that possess a comforting sort of “glow,” and Armchair Books glows brightest in my memory!

In the words of author Neil Gaiman, “a town isn’t a town without a bookstore.” What are some of your favorite literary locales?

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