Bookshops in London/W Postcodes

Altea Antique Maps and Atlases /MAYFAIR/35 Saint George Street

Altea Antique Maps and Atlases Open at advertised times

35 Saint George Street MAYFAIR W1S 2FN

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tel: 020 7491 0010 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Friday 10.00 - 6.00, Saturday 10.00 - 4.00.

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Antique maps, old maps, rare charts of the world, old atlases and antique globes. Advice given on collecting antique maps, reference work on antique maps also available at the shop.

Excellent selection of antique maps, expert and knowledgeable sales assistant, impressed with the quality of their maps. I saw an Ortelius atlas Spanish edition that I would love to own, maybe one day... Antique Map Collector 09.04.11

Bernard J Shapero Rare Books/MAYFAIR/94 New Bond Street

Bernard J Shapero Rare Books Open at advertised times

94 New Bond Street MAYFAIR W1S 1SJ

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tel: 020 7493 0876 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 6.00, Sunday 11.30 - 6.00

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Rare and antiquarian works, including extensive travel and mountaineering books, colour plate and illustrated, early English printed and modern literature. Our stock comprises over 4000 rare books and over 3000 maps, prints and photographs.

Good modern firsts section upstairs with some uncommon titles/highlights but over the top prices even allowing for what must be substantial overheads. Loyola 24.04.10

Book and Comic Exchange/NOTTING HILL/30-32 Pembridge Road (was number 14)

Book and Comic Exchange Open at advertised times

30-32 Pembridge Road (was number 14) NOTTING HILL W11 3HL

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tel: 020 7229 8420 web

Open: 7 days 10.00 - 8.00.

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Large stock of general secondhand books & comics.

This is the best shop in London for reasonably priced second hand graphic novels. Also decent arts and sci-fi section. Achieves a high turn over by regularly reducing the prices on the tickets until the book sell- oh that other bookshops would do this! George Marshall 03.04.09

Excellent store with a large basement area. Enjoyably gruff owner with some newer 2nd hand SF books on hand. Basement was all mixed up and in no order, but 1st floor was well sorted. I Baillie 26.04.11

Great little bookshop. Basement was mixed up but great prices £1.00 or less. Managed to get two books here for £1.50 - absolute bargain. Would have liked more time here to have a good rummage. Spooky Mulder 12.05.11

Little room to move in this grubby shop with unfriendly staff. Wouldn't bother with it. Mandalay Emporium 31.05.11

Regularly here. Disagree with the last post. This is a superb place although chaotic, I rarely come away disappointed. Basement is worth sifting through junk that needs pulping and there re regularly new, review and proof copies available at decent prices upstairs, Yes it is cramped but long opening hours mean you can avoid peak times. Staff are eclectic and can be uncommunicative but what the hell, good cheap books... jon morgan 09.06.12

What a superb place to find in London. Yes, the comics are of the non-pulp variety but the books were a varied and pleasant surprise. Paid visits on successive days only because I could not carry away all I wanted to purchase on my initial visit. Prices were incredibly low. The only downside was the ultra-bored shop assistant. Chris Harte 19.06.13

Deserves to win an award ... for the surliest staff in London. Mandalay Emporium 17.09.13

Many new titles on the shelves. There has obviously been a clean up of the old stock. Prices still quite acceptable although it now seems as if their internet business is expanding. Staff still surly. Chris Harte 06.06.15

Staff still surly and uncommunicative and lacking any sense of customer interaction or welcome (as well as awful taste in 'music'). The place, being partly a comic book shop is frequented by unwashed nerds (as opposed to us book buying and well groomed nerds) who make browsing the nearby books on narrow aisles somewhat challenging and hazardous. Today's example was eye -watering! That said the books are generally of a good standard in terms of quality and quantity and I even knocked one off my wish list as well as finding several others of interest. Worth persevering, perhaps with a vintage respirator ... Jon Morgan 23.10.15

Surly staff for sure, but part of the attraction. One of my favourite London Bookshops, even if the comic section seems to be growing. Reasonable stock at keen prices, especially given the location. Well worth a look if you are in the area. Steve Newman 24.11.15

One of my favourite London bookshops, but it was in chaos today. They are in the process of moving 50 yards down the road, to numbers 30 & 32. Apparently one shop for books & one shop for comics. Good idea, as the original premises was getting very crowded with the comics winning the battle for space! Not sure which shop will sell the books and which the comics, but will call in again next time I am in the area to confirm. Steve Newman 18.04.16

This has now moved into two separate premises at 30/32 Pembridge Road, A short walk down from the old premises towards Portobello Road. At first sight the shops are clean and tidy and better organised than previously, but the stock of both comics and books seems diminished. There is still work going on behind the scenes so there may be scope for expansion. On the plus side, there seems to be a new tranche of staff, who are considerably less rude than before. The builder's jackhammers and electrical saws are also significantly more musical than the stuff that used to be played in the old shop. Jon Morgan 20.04.16

I have been a customer here for many years despite the appalling surliness of the staff. However, today they reached an all-time low. I was looking up books on my phone when one of the longest-serving staff members came up to me and threatened me - and I quote: "Either stop looking up books on your phone or f**k off". So I plumped for the latter option - and yes, he did use the "F" word. His excuse was that it was "immoral" to buy books to sell on at a profit and it was better if I were to sod off. Which I did - never to return. Mandalay Emporium 29.05.18

My specialism is photography, so I was delighted to find an impressively strong section here, perhaps second only to Marcus Campbell in London. Some unusual titles, including monographs by Lee Friedlander and Shomei Tomatsu that are rarely seen in the UK. Interesting sections too on art and design, the latter easily missed on low shelves in the central cabinet. Prices seemed a little above average, with some honourable exceptions. I didn't witness any rudeness from the staff (see various posts above) - but my request for a discount was briskly refused! Nicholas Sack 01.10.18

Suffering, like many in central London, from the curse of the empty shelf. There was already much less fiction than in the old shop and now the back room has books turned face on to try and conceal the lack of stock. I used to come out of here with armfuls of recent issues, now it is rare that I buy one or two books. Still, in most cases the prices are reasonable given their monthly discounting on the price labels. Jon Morgan 06.02.20

In its original location there was not room to swing a cat but great books. Now the back room is echoing and what few books remain on the shelves are turned cover out to fill the gaps. Culled books, lying on the floor, which would once have gone into a 50p basement or book cemetery as it was known. Perhaps this presages a re-stock. It certainly needs it. Its model is great and book prices are reduced the longer a book stays on the shelves. They just need the stock now. Firedrake 25.10.21

An odd shop. The main shop is now given over to records and the proprietor in charge when I visited today was clearly only really interested in that. Loud rhythmic ‘garage’ type music pounded out continuously. The section of photography books is still extensive. Also prominent is a ‘cult’ section. But many of its volumes didn’t look very ‘cult’ to me!!

The back room has paperback books all labelled ‘fiction’ for £2. Here there are some bargains which are clearly not ‘fiction’ but the owners are not really into classifying books. A strange experience- not really worth the visit!! PeterD 08.11.22

Visited on 30 July for the first time in years - the shop has at some point split into two premises - the comics are now a few doors up the road, which previous posters may have missed. I was surprised that there were no SF or fantasy titles in the bookshop, but these turned out to be at the back of the comic shop. Prices can only be described as optimistic, even for London, though to be fair, many of these books were in excellent condition. NWAD for me, but might pay off for serious collectors of older SF looking for VG copies. Justin M 20.08.23

I found several interesting/unusual/quirky titles among the stock here. They have a good selection of old crime and thriller paperbacks. In the centre of the shop are some tables with a wide range of magazines - some of which would probably be more at home on a top shelf! The back room is well stocked with paperbacks and comics. Generally, I thought the prices were reasonable. Jon R 28.10.24

Books for Amnesty/HAMMERSMITH/175 King Street

Books for Amnesty Open at advertised times

175 King Street HAMMERSMITH W6 9JT

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tel: 0208 222 8158 e-mail web

Open: Monday 10.30 - 5.00, Tuesday - Saturday 10.30 - 5.30, Sunday 11.00 - 3.00

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Amnesty International UK has nine bookshops in the UK which raise money to support their work on Human Rights. All sell a wide range of good quality second-hand books. Amnesty International is a movement of ordinary people. Our purpose is to protect humans wherever justice, fairness, freedom and truth are denied.

Large selection but nothing out of the ordinary. Mandalay Bookshop 05.04.12

A bit disorganised and could do with a clear out of dead stock but generally some good stuff at reasonable prices. - ie review and proof copies. Several other charity shops close by (Oxfam BHF etc). jon morgan 09.06.12

This shop will be closing for good on Sunday 25th January 2015. Sales of stock will be happening in January so do come and ask if you have been considering buying something here. Sarah@amnesty 03.01.15

Now reopened just a stone's throw from its previous location. Chris K 30.01.16

Brighter larger and more airy than the last shop. It looks like they will be in this shop for at least 18 months as gentrification creeps along King Street. It has the space to have a greater range than before with no dross or pulp to be seen. Good modern fiction section with recently published review copies at reasonable prices. Large children's section with a small play area to inculcate a love of reading in the coming generations. Other charity shops in King Street not really worth visiting but Amnesty is worth popping into, if in the area. jon Morgan 27.02.16

Bigger but lots of empty space. Dull stock - not as interesting as the last shop. I've found nothing to buy in three visits. Seemingly little turnover in any of the areas I buy in. Perhaps using the extra empty space for more books would help. Peter M 26.07.16

One would assume that this charity receives sackloads of donations, and yet their stock never changes. A lot of space filled with tat. Ducky Duckman 05.12.16

Recent comments are fair - these bookshops often have the better items only online - via Amazon and Abe. Chris K 22.12.16

I found this shop a joy to visit. The manager knew his stock and it is a credit to him that the shelves were perfectly categorised. Certain sections needed time to browse and I eventually came away with a nice selection of titles. Chris Harte 14.06.18

The lease on this shop is going to expire soon and they are currently looking for a new location. Mandalay Bookshop 06.12.18

Still open and a splendid stock beautifully arranged. I had to visit on successive days to carry away my purchases. Chris 21.01.19

Currently closed until the end of July while it relocates a few doors away at No 175 King St. Mandalay Bookshop 31.07.19

Visited on Friday 26th July, shop empty but notice said it will reopen at the end of July at 175 King St, a few doors away. Steve Newman 31.07.19

Now reopened at the new premises. A much narrower frontage but goes back a long way, so perhaps the same shelving area as before. I found little of interest but stock is well organised and displayed. Steve Newman 21.08.19

This is quite bijou compared to the space that the shop previously occupied and much better organised than its original incarnation, although less interesting. It seems the trend for charity bookshops to refit and go upmarket (My local Oxfam is also shutting for a refit) but I am not sure what it adds. The stock here is OK in terms of modern fiction but not earth-shattering. I bought more in the several charity shops on the trek from the station... Jonathan Morgan 22.09.19

Though nothing like as spacious as the previous outlet just up the road, the stock seems cheaper and the delightful staff compensates for the smaller choice. Mandalay Bookshop 15.12.19

Cheerful staff greet you at one of the most orderly shops in the land: books are shelved alphabetically under major categories. Stock is mostly popular and mid-range - though I rescued two unusual titles at knock-down prices. Nicholas Sack 06.02.20

Clean, neat and tidy, but almost nothing for a collector. Great if you want cheap copies of recent paperbacks. Seems to be the model for Amnesty shops these days. PeterM 11.05.23

Alas, nothing like the shop of old. Charming people managing the place but very little to offer except for the children's section. Chris 24.05.23

Neat, tidy well ordered premises with level entry. This shop has the long deep selling space you associate with many of the Amnesty bookshops. The stock is cleanly presented and always laid out well by this charity retailer. Not a busy shop when I visited. I noticed this shop displays a large section of donated stock awaiting pricing. A practice I've not seen before. They are happy to price it for you though I've mixed feelings about this method. You get to see the new stock quickly but on asking the price are treated like a captive buyer. I came away with two books and plan to revisit since the William Morris Society museum is just an Earthly Paradise away over the awful Great West Road via a grim underpass. (Alight at Ravenscourt Park tube for Amnesty bookshop) SaltaireTom 18.06.24

Quite a good charity bookshop, nicely laid-out and very well categorised, with some decent-quality stock. Prices are reasonable in the main, although slightly above average in a few sections. Good for novels, with a dozen shelves of classic and literary fiction (mostly paperbacks; typical price £3.50). Also 15 shelves of mass- and mid-market fiction (largely the latter), also mostly £3.50; same prices for the half-dozen shelves of crime fiction and the smaller selection of sci-fi. A few shelves of £1 books, including some rather battered Penguins. A few dozen recently published hardback novels, arranged by year of publication, at reasonable prices. The poetry and drama sections are good. Quite a large children's section, with a wide choice of modern paperbacks, mostly £2. The 'donations' section, to be found in the children's alcove, contains unpriced newly arrived stock of all genres and is well worth a look. So too is the 'old and interesting' section, in which most of the prices are reasonable. At present this contains some good-quality vintage children's books (including about ten of the 'Swallows and Amazons' series by Arthur Ransome in hardback, in good condition, mostly with dustjackets, at £3 each). A good selection of foreign-language books, including novels in Chinese and Russian as well as the usual European languages. The best non-fiction sections are history (although some quite high prices here), travel, and cookery/food and drink. The biographies (five shelves) are of generally good quality, reasonably priced. Quite good for art, photography, literary criticism, politics, military, social sciences, gardening, science/nature, music (mainly modern) and film/TV, although the stock in some of these categories is fairly small. Although not at all a bad shop, it's NWAD. My abiding memory of this place will be the jaw-dropping incompetence of the teenage volunteer, who proved so stunningly useless at every single task she attempted that her older colleague probably had to stop herself from boxing the young idiot's ears. Booker T 07.12.24

Charles Vernon-Hunt/NOTTING HILL/Units 21-2, Admiral Vernon Arcade, 147 Portobello Road

Charles Vernon-Hunt Phone before travelling

Units 21-2, Admiral Vernon Arcade, 147 Portobello Road NOTTING HILL W11 2DY

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tel: 020 8854 1588 e-mail

Open: Saturday 9.00 - 4.00

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Non-Western art reference books exclusively. African, Oceanic, Indian, Islamic, China, Japan and Antiquities. Contact before visiting as location may change.

Daunt Books/MARYLEBONE/83 Marylebone High Street

Daunt Books Open at advertised times

83 Marylebone High Street MARYLEBONE W1U 4QW

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tel: 020 7224 2295 e-mail

Open: Monday - Saturday 9.00 - 7.30. Sunday 11.00 - 6.00.

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Travel book specialist.

Has some second hand travel books - some quite unusual ones. Also one of London's most beautiful bookshops with its gallery. Anthony Davis 27.07.10

Very small secondhand section - and all grossly overpriced. The Oxfam Bookshop just down the road is a much better bet. Mandalay Bookshop 27.04.12

I agree with Mandalay. Top bookshop but not worth mentioning for s/hand stock; go to Oxfam instead. Steven 10.08.13

The secondhand books are on one wing of the shop's magnificent gallery and it's worth a visit just to see that. The books (all travel, of course) will not disappoint when you get up there unless you've come looking for bargains: prices are fairly high though not exorbitant. Laurence Purcell 13.10.21

Daunt Books is one of my favourite bookshops. The staff are very friendly and accommodating - they let me into the shop before they were officially open as I turned up early. Granted, 90% of the stock is new books and the used section has a focus on travel - both travel writing and books by authors from far flung places - but it’s always a very enjoyable experience and the selection seems carefully curated. So if travel is your thing, then this is a good place to be. The used section is along some galleries above the rest of the shop (if you and a fellow browser are both of a somewhat portly girth then you may struggle to squeeze past each other). Walking back through the rest of the shop there’s some kind of bookseller’s sorcery happening which always tricks me into buying at least a couple of new titles. Jon R 19.10.23

Foster Books/CHISWICK/183 Chiswick High Road

Foster Books Open at advertised times

183 Chiswick High Road CHISWICK W4 2DR

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tel: 020 8995 2768 e-mail web

Open: Monday to Saturday 10.30 to 5.30, most Sundays 11.00 - 5.00.

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8-10,000 books on site. Fine books and bindings, children's, illustrated, arts, literature, nice editions of classics. Pay and display parking at the front of the shop. Tables outside with prices starting at £1. Five minutes from Turnham Green Station on the District Line.

Superb. Absolutely stunning quality stock in little more than a room and small annexe. Manager chatty and with considerable knowledge of the trade. Visit highly recommended. Chris Harte 27.06.09

A nice little shop of a kind I have not seen much of in recent years. Nothing of any great interest for me as books published after 1950 do not seem to feature. If antiquarian and old books are your thing this may be worth a visit. Oxfam near Turnham Green Station is close by. Jon Morgan 09.10.14

There was once a branch of this shop in Bell Street NW by the side of Marylebone BR Station. It appears closed with a notice stating that it will not be open as an open bookshop any more! Jon Morgan 06.06.15

Not found this shop open since lockdown 3 finished. I visited today just after the 1030am stated opening time. No sign of life, and the same 10 minutes later when I walked back to the station. Sign in the window advertising their web address may indicate a move away from retail opening, though the website still advertises the 1030 opening time. Steve Newman 28.09.21

The shop appeared to be open as usual this afternoon but in view of Steve Newman's recent experience it might be wise to check beforehand. Well worth a visit if it's open with a comparatively small but choice stock, literature and the arts well represented, and an agreeably old-fashioned atmosphere. They're inclined to mark their prices high; don't come expecting bargains. Laurence Purcell 12.10.21

This shop was never at any time a place to find bargains but, unless I was very unobservant on my last visit, prices seem in the last six months to have gone through the roof. Still an excellent if comparatively small stock but be warned and be ready! Laurence Purcell 20.04.22

They now have a "bargain" section outside but there was nothing on offer which would have slightly interested me. Chris 24.05.23

Three moderate sized rooms, which I can't see could contain the claimed 8-10,000 books. Still, the books are mainly older books of quality, likely to interest someone. The commonest book price seems to be £30, often for items you might find elsewhere without too much difficulty for £10-15.

I agree with Chris that there was nothing of interest in the bargain books outside, and those I saw were now £4 each. Maybe these prices are unavoidable to support London property outgoings, and this may help explain the collapse of the middle-range second-hand bookshop in the capital. Adrian 17.06.23

Fuller D_Arch Smith Ltd /MARYLEBONE/37b New Cavendish Street

Fuller D'Arch Smith Ltd Appointment necessary

37b New Cavendish Street MARYLEBONE W1G 8JR

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tel: 020 7722 0063

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Golfiana Gallery/MAYFAIR/Grays-in-the-Mews

Golfiana Gallery Open at advertised times

Grays-in-the-Mews Davies Mews MAYFAIR W1K 5AB

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tel: 020 7408 1239

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Golfiana, Children's and Juvenilia.

Guanghwa Bookshop/SOHO/112 Shaftesbury Avenue

Guanghwa Bookshop Open at advertised times

112 Shaftesbury Avenue SOHO W1D 5EJ

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tel: 020 7437 3737 e-mail

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.30 - 7.30, Sunday 11.00 - 7.30

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Chinese bookshop, founded in 1971, with a newly established but small second-hand section.

As a non-Chinese speaker, I had never taken much interest in the Guanghwa Bookshop, either at this location at the edge of Chinatown or at its previous premises in nearby Newport Place. Even so, I was dismayed when word began circulating that it could be about to close, after 53 years in the capital, owing to a swingeing rent rise. The shop's lease ended in January 2024 and since then it has remained open on a short-term tenancy, pending negotiations on a new long-term agreement. Guanghwa is the UK's only bricks-and-mortar Chinese bookshop and is important to the Chinese-British community, so I went to check it out to see what we might be about to lose. Happily, it seems that the threat of closure has at last receded. "We are staying here," one of the staff joyfully informed me.

Although Chinese-language books make up the vast majority of the stock, there are also bilingual books, as well as books in English about aspects of Chinese culture and some English translations of Chinese works of literature. Since the new manager, Tianxin Tian, took over last year, she has introduced several innovations, including a second-hand section. This is rather small, at about 200 books, but there are hopes to develop it further. Prospective visitors should note that Chinese-language books make up almost all of the second-hand stock. On the ground floor, they are to be found on two metal trolleys on the right-hand side (when facing the till) of the central display; the prices are generally low (with only a small minority above £5). In the basement is a small selection of second-hand Chinese-language and bilingual children's books (£1 to £3). Booker T 21.12.24

Heywood Hill Ltd/MAYFAIR/10 Curzon Street

Heywood Hill Ltd Open at advertised times

10 Curzon Street MAYFAIR W1J 5HH

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tel: 020 7629 0647 web

Open: Monday - Friday 9.30 - 6.00.

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Literature, travel, the arts and illustrated books, old and new. Prints and maps. We also build bespoke libraries and offer the world's most personalised literary subscription services. Delighted to appraise single items and formed collections for acquisition or brokerage

Snooty staff and overpriced books - as the location would suggest; no thank you. Mandalay Bookshop 27.04.12

Very posh and (generally) very pricey. Since the regime change a few years ago there seems to have been a move towards a smaller, higher end secondhand stock. Worth visiting for charm and pedigree but I doubt that you'll find any bargains. Laurence Purcell 14.10.21

Some stratospheric prices when I visited today and I fear this shop is no longer within the range of us reg'lar folks who contribute to this site. It's a shame. One never went to HH in search of bargains but in the days of Mr. Saumarez Smith it was often possible to buy good things at reasonable prices. Laurence Purcell 07.09.23

Hosain Books/MARBLE ARCH/25 Connaught Street

Hosain Books Open at advertised times

25 Connaught Street MARBLE ARCH W2 2AY

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tel: 020 7262 7900

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Specialists in Central Asia & the Middle East.

Maggs Bros Ltd/MAYFAIR/46 Curzon Street

Maggs Bros Ltd Open at advertised times

46 Curzon Street MAYFAIR W1J 7UH

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tel: 020 7493 7160 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Friday 10.00 - 6.00, Saturday 10.00 - 5.00.

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A showcase a selection of our most exciting and accessible material, including illuminated manuscript leaves, modern first editions and books relating to travels and voyages. Customers are invited to browse but please be aware that appointments are recommended if you wish to view any specific items or meet with any individual member of staff.

Oxfam Bookshop/CHISWICK/90 Turnham Green Terrace

Oxfam Bookshop Open at advertised times

90 Turnham Green Terrace CHISWICK W4 1QN

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tel: 020 8995 6059 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 6.00, Sunday 10.00 - 5.00

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Situated just outside Turnham Green Underground station. Recently opened but has had stock supplied from Oxfam's central book depot. Usual stuff as expected in such a shop, some things of interest. Chris Harte 27.06.09

Bog standard stock attractively presented. Nothing collectable on my visit. Not worth a detour. Loyola 24.04.10

Hard by Turnham Green LT station. Not a bad stock and prices for Oxfam are fairly reasonable. Good history section and fiction with extensive DVD and vinyl. Jon Morgan 09.10.14

One of Oxfam's smaller branches. History and fiction are best represented; the arts stock is thin. A few minutes away in Chiswick High Road, the excellent remainders shop Bookcase offers more. Nicholas Sack 06.02.20

What a change since my last visit. This is now an Oxfam I would recommend visiting especially for its Arts section. Earlier I had purchased a rare arts book for £2.50 in another shop. Here I found two further volumes of the series (both worth at least £40 each) for £2.99. Oh, days of joy! Christopher Harte 07.10.21

An above average Oxfam, strong on literature, music, history and (as Chris Harte found) art. There is more and better fiction than the customary annihilating shelves of paperbacks would suggest. A locked glass case contains vintage childrens' books; this may be a speciality. The ANTIQUARIAN section includes the usual battle-scarred veterans and anomalies: does a time-worn copy of Lawrence Durrell's "Bitter Lemons" really belong here? Laurence Purcell 12.10.21

If visiting this above average Oxfam it is worth noting it is just two minutes walk from Turnham Green Station, not Chiswick. Decent stock at reasonable prices and helpful staff too. I usually don't leave without a book or two in hand. Steve Newman 10.11.21

Well what a turn round. I called in today, as I do regularly. Found a couple of books I would usually have bought but the prices seem to have doubled. A book formerly priced at £2.49p now £4.99p, or £4.99p now £9.99p.

I did comment to a member of staff who said 'all shops are putting up their prices'. Well, yes, if you are buying food or fuel the price has gone up, but not by 50%. In addition Oxfam must have little additional cost as people in the main donate books by bringing them into the shops. Thus no transport cost of additional fuel. Hopefully this is an isolated case and not general Oxfam dictate.

So, the books were left where they lay. Thankfully this new 'double price' policy has yet to spread to the nearby Ealing Oxfam where a similar book to one priced at £4.99p in Chiswick was £1.99p in Ealing. Steve Newman 06.07.22

Stock here always seems better quality than Oxfam normal. I did put one book back because it was overpriced, but bought four books at real bargain prices. PeterM 03.10.22

I asked, timidly, if I could examine the books in the locked glass cabinet. I was given permission. I purchased the two most expensive ones (at £2.99 each!). Other than that, the Art section was excellent and the visit was worth it just for that. Chris 24.05.23

This has long been one of the best Oxfam bookshops in London, I think, and it seems to have got even better in the last few years. Very good stock in a pleasingly laid-out shop. Art is a particular strength, as other reviewers have commented. But the fiction section is also very strong, both in extent and quality. History, architecture etc also well represented. The shop clearly attracts a lot of donations from the affluent local population and stock turnover seems to be rapid, abetted by the reasonable prices. Well worth a visit. Booker T 30.08.23

I found the stock interesting and was impressed with some of the books showing in the locked glass cabinet in a corner. Although I found nothing to purchase it's always on my visiting list. Chris 26.11.23

Another visit and a very different display since last time. This Oxfam certainly gets a lot of donations of children's books and it was good to see the number of mothers purchasing items for their well-behaved children. The fairly substantial section of mid-wars books were well worth checking and I thought the pricing was somewhat low. Always on my visiting list. Chris 12.03.24

Oxfam Bookshop/EALING/1 The Green

Oxfam Bookshop Open at advertised times

1 The Green EALING W5 5DA

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tel: 020 8567 2152 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 6.00, Sunday 11.00 - 5.00

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A wide selection of books, not much under £1.99, but some decent stock. Mandalay Emporium 12.05.11

A nice little shop which, when there is not water dripping thru the ceiling is worth haunting. A small premises but with a decent all-round stock and, for Oxfam, decent prices. My purchases were at or less than £2.99 and one was a recently published hardback. Nothing else in Ealing to merit a special visit tho! Jon Morgan 27.02.16

Still having damp problems with workmen plastering the basement. Limited books until repairs completed. Chris Harte 28.03.18

Now fully open with a mixture of stock. Heavy on paperback fiction but treasures in the "old and rare" section behind the main door. I picked up three superb books for a fraction of dealers' prices. Chris 21.01.19

A rather pungent odour permeated the shop when I visited - wasn't sure if it was damp or one of the other patrons.... a shelf marked "last week's window selection" vies for attention next to the non-fiction offerings. Agree that it is more inclined towards paperback fiction but don't miss the rare section near the door. Graeme Rendall 22.09.19

This shop is going downhill. Empty shelves (apart from one or two tired volumes) in many sections. It all looks half-hearted this year. Why maintain a shop with so many empty shelves? I disagree with other commentators - the 'rare' books are often ludicrously overpriced. Peter M 19.10.19

First visit for three years and nothing has changed. The fiction shelves are still full of recent paperbacks, but other sections are very thin, both in quantity and quality. The collectible section featured a lot of common old Penguins at silly prices, and some other books at almost sensible prices. Children's section large and lots of French language fiction.

You may just find a book you want, at a sensible price, but the odds are against it.

The nearby 'normal' Oxfam shop featured fairly common old Penguins at prices ranging up to £15, about 5 times a reasonable price. PeterM 01.06.22

Usual Oxfam fare, average pricing unlike the nearby Oxfam in Turnham Green. I have often found books here, though not this time. Helpful staff, but stock a bit thin presently. I guess they can only display what has been donated, though the back room does seem full of stock. Steve Newman 06.07.22

Although Ealing is an affluent area this shop is having great difficulty in getting donations. The many many empty shelves bear large printed cards begging customers to bring in donations. The stock on display is very thin indeed. PeterM 11.05.23

Other recent reviewers have painted a pretty fair picture of the situation here. The stock is indisputably quite thin, at least in terms of quantity. Empty and half-empty shelves abound. The quality of what is available is not too bad, to be fair, certainly in fiction, history, biography, music and art. The pricing also seems fairly reasonable, at least for the broadly run-of-the mill stuff, although anything they deem to be unusual attracts a high and often unwarranted premium. This shop seems to be struggling a bit, and it’s hard to understand what has gone wrong here. There was a time when the shelves were full and the quality was noticeably high. No longer! Certainly still worth a look if you happen to be in the area, but probably NWAD. Booker T 30.08.23

Oxfam Bookshop/NOTTINGHILL/170 Portobello Road

Oxfam Bookshop Phone before travelling

170 Portobello Road NOTTING HILL W11 2EB

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tel: 020 7727 2907 e-mail web

Open: 7 days a week, 10.00 - 6.00

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Nice little book-shop. Managed to get two books and pay for only one - buy one get one free promotion. Very good! SpookyMulder 13.05.11

Stock no different from all the other Oxfam bookshops but at least the prices are more realistic. Mandalay Bookshop 17.05.12

Also took advantage of the 2-for-1 deal. [Though some large art books in the window were quite overpriced.] An above average Oxfam bookshop in a gentrified location. Chris K 18.06.12

Prices appear to have gone up while the quality of the stock has deteriorated. Not worth a detour. Mandalay Emporium 25.01.14

Usual Oxfam fare, but reasonable prices by Oxfam standards. And they have not sacrificed book space for Xmas cards as in most Oxfam's in London this year. So well done! Steve Newman 24.11.15

I found a scarce book of photos of the war in Bosnia lurking in the Travel section! Perhaps this misplacement explains the price, a mere fraction of what is charged for the few copies online. With some breathtaking exceptions, prices here seem generally modest for Oxfam. A pleasant shop, with stock neatly shelved in clear categories, and an affable assistant. Nicholas Sack 06.10.18

Much improved over more recent visits. The stock changes regularly & the prices are far more realistic. Recommended. Mandalay Bookshop 15.12.19

Visited yesterday and whilst the shop is well organised and tidy it does worry me when I ask if they have any Observer Pocket Books and no staff member has heard of Observer Books. Only happens in Oxfam! Steve Newman 30.07.21

This is probably still a better than average Oxfam bookshop, although the quality of its current stock seems less impressive than was the case a few years ago. Although at one time nicely laid out, it has become somewhat cramped, at least in the front part, thanks to the addition of several tables of books in the middle of the floor space. Some half-decent offerings in the fiction and history sections. Other subject areas are worth a browse as the stock, although by no means stellar, is at least solid in most categories. Prices seemed a bit above average, but not excessively high. Booker T 30.08.23

Like a previous reviewer I was not very impressed with the books on display. Pricing was reasonable for what was available but I left without making a purchase. Chris 12.03.24

I agree with one of the previous reviewers that it is a bit cramped near the front of the shop with a large display table. It can be a challenge to manoeuvre around if there are other customers browsing. Regarding the stock itself, they have a surprisingly good selection of quality Booker-type hardback fiction titles which ranged in prices from £4 to £10. The paperback fiction was mostly priced at £3.49 or £3.99. If you’re looking for orange Penguin fiction then you’ll find them shelved under History for reasons I’m not quite sure of. Their locked display cabinet of literary antiquities had some pretty optimistic prices. I saw one set of books reduced from an eye-watering £300 to a still eye-moistening £200. There’s a decent selection of Folios, most of which seem to be priced on the high side. But judging by the number of times I heard the card machine churning out receipts, not many punters are leaving empty-handed. Jon R 28.10.24

Oxfam Shop/MARYLEBONE/91 Marylebone High Street

Oxfam Shop Open at advertised times

91 Marylebone High Street MARYLEBONE W1U 4RB

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tel: 020 7487 3570 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 6.00, Sunday 11.00 - 5.00

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For some years this has sold general stock as well as books and records, but it is still half bookshop with a room's worth of books at the back.

Laurence Purcell has told us that, bafflingly, this shop is not listed. True, it's not been solely a bookshop for a few years, but still holds as much stock as others that are. TBG2 17.12.21

The books are slowly retreating, like a glacier. The collectible section is bizarre, both in price and what is considered appropriate to display there. I haven't found anything here for several years. PeterM 15.09.22

I used to visit this shop regularly as it is so close to Daunts. But each visit finds the book space shrinking. The stock is an odd mix and I regularly used to buy from here. Sadly the last 2 visits I have come away empty handed. I presume the profit margins on second hand M&S clothes and Fairtrade chocolate bars must now be higher than books!!! What a sad state of affairs!! PeterD 08.11.22

Visited today en route to a talk at Daunt. Found a presentable selection in various categories although not much of a collectible nature. Travel section had some interesting items undercutting Daunt as regards my purchases. Herne 15.03.24

As previous reviewers have commented, books take up a smaller area of this shop than in years gone by, but the erosion of their space appears to have ceased. There are still a fair number here - more than 3,500 by my reckoning. The quality is reasonable, but no better than that. Prices are slightly above the Oxfam norm (and take little account of condition). There is fiction in abundance, with a default price in all genres of £3 for paperbacks. Quite a lot of literary novels are mixed in with the more lowbrow titles. Also a couple of shelves of classics, three of sci-fi/fantasy and eight of crime novels/thrillers; the last two categories have some good stock. Three shelves of foreign-language fiction (and a bit of non-fiction too) at decent prices. Rather a small children's section, with prices (mostly £3) higher than usual. The biographies are good and reasonably priced. Quite good for art (ambitious prices for the better books), history (ditto) and travel, and not bad for science, religion, business, food/drink and lifestyle. The gardening books are disappointing. The music and theatre books contain some interesting titles, but at rather mixed prices. A lot of music scores (steeply priced at £2.99). Neither the "featured" nor the "interesting" books cut the mustard. The former include signed modern hardbacks, some discounted to vaguely reasonable prices from the original over-ambitious ones. But quite why anyone would crave a signed copy of, for example, Kate Summerscale's "The Suspicions of Mr Whicher" for £8 - especially when the shop has unsigned copies for less than half that price - is a mystery, at least to me. A glass cabinet houses a few rarities (some not that rare, actually), at sky-high prices. Worth a look if passing by, but don't expect too much. Booker T 11.01.25

Peter Harrington/MAYFAIR/43 Dover Street

Peter Harrington Open at advertised times

43 Dover Street MAYFAIR W1S 4FF

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tel: 020 3763 3220 e-mail web

Open: Monday - Friday 10.00 - 7.00, Saturday 10.00 - 6.00.

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We specialise in selling and buying the finest quality original first editions, signed, rare and antiquarian books, fine bindings and library sets.

Sam Fogg Ltd/MAYFAIR/15d Clifford Street

Sam Fogg Ltd Open at advertised times

15d Clifford Street MAYFAIR W1S 4JZ

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tel: 020 7534 2100 web

Open: Monday - Friday 9.30 - 5.30.

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Small Library Company/CHISWICK/40 Chiswick Lane

The Small Library Company Phone before travelling

40 Chiswick Lane CHISWICK W4 2JQ

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tel: 07495 894939 e-mail web

Open: Thursday & Friday 1.00 - 6.00, also most Saturdays 11.00 - 5.00 and by appointment outside these times.

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High-quality stock including literary fiction, biographies and books on history, literature, philosophy and art.

This shop, which opened on 5 September, is quite an interesting addition to the London second-hand book scene. The owner, Meg Dillon, had been selling books online for four years but decided to open a shop after increasing her stock. Meg is well connected in literary circles and her shop contains more than 3,000 books owned by the late Christopher Foyle, whose widow, Catherine, gave her the opportunity to purchase items from his collection. Note that until 10 October the shop will open "on most Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays". After that the stated hours should be reliable, though it is obviously wise to ring first to check if making a special journey. Booker T 10.09.24

Sophie Schneideman Rare Books/KENSAL GREEN/1010 Harrow Road

Sophie Schneideman Rare Books Appointment necessary

1010 Harrow Road KENSAL GREEN NW10 5NS

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tel: 07909 963836 e-mail

Open: Tuesday - Thursday 11.00 - 4.00, Friday 11.00 - 3.00, Saturday 10.30 - 6.00.

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Private Press & illustrated books, binding, food and drink, prints & photography. 3-4 catalogues and 3 shows a year. Talks about food & drink history as well as various aspects of the book arts. Always available by appointment as well as opening times.

Secondhand and Antiquarian Bookshops in the UK and Republic of Ireland