Large stock including literature, history, Scottish and antiquarian books.
Down a much friendlier lane off Otago street than Thistle Books, this big shop could give Caledonia Books a run for its money with the amount of stock. Books to the ceiling but also in piles on the floor in front of the bookshelves. With more stock than they really have room for, it gives the impression that the book you are after is there if only you could spend the time moving the piles about. However if you want to search through the science fiction pile you might have to persuade the sleeping cat to move first. That said, this is my favourite shop in the area, always worth a visit. Jeremy Briggs
Cluttered just about starts to describe this dump. Give yourself a couple of hours just to move the mainly-creased stock from where they are dumped. As for looking at any of the lower shelves, forget it unless you like shifting piles of stuff with nowhere to put it. They need to dump the crap and then they could display the books they have which are worth buying. The Wanderer 11.02.09
Voltaire and Rousseau's is an institution and I like going there, and there's a secret to dealing with the piles of books in front of the shelves. Simply knock them over. One of the guys then comes along and insists that he will sort it out. When he's doing that you simply stand beside him and look at what he's picking up. Easy! Good prices in here and the military section is extensive. Never seem to have much travel or biography, which is quite unusual. Cash only too,which can be a bit of a pain,especially if you?re buying a decent quantity. Allan Campbell 06.03.09
Certainly not a dump. Great '£1 and under' section, great sci fi section and very good history section. The fact that you have to do a little bit of searching is not a problem. 'Cash only' doesnt bother me as I often carry money. Ian McElroy 18.08.09
Norman Davies 10.06.10
After half-an-hour in this shop I felt almost suicidal Richard 04.08.10
Absolutely eccentric and highly recommended if you don't mind getting your hands and knees dirty. Prissy-minded librarians should avoid at all costs. The book you want is here but you have to find it. Books are buried so long that bargains eventually emerge. I love this shop. Full of character. And characters. Ken Bogle 30.09.10
A Glasgow institution. Look on it as a fantastical book cave, with crumbly walls. - Alan Forbes 31.0511.
The stock keeps increasing. Someone is going to get crushed by a ton of books. At least the bystanders will then be able to see the books behind the fallen tower. Love the place but rarely leave it with the book I went in for. Lorenzo T 27.09.12
Pure anarchy. That really is the only way to describe this quite wonderfully cluttered shop. For a perfect search allow two days while wearing old clothing. I wondered initially if I would find anything I collected. After three hours the boot of my car was full and I had paid an unexpected visit to a cash machine. The treasures hidden away are breathtaking. But, as a warning, you will need patience. WWAD. Chris Harte 30.11.12
Very large stock for size of premises. Complete with cat. mikey 29.03.14
Chaotic, anarchic and a legendary Glasgow institution. I guarantee that you will find five volumes of that six volume set which you have always been looking out for. He's swear he knows where the sixth is ... Not to be missed. Oor Wullie 26.07.14
Revisited after 5 years - Marmite place. I love it including rearranging the huge unwieldy piles and found some goodies. Patience and strength needed. Unfortunately the combined bad weather + presence of 2 less fortunate souls gave a pungency to the rear of the shop which ultimately shortened our visit. Back again in the spring! Norman Davies 24.11.15
Always interesting and in its own way exciting to visit. That said I tend to be buying much less than I used to do. Maybe this is me or maybe it is that among the huge volume of books there are less really desirable books than there once was. It could of course be that the books are becoming even more difficult to see amongst the piles and crowded shelves. JohnT 22.02.16
Anyone with a morbid fear of being buried alive should avoid this shop like the plague. What were presumably once neatly stocked shelves have been totally obscured by piles of randomly and precariously planted titles, encroaching upon what little floorspace there is. A "one-way system" should be in force around the shop as you could be trapped in there for ages by more sturdier souls rearranging said piles for that elusive tome. Felt claustrophobic and was unwilling to create an avalanche. I'm sure some visitors love it but I wasn't one of them I'm afraid. Graeme Rendall 10.03.18
Made a special trip as I've often found interesting items in the £1 room, but not this time as the £1 room was completely inaccessible due to boxes, a folded stepladder and piles of books on the floor. The only way to reach the shelves would be to dig a tunnel. booksellerbull 06.10.18
I think there may be many interesting books here. But they are stacked 4 foot high, up to three piles deep. Shelves are difficult to access as a result. Alan 10.10.19
V&R remains much the same as ever - like it or loathe it - but I did sense that the two and three deep piles of books obscuring the bottom shelves have retreated ever so slightly since my last visit 2 years back. Personally speaking, I enjoy the challenge of seeking those titles lurking in the depths, and came away with a couple of nice acquisitions. Wessexman 03.09.21
I see Sheppard's Confidential (July 2023) issue is pointing me in the direction, (via third party sacharine reviews) of Voltaire & Rousseau, Glasgow. Nice romantic booky business name that....been there recently. Actually a glorified back street lock-up industrial shed with strip lighting. Has a reputation both good & bad depending on your romantic - practicality spectrum. Rumour has it a Russian Oligarch has buried his gold bullion here safe in the knowledge it'll never be found. Of all the shops I've reviewed this one has the scantest regard for customer disability access. If you have a bad back - don't go, If you want a bad back - don't go. Dedicated and fit book fanaticists should carry a triggered grab stick to reach their precious volume, (but be prepared for the subsequent avalanche.) Do they have some good books? - yes - somewhere; keep digging; take a snorkle....Sorry, I'm on the practicality spectrum. SaltaireTom 11.08.23
If you are in at the right time you can strike lucky. I once found a very good first of Lytton's The Coming Race in the £1 section by the front door and on my last visit I found a nice first of Dahl's Gremlins for £3.99. Rare happenings like those make up for the fallow visits and keep me coming back. It all depends on what has just come into stock and who has been there before you. John Eggeling 30.12.23
I recently had time for a brief visit. I have to say that the shop was worse than ever, tottering piles of books on all of the available floor space leaving only a narrow passage way for browsing. Much of the shelving was completely obscured or unreachable. Stock seemed to be of particularly poor quality and clearly all the good/interesting items had been extracted for listing online and were not available to view. Frankly they need to reassess their strategy as the current situation doesn't work for customers and it's hard to see how it could be working for the proprietors either. polarbookman 25.07.24
Open at advertised times
Phone before travelling
Appointment necessary
Status unknown, update requested
