#bookshops

[the-forest-library]

Ok, folks, I made it to six independent bookstores today, and I am exhausted.

[starrynightsxo]

books, books & more books...

[myjetpack]

My first Guardian Books cartoon for 2024

[galina]

Minster Gate Bookshop, York

[anxiouslilbookworm]

[mostlyghostie]

How is everyone’s reading going this year?

I always aim for 52 novels and end up in the 35 to 45 range, but I’ve already hit 50 with over a month to go this year and am delighted!

I don’t quite know how those of you on your 189th book are doing it, but I’m happy, taking into account a hectic job, a self-inflicted art job in the evenings and of course, a child (If I counted kids books I’d get that 189 just from Where the Wild Things Are actually..)

[fruitandflowercrowns]

old smoky reading room

source

[melancholyromantic]

📍Voltaire and Rousseau, Glasgow

[kitcatbookmad]

When I’m a bit downtrodden and have a spare afternoon I ferry myself over to Word on the Water. I think it may be my favourite place in London, truly.

[literarydesire]

Went to visit my favourite antique bookshop in my city today and it was just chaos, the owner arrived on his bike 15 minutes after it was supposed to open and I had to help him carry his new stock inside from his saddlebags before I could even go in and inside is also just a mess with books in stacks all over the floor so you have to lift your legs up to knee-height to traverse it and get to the good stuff in the back. But he gave me a massive discount and I got four books for the price of one so, all in all, a good day!

[the-forest-library]

^^^locate participating shops here^^^

[gatheryepens]

📍McNally Jackson Books Rockefeller Center, New York

book shops in nyc 3/?

[myjetpack]

My latest Guardian Books cartoon.

[galina]

So many amazing bookshops in Manhattan, but one of my favourites is the worker-owned and radically compassionate Bluestockings Cooperative

[reflectismo]

Lennon and McCartney: Browsing through shops, buying books and things

Dear Beatles,

Is it true that you are learning to play the banjo! A friend of mine who was working backstage at one of your concerts said he’d seen you with an old banjo. — Paula Benson, Oldham, Lancs.

John replies: There’s a long story attached to that banjo, Paula.

When we had a day off in Liverpool during our tour last December, Paul and I went to an old antique shop in Chester to buy books and things. I saw this old banjo and I ALMOST bought it. Next day when we got to Manchester Mal Evans walked in with the banjo.

So, I borrowed it and had a go at playing it. There’s an autograph on it—George Formsby’s—but it looks very fresh and Mal isn’t too sure whether it’s a genuine Formby signature or not.

— The Beatles answer fan letters for the February 1966 issue of Valentine.

I don’t read as much as John does. My main thing is, I’ve got to be settled to read. The times I would read are on a holiday, or in bed at night. The other day I took John to the Times Bookshop. I’d been there before and bought a copy of “The Emperor Jones” signed by Eugene O’Neill which really knocked me out, and the fellow there showed me the original manuscript of “Under Milk Wood”. The great thing about the Times Bookshop is that nobody’s going to bother about who you are. Well, John spent an hour there, and £150. It was a good day for the Times Bookshop and a good day for John.

— Paul McCartney interviewed for London Life Magazine (4th/10th December 1965 Issue)

I don’t know whether Invicta [sic] Books, the shop in London's Mason's Yard owned by Peter Asher and Marianne Faithfull's husband, John Dunbar, is selling a lot of books; but it's certainly becoming the new 'in place.' As well as Peter and Marianne, I noticed sister Jane visiting quite a lot and last Friday John Lennon and Paul McCartney popped in to browse for a few hours.

— Disc and Music Echo (April 9, 1966).

One afternoon in late March 1966, Paul arrived at Indica with John Lennon. John wanted a book by what sounded like 'Nitz Ga'. It took Miles a few minutes to realise that he was looking for the German philosopher Nietzsche, long enough for John to become convinced that he was being ridiculed. He launched into an attack on intellectuals and university students and was only mollified when Paul told him that he had not understood what John was asking for either, and that Miles was not a university graduate but had been to art college, just like him. Immediately friendly again, John talked about Allen Ginsberg and the Beats, laughing about his school magazine the Daily Howl: 'Tell Ginsberg I did it first!' Miles found him a copy of The Portable Nietzsche and John began to scan the shelves. His eyes soon alighted upon a copy of The Psychedelic Experience, Dr Timothy Leary's psychedelic version of the Tibetan Book of the Dead. John was delighted and settled down on the settee with the book. Right away, on page 14 in Leary's introduction, he read, 'Whenever in doubt, turn off your mind, relax, float downstream.' He had found the first line of 'Tomorrow Never Knows', one of the Beatles' most innovative songs.

— Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now by Barry Miles (1997)

John and Paul wandered free. They peered into a shop window. John spotted a calendar which featured thinly-dressed girls. He and Paul chortled.

“Bet you daren’t go in and buy it,” said Lennon. “Okay,” said Paul. He went in alone. A minute later, he rejoined us, waving a large, brown envelope.

“Discretion always,” he said. “As you can see, I asked them to give it to me under plain wrapper. . . .”

— John and Paul interview with Ray Coleman for Disc and Music Echo (December 1967)

[charliejaneanders]

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A post shared by Bluestockings Cooperative (@bluestockingsnyc)

Bluestockings Cooperative is an indispensible feminist bookstore in NYC. It's been a fantastic community space for as long as I can remember. Now it's facing eviction because the store is providing Narcan — and they've actually saved lives!. Please do what you can to help. Details at the link.