*dribbles a bit*

[trishtrash]

A glimpse of heaven:

The 20 most beautiful bookshops in the world

I've been to Barter Books - it's in a converted railway station, with the waiting rooms set up as reading rooms on the side. Darned cold, kind of like an outdoor book market, but lots of fun to browse.

Comments

[anonymous]

Wow. That old one in Portugal is divine, and the one on Santorini: words fail me. It's so lovely and it's on a Greek Island, the only pity is that I wouldn't be able to read any of the books in there. The one in Argentina is possibly the most beautiful. *drools*

The one that you've visited looks cold. All the patrons are wearing coats! Lucky you for having visited even one.

[edith_jones]

That accidentally anonymous comment was from me. I hadn't noticed that I wasn't logged in.

[trishtrash]

Huh... I had no idea I was screening anonymous comments.

Yeah, I've been to Barter Books three times (they're nowhere close, unfortunately or I'd be camped there permanently) and I kept my coat on each time... draughty place.

Waterstones, our main UK large book-shop chain have a habit of taking over nice buildings where possible... there are two branches in Birmingham, one of which has this beautiful ceiling:

[edith_jones]

Waterstones, our main UK large book-shop chain have a habit of taking over nice buildings where possible... there are two branches in Birmingham, one of which has this beautiful ceiling:

When I was in England the last time (nearly 25 years ago, sadly), I wandered through St. Paul's Cathedral three different times, on each occasion wondering how the Princess of Wales had managed to walk up the aisle without staring at the ceiling; I'd have been too distracted by it to walk straight. I'm feeling somewhat the same here; that bookshop ceiling is lovely but I don't know how I'd browse or read with it there. I'd want to find a seat and just look up. I felt that way with several of those bookshops on the list.

[jaelle_n_gilla]

I think I'd get happily lost and remain there in the one in Porto, Portugal. Wow!

[birdgirl_1107]

*attempts to wring drool out of keyboard*

Barter Books looks like the kind of place where you could lose an afternoon ... or two or three. And I'd move into Shakespeare & Company tomorrow if they'd let me. The fact that it also happens to be in Paris is not lost on me ...

[katje0711]

Those are awesome! My fave is the one in Paris. I love rustic looking place like that and that one looks so cozy.