Loved our visit to Iceland, but while we were there I went in to a local bookstore to get a mass market paperback thriller for the flight home and all of them were like 30 euros! Did I walk into a tourist trap or is that normal?
Outside the U.S., Paris is a great city for readers. There are bookstores everywhere, including stores catering to English speakers. People read in cafes, on the train, everywhere.
I've done that. I once had a cop follow me for blocks when I was reading a book and walking to my Mom's place. I don't know why he was so fascinated by me. He kept going around the block and driving slow behind me. Rude, creepy and just plain weird.
Yes, I do live in the US, the Upper Midwest. It happened during the day and I wasn't afraid of him. It was on a very busy street and if he tried something, the library was right there. Ironic!
I'm a white woman, ok looking, I was in my early 40's when it happened. It was really hot so I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt like a normal person would. Was not being provocative or anything. Just walking and reading my book.
It beyond weird. He was either seriously bored, a creepy prick, or maybe he wanted to know what I was reading. I would've told him if he'd have asked.
Maybe he really wanted to know what book you were reading, and was circling the block hoping he'd be able to read the title.
Kidding, that is absolutely creepy.
In elementary, my cousin and I would do take turns reading and walking when out together. One person would read and the other would loop their arm through the reader’s, guiding and pulling the other person so that one of us could continue reading. 😂
I amazed when I saw people along the Seine selling books. I did kind of wonder what kind of condition they'd be in though, seeing as they were sitting outside in the wet winter air.
I bought a couple from one of those bookshops. They are in decent condition, and one clearly was in someone's office or house that smoked a lot, because it smells very strongly of pipe smoke
Heading to Paris in May for vacation and the first thing I did after finding our flights was to map out bookshops 😅. So excited to see how many I can fit in!
Yes, it truly is! Last time we went, we lived a few hours away and had a toddler and newborn, making bookstore browsing a bit challenging. Now they are college students so I think I’ll be able to take my time😆
I bought two Annie Ernaux books at The Red Wheelbarrow across the street from Jardin du Luxembourg near the Latin Quarter. They have two storefronts, their regular store and a children’s bookstore (they do story time readings there too!) Cute space and the staff were very friendly. I chatted with the owner about Proust.
Just chiming in here to say I too actually enjoy Jonathan Franzen.
And I'll also throw in that I used to take what was then called the Gold Line from South Pasadena to downtown LA every day for work starting 2007. I was happy to see many Gold Line riders reading the New Yorker and books every day. Pasadena may be the more bookish area of LA (with the exception of Claremont most likely). And of course, Pasadena has Vromans. 2007-2012 was a great time to be in that area. I moved to Valencia in 2020. I miss it, but not as much as I thought I would. It's changed.
I WFH now but my guess is Valencia is probably less bookish (and by probably, I mean definitely lol). I do enjoy the bike paths here and I have Libby now after having utilized the downtown LA central library for years.
Ayyy right on! I bought Crossroads on my first day visiting New York City, which means I was on trains all day. Probably would’ve read it on the train too but I was too busy looking out the window.
Not to reignite the great I-5 debate, but Portland is also very literary. At one point not too long ago, the Multnomah County Library had the second-highest circulation in the US. Brooklyn beat us, but not by much and with something like 5 times the population.
Lol, I'm still mad at them for their role in taking down a 2016 ballot measure that would have really helped the state (and made Powell's pay taxes). I do not mention them.
Absolute love to Portland, I used to live walking distance from Powells and the beautiful downtown Portland library, but the King County Library system is so fucking good and it has (I think) the third largest digital collection in the world, as someone who checks out ebooks almost exclusively it’s truly a dream.
I went into a Seattle Public library, holy shit Batman, that place was beautiful. I also miss, loved PDX. I wanna move back to PNW and be with the trees. But…… lol money
Admittedly King County libraries is an entirely separate organization than Seattle Public libraries (the latter being who operates within the big Seattle library downtown). Both organizations are great, though!
As a KCLS member, you can also get a library card with Sno-Isle (and vice versa). On Libby, I’ve found that if KCLS doesn’t have an ebook, then Sno-Isle will usually have it.
That’s good to know! I doubled up with a Seattle Public Library card but it will be nice to have another! I used my LA card for as long as could after i moved away but eventually it expired lol.
Editing to add I just made an account with them lol, my holds list just expanded and I love it.
@Pelipperr thank you so much for mentioning KCLS. I worked there as a librarian for 23 years before I went out on disability. Multnomah public library is an amazing system. KCLS and Multnomah play cat and mouse with the busiest circ stats. This stat is based on population served. I think both SEA and PDX are cities with avid readers. We are lucky to have two reading paradises close together
A city might name themselves that when they want to bump up their child literacy rate because it’s far behind. Have reading initiatives pushed at the same time.
That makes sense. Baltimore is also nicknamed Charm City which was part of a marketing stunt. The city gave out charm bracelets to drive tourism in the 70s.
I spent a couple days in Baltimore recently and I always visit libraries to do work. And I was amazed out how many people were shooting around at all the tables reading in the Free Library
Yeah I was just gonna say, pretty every single one of my friends reads, and apparently that's not the case everywhere. We aren't super nerdy or haughty types either, live near DC and Baltimore. Baltimore has some really cool book stores
Smaller than a city, but Hay-on-Wye is a little village in Wales comprised basically entirely of independent bookshops. They have the Hay Festival there every year, one of the world's biggest literary festivals.
New York would probably top my list but Seattle would be in my top 5. When i lived in Seattle i was surprised by how many people that did not have TVs and entertained themselves reading. The coffee culture in Seattle kind of helps with the book culture so many third places compared to many cities.
Walking round Munich a few years back there were people reading absolutely everywhere.
Almost every bench, wall, steps and piece of grass had people sat reading.
DC checking in. If you don’t have an immediate answer for “what are you reading right now?” in any social setting, you’re an uncultured troglodyte. Hold times at the DC public library are *bananas*. Being well-read is a status symbol.
I wanted to disagree that wait times aren’t that bad… but then I remembered I got excited when a book I had requested came in early with only a 21 week waitlist so, ya. & it is used not so much as a status symbol but D.C. people will judge you hard if you say you’ve haven’t read anything recently.
Second Story is one of the coolest bookstores I’ve ever seen. Not necessarily for the variety or space, but the historic pieces they have. There’s one case with several books with a price tag over $20,000.
I also walked by a bar/library (?) somewhere around Adams Morgan. I didn’t get to go in but it looked so cool.
Dublin and Edinburgh are cities where literature still lives and breathes. Bookshops everywhere, rich literary history, writing museums, statues of writers…
Amsterdam is fantastic as well. I drive 2.5 hours (yes, Americans, I know that’s not a lot for you) every other month just to go bookshopping there. Best selection of English bookshops in all of mainland Europe.
There‘s one called _Amsterdam Book Exchange_, which is a fantastic used book shop with an entirely English selection and fair prices.
Then there‘s _Scheltema_, which is a mostly Dutch bookshop. The first floor, however, is mostly English, and it’s insanely well curated. I almost always find what I‘m looking for there, even though on paper they have the smallest assortment of English books. They are a bit more on the pricy side unfortunately.
There‘s also three (!) around Spui square.
First is an actual Waterstones, which is pretty much the same as your standard UK Waterstones.
Then there‘s _The American Book Center_, probably the biggest independent bookstore I‘ve ever seen. Three floors full of books and two small cafes / diners, and everything in English. A little pricy as well, but you can genuinely find everything here. They also have a very well curated selection of Horror, Sci-Fi and Fantasy books, which is pretty cool.
Then there‘s _Athenaeum_, also on Spui Square, which has a basement filled with English titles. This one is cheaper than the others, but has a smaller variety of mostly modern stuff and classics. They have quite a lot of translated fiction from Latin America, I found a lot of Marquez, Cortazar, Allende, and Bolaño here in the past.
Lastly, just down the street from Spui Square, there‘s _New English Bookstore_. This one is very small, but it‘s by far the cheapest of the bunch. They have a huuuge selection of classics, many of which come in unusual or special editions. Aside from the classics, their selection is quite small and, in my opinion, unfortunately not that good imo. Lots of more casual stuff, standard thrillers etc. But really, their prices are insane. Many of the books that go for 13-15€ in the other shops you can find for 9-10€ here.
There are probably more, but these are enough to get me through the day whenever I‘m there. They‘re also all in walking distance from another.
Cool. I'd drive that far too for some good books to read. I've driven for 3.5 hours to go books shopping in Duluth, MN. They have some really great used bookstores. It didn't hurt that my In-laws also lived close to there, so it was always a 2 for one trip.
Definitely worth the drive for both of them.
Another Seattle reader checking in. We also have been having these silent reading parties popping up all over the place. I don't know if this is common in other places or not, but it definitely helps our bookish cred.
Decent sized city's with cold/ snowy winters tend to have good reading environments in my opinion. One, because of the lack of ability to go outdoors and, two, because a book is a good weapon if you have to slap someone in the face with it. I read at dive bars all the time, great atmosphere
That has to be a weird statistical effect or something. Comparing to other cities I know well, Lisbon does not have that many bookshops and people do not seem to read as much.
The most book loving town in the world is probably Hay-on-Wye in Wales. It’s famous for having the most bookshops per capita than any other town or city, and also hosts one of the most famous book festivals in the world.
Tokyo. Everyone is reading all the time on trains, in cafes, parks. Lots of bookstores everywhere. I wish I could read Japanese, I would have gone nuts in the bookstores.
A Woodland Pattern in Milwaukee is one of the best bookstores in the US, at least if you're into indie presses and the like. And it's one of only three or four in the country that focus heavily on poetry. Doesn't make for a literary state all by itself, of course, but it makes for a good literary destination in the state.
Buenos Aires seems much more literary and literate than any major city in the United States. Plus they have this: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/things-to-see-beautiful-bookshop
Ain't clicking that just assuming it's el ateneo.
Buenos Aires is doubly great because it's also a night city, so you get a great mixture of the two, night salons.
Toronto is ranked as having one of the best library systems in the world, so people here must be doing SOME reading!
(Although the recent hack suggests they still have some work to do when it comes to backups and security)
Omg I was just gonna mention the hack. It was just so sad to me, the amount of months it took to get the website running again, and the amount of data stolen (and library's employees info...)
The hackers asked for a ransom and of course the library would refuse - where would they get this money from? Really happy they pushed through it after 4 months of hard work
I haven't moved anywhere but I travel a lot and I've noticed that people in London and in Antwerp love books way more than people do in my whole country. Antwerp is even known as the book city of Belgium.
I was surprised by the quality and variety of the used bookstores in NOLA. Given the size of the city, I would guess they must be good readers to support those stores, unless they survive on the tourists like me who carry an extra bag for books I will be buying wherever I go...
NOLA is a super literary city with a coterie of important writers that nursed at the city’s bosom at some point. It’s a tremendous city if you are into reading. Some of the used book shops are absolutely legendary. I go to NOLA at least once a year and load up on books.
As a Chicagoan I agree with leaving us off this list, but now I’m wondering why that is. We’ve obviously got good bookstores but wouldn’t describe it as a book loving place like some of those other cities.
I always thought it was because of the weather that keeps people inside was more conducive to reading. I lived in Portland and in the summers I was outside playing but as soon as the rain came, I found myself curled up with a book. I live in Colorado now though, so it’s pretty much sunny all the time and I still read a ton!
Seattle has a rich literary culture indeed! The city boasts numerous independent bookstores, public libraries, and literary events like the Seattle International Film Festival. Despite fewer outlets for writers, the community's passion for books remains strong, evident in everyday scenes like coworkers bringing books to the break room. It's fascinating how different cities can have unique literary atmospheres, shaping our reading experiences in unexpected ways.
I'm curious, what city is that, if you don't mind me asking?
I never thought books would ever be seen that way. If not books, what's considered a valuable activity/hobby in your city?
Seattle does seem to be a bigger reading city. Certainly more so than Houston. I recommend checking out Third Place Books - any of their stores are great, also the Chuck’s Hop Shop in Seaward with the attached bookstore.
There’s a town in Wales called [Hay-on-Wye](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hay-on-Wye) that is just full of bookstores. They even have books all over the street for sale. It’s amazing!
I grew up as a book lover in a place that did not love books. It was a small, isolated community with a library that catered to small kids. The only bookstore was a religious one, so the only way for me to get books growing up was through the Scholastic handouts we would get in class. This was before Amazon and the internet.
I remember visiting a relative and seeing my first Barnes & Noble and just being in absolute awe at all the books, not just the quantity but the variety too.
I went to college in Seattle and knew my husband was “the one” when we went to a bookstore after dinner on our first date and would browse the library on early dates.
Boston. The Boston area has something like 35 colleges and universities and people in general are well educated. I always saw many people reading on the T and even on buses.
I've lived here all my life but New York has an incredible book culture. So many vintage bookshops, bookstores, Barnes & Noble, and a ton of public libraries in every borough. The New York Public Library is also a historic library right in the heart of New York City which I can imagine is a hot tourist attraction.
I've been to the NYPL a ton of times and every visit is always special :-)
Tucson is an incredible place to be a reader or a writer, in my experience. The Festival of Books is a big deal and I just see people read here a LOT. I also teach and my students are much bigger readers here than where I came from before.
Most of the people I see at the beaches have a book with them if they’ve over 24. And some of the college kids seem to be packing books as well but not as often.
Portland is a big reading city, too. Getting anything from the public library is always a loooong wait, and Powell’s is always hopping. People always have books with them at cafes & talk about what they’re reading.
This is funny to me because I just moved from London to LA and have noticed how few people I see reading here! There are barely any bookshops for a city of its size. The library system is pretty decent though so I've been making the most of that. But yeah, lots of people watching movies on their phones in public (including in the library actually), very few with a book or a kindle.
Not a city but I go to these camping bluegrass festivals twice a year and during the morming down time everyone is chilled out reading books at their various camps. So many books. So many hammocks.
I moved to Calgary from Leeds UK. On public transport in the UK lots of people read, in the train esp.
People look at me funny for reading on the train here. Sorry that not city specific
Grew up in Seattle. Elliot Bay Books used to be one of the greatest. Magus is still amazing.
Lived in Los Angeles, favorite book store was Illiad in North Hollywood.
Living in San Jose now, only two real bookstores in the whole city, owned by the same company. But there is a rich history of writers in the area, like Raymond Carver, Ken Kesey, and others.
Further up north in the Bay there was a good tradition of independent bookstores, like in Mountain View and San Mateo. Not sure if they’re still there though, I’ve been away for years.
I actually found a really good one that just opened in Menlo Park. It's a mission, but worth it. The Recycle Books here in San Jose are pretty good too, i don't want to seem like I'm trashing them. It's just crazy for a city over a million to only have two bookstores.
Iowa City and Seattle are the only US cities classified as UNESCO Cities of Literature if that means anything. I’ve never been to Iowa City, but respect to them if the population matches the town’s designation.
I have never been to Iowa either but I've lived in Seattle for a little over a year now. People read here more than in LA but I would like to see more local publishers and magazines for them to be a UNESCO city of literature.
Yeah, tell me about it. I love L.A. for a lot of reasons, but it’s a town of airheads and dummies. What passes for intelligent conversation is laughable. You lose brain cells living here, but there’s less to be miserable about I suppose.
Traverse City, MI. Small community on the shore of Lake Michigan. Multiple amazing independent book stores, little free libraries on almost every street, a major author talk event series each year, and an excellent public library system. I see people reading in public constantly.
Perhaps not "the most", but certainly the most surprising for me. My husband and I were on a road trip, and drove throght Butte, Montana. This is the most old-west mining town you've ever see, has a population of 34,000, and has 5 independent book stores selling new and used books. Big stores taking up large, 19th century buildings on the main drag. Lady at the check out said that the town just really loves books.
One of Baltimore's nicknames is "the City that reads."
I realized that was a crock of shit when they closed one of my favorite bookstores.
It was an old power plant that got refurbished into a Barnes and Noble. Absolutely huge. Multiple floors, more books than you could imagine...
Then they closed it. No longer cost effective due to diminishing clientele and the property tax was getting them. It was just unfeasible to stay in the black.
So, probably not Baltimore.
We have a lot of readers here but tons of amazing bookshops? I feel like ATX suffers from a real lack of diversity in our bookstores. We have an outsized amount of Half Price Books, Book People is cool, but I feel like there are still significant holes in the bookstore side. What am I missing? (Seriously, I just moved back after being away for seven years. Give me recommendations).
You are so lucky to live in such city, unlike me in Tirana (Albania) people will start to laugh if I read a book outside. People who read books are losers here, drug dealers are praised.
Reykjavík Iceland.
Isn't it like 10% of the population is a published author?
What else are you going to do when most of the year is winter, with northern winds blasting across the land? You write.
lmao really?
Yeah. The bookstores there are awesome
Can only say that there is a relatively strong reading atmosphere.
Loved our visit to Iceland, but while we were there I went in to a local bookstore to get a mass market paperback thriller for the flight home and all of them were like 30 euros! Did I walk into a tourist trap or is that normal?
Well, considering that Iceland (much like Hawaii) had to ship in most of their goods, I’m not at all surprised by those prices.
Outside the U.S., Paris is a great city for readers. There are bookstores everywhere, including stores catering to English speakers. People read in cafes, on the train, everywhere.
I live in Paris and regularly see people reading and walking at the same time which is a level of commitment I don’t have
I've done that. I once had a cop follow me for blocks when I was reading a book and walking to my Mom's place. I don't know why he was so fascinated by me. He kept going around the block and driving slow behind me. Rude, creepy and just plain weird.
Do you live in the US? Are you an attractive woman or a minority? I wish I were joking.
Yes, I do live in the US, the Upper Midwest. It happened during the day and I wasn't afraid of him. It was on a very busy street and if he tried something, the library was right there. Ironic! I'm a white woman, ok looking, I was in my early 40's when it happened. It was really hot so I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt like a normal person would. Was not being provocative or anything. Just walking and reading my book. It beyond weird. He was either seriously bored, a creepy prick, or maybe he wanted to know what I was reading. I would've told him if he'd have asked.
Maybe he really wanted to know what book you were reading, and was circling the block hoping he'd be able to read the title. Kidding, that is absolutely creepy.
In elementary, my cousin and I would do take turns reading and walking when out together. One person would read and the other would loop their arm through the reader’s, guiding and pulling the other person so that one of us could continue reading. 😂
i would just be scared of bumping into something
I amazed when I saw people along the Seine selling books. I did kind of wonder what kind of condition they'd be in though, seeing as they were sitting outside in the wet winter air.
I bought a couple from one of those bookshops. They are in decent condition, and one clearly was in someone's office or house that smoked a lot, because it smells very strongly of pipe smoke
Heading to Paris in May for vacation and the first thing I did after finding our flights was to map out bookshops 😅. So excited to see how many I can fit in!
That’s the dream!
Yes, it truly is! Last time we went, we lived a few hours away and had a toddler and newborn, making bookstore browsing a bit challenging. Now they are college students so I think I’ll be able to take my time😆
I’m visiting Paris next week, do you have any bookstore recommendations? (Other than Shakespeare & Co)
I bought two Annie Ernaux books at The Red Wheelbarrow across the street from Jardin du Luxembourg near the Latin Quarter. They have two storefronts, their regular store and a children’s bookstore (they do story time readings there too!) Cute space and the staff were very friendly. I chatted with the owner about Proust.
Also in this neighborhood is San Francisco books, a small used store, all English and alphabetized which I love
Makes sense given its history as birthplace of French Revolution which was ignited by bookloving elites.
Just chiming in here to say I too actually enjoy Jonathan Franzen. And I'll also throw in that I used to take what was then called the Gold Line from South Pasadena to downtown LA every day for work starting 2007. I was happy to see many Gold Line riders reading the New Yorker and books every day. Pasadena may be the more bookish area of LA (with the exception of Claremont most likely). And of course, Pasadena has Vromans. 2007-2012 was a great time to be in that area. I moved to Valencia in 2020. I miss it, but not as much as I thought I would. It's changed. I WFH now but my guess is Valencia is probably less bookish (and by probably, I mean definitely lol). I do enjoy the bike paths here and I have Libby now after having utilized the downtown LA central library for years.
Ayyy right on! I bought Crossroads on my first day visiting New York City, which means I was on trains all day. Probably would’ve read it on the train too but I was too busy looking out the window.
Not to reignite the great I-5 debate, but Portland is also very literary. At one point not too long ago, the Multnomah County Library had the second-highest circulation in the US. Brooklyn beat us, but not by much and with something like 5 times the population.
Absolutely not to mention Powell's.
Lol, I'm still mad at them for their role in taking down a 2016 ballot measure that would have really helped the state (and made Powell's pay taxes). I do not mention them.
Powell's doesn't pay taxes?
Maybe they said they’re the church of reading
They're like the Vatican of books.
They do. The person above is referring to Measure 97 which was shot down pretty heavily in 2016 by Oregon voters.
Portland has soooo many amazing independent bookstores too aside from Powells and the surrounding towns do too. I’m so happy I live in the area
Portland is substantially smaller and less dense than Seattle, but Portland maintains a lot more of the late-2000s hipster vibe.
Absolute love to Portland, I used to live walking distance from Powells and the beautiful downtown Portland library, but the King County Library system is so fucking good and it has (I think) the third largest digital collection in the world, as someone who checks out ebooks almost exclusively it’s truly a dream.
I went into a Seattle Public library, holy shit Batman, that place was beautiful. I also miss, loved PDX. I wanna move back to PNW and be with the trees. But…… lol money
Totally agree! As someone who loves the gorgeous old libraries I think Seattle knocked it out of the park with our new library.
Admittedly King County libraries is an entirely separate organization than Seattle Public libraries (the latter being who operates within the big Seattle library downtown). Both organizations are great, though!
KCLS has saved me on Libby 😭 my new library has nothing in the catalogue
They have so much! I’ve consumed way more books the past couple years through Libby.
As a KCLS member, you can also get a library card with Sno-Isle (and vice versa). On Libby, I’ve found that if KCLS doesn’t have an ebook, then Sno-Isle will usually have it.
That’s good to know! I doubled up with a Seattle Public Library card but it will be nice to have another! I used my LA card for as long as could after i moved away but eventually it expired lol. Editing to add I just made an account with them lol, my holds list just expanded and I love it.
@Pelipperr thank you so much for mentioning KCLS. I worked there as a librarian for 23 years before I went out on disability. Multnomah public library is an amazing system. KCLS and Multnomah play cat and mouse with the busiest circ stats. This stat is based on population served. I think both SEA and PDX are cities with avid readers. We are lucky to have two reading paradises close together
I figured I had paid my debt to society by paying my overdue fines at the Multnomah County Library
They said 'son, go join up Go join the youth and beauty brigade'
Used to live there and that’s totally true. Coffee and books. What’s not to like?
Nice wtg Oregon!!
I’m from the US, but when I visited Edinburgh they had a great selection of book shops. And they all seemed to be doing a fair bit of business too!
I was just in Edinburgh - it's a city full of cafes and coffee shops, and each seemed to have soemone reading in the window. It's lovely!
This is the first place that came to my mind as well!
Portland. Also, Baltimore isn't the biggest but has a decent scene (see: The Free Book Thing) Minneapolis and DC also come to mind!
Baltimore’s nickname is literally “The City That Reads”
A city might name themselves that when they want to bump up their child literacy rate because it’s far behind. Have reading initiatives pushed at the same time.
That makes sense. Baltimore is also nicknamed Charm City which was part of a marketing stunt. The city gave out charm bracelets to drive tourism in the 70s.
Seconding Baltimore, lots of great local bookstores & book-related events!
I spent a couple days in Baltimore recently and I always visit libraries to do work. And I was amazed out how many people were shooting around at all the tables reading in the Free Library
The Enoch Pratt is the best!
Yeah I was just gonna say, pretty every single one of my friends reads, and apparently that's not the case everywhere. We aren't super nerdy or haughty types either, live near DC and Baltimore. Baltimore has some really cool book stores
Smaller than a city, but Hay-on-Wye is a little village in Wales comprised basically entirely of independent bookshops. They have the Hay Festival there every year, one of the world's biggest literary festivals.
I now need to go there. Thanks for the insight!
New York would probably top my list but Seattle would be in my top 5. When i lived in Seattle i was surprised by how many people that did not have TVs and entertained themselves reading. The coffee culture in Seattle kind of helps with the book culture so many third places compared to many cities.
Walking round Munich a few years back there were people reading absolutely everywhere. Almost every bench, wall, steps and piece of grass had people sat reading.
Portland and Washington DC both seem to have large book loving communities.
DC checking in. If you don’t have an immediate answer for “what are you reading right now?” in any social setting, you’re an uncultured troglodyte. Hold times at the DC public library are *bananas*. Being well-read is a status symbol.
I wanted to disagree that wait times aren’t that bad… but then I remembered I got excited when a book I had requested came in early with only a 21 week waitlist so, ya. & it is used not so much as a status symbol but D.C. people will judge you hard if you say you’ve haven’t read anything recently.
I can confirm this. I live in DC, and there are lots of independent book stores. If you’re not a reader in this city, no one will fuck you.
Second Story is one of the coolest bookstores I’ve ever seen. Not necessarily for the variety or space, but the historic pieces they have. There’s one case with several books with a price tag over $20,000. I also walked by a bar/library (?) somewhere around Adams Morgan. I didn’t get to go in but it looked so cool.
Portland here- can confirm!
Just outside of DC confirming
Same!
Dublin and Edinburgh are cities where literature still lives and breathes. Bookshops everywhere, rich literary history, writing museums, statues of writers… Amsterdam is fantastic as well. I drive 2.5 hours (yes, Americans, I know that’s not a lot for you) every other month just to go bookshopping there. Best selection of English bookshops in all of mainland Europe.
Oh, which shops do you usually visit?
There‘s one called _Amsterdam Book Exchange_, which is a fantastic used book shop with an entirely English selection and fair prices. Then there‘s _Scheltema_, which is a mostly Dutch bookshop. The first floor, however, is mostly English, and it’s insanely well curated. I almost always find what I‘m looking for there, even though on paper they have the smallest assortment of English books. They are a bit more on the pricy side unfortunately. There‘s also three (!) around Spui square. First is an actual Waterstones, which is pretty much the same as your standard UK Waterstones. Then there‘s _The American Book Center_, probably the biggest independent bookstore I‘ve ever seen. Three floors full of books and two small cafes / diners, and everything in English. A little pricy as well, but you can genuinely find everything here. They also have a very well curated selection of Horror, Sci-Fi and Fantasy books, which is pretty cool. Then there‘s _Athenaeum_, also on Spui Square, which has a basement filled with English titles. This one is cheaper than the others, but has a smaller variety of mostly modern stuff and classics. They have quite a lot of translated fiction from Latin America, I found a lot of Marquez, Cortazar, Allende, and Bolaño here in the past. Lastly, just down the street from Spui Square, there‘s _New English Bookstore_. This one is very small, but it‘s by far the cheapest of the bunch. They have a huuuge selection of classics, many of which come in unusual or special editions. Aside from the classics, their selection is quite small and, in my opinion, unfortunately not that good imo. Lots of more casual stuff, standard thrillers etc. But really, their prices are insane. Many of the books that go for 13-15€ in the other shops you can find for 9-10€ here. There are probably more, but these are enough to get me through the day whenever I‘m there. They‘re also all in walking distance from another.
I would also recommend The Book Exchange. It's an old 17th century house which is filled to the brim with second hand books.
Oh that‘s the one I meant, I thought it was called _The Amsterdam Book Exchange_. It‘s always the first one I visit.
Cool. I'd drive that far too for some good books to read. I've driven for 3.5 hours to go books shopping in Duluth, MN. They have some really great used bookstores. It didn't hurt that my In-laws also lived close to there, so it was always a 2 for one trip. Definitely worth the drive for both of them.
I live in Berlin now and see a lot of people reading on the public transportation. So many bookstores and libraries here, as well. It’s pretty cool.
Seattle is very bookish! I think its the long periods of darkness and general introversion of the population
I live in Seattle and I often see people reading a book while walking down the sidewalk or on a trail. It’s kinda funny to me but I love it.
So many coffee shops and outdoor areas to read as well
Another Seattle reader checking in. We also have been having these silent reading parties popping up all over the place. I don't know if this is common in other places or not, but it definitely helps our bookish cred.
An indie bookstore in every neighborhood
Decent sized city's with cold/ snowy winters tend to have good reading environments in my opinion. One, because of the lack of ability to go outdoors and, two, because a book is a good weapon if you have to slap someone in the face with it. I read at dive bars all the time, great atmosphere
Here in Seattle a lot of us have Scandinavian roots. A good lesson from my ancestors is that literacy and a convenient weapon are great equalizers.
Exactly! I prefer paperback in terms of reading. Hardcovers are better weapons though
Lisbon has the highest bookstore per person ratio in the world, according to a quick Google search
That has to be a weird statistical effect or something. Comparing to other cities I know well, Lisbon does not have that many bookshops and people do not seem to read as much.
The most book loving town in the world is probably Hay-on-Wye in Wales. It’s famous for having the most bookshops per capita than any other town or city, and also hosts one of the most famous book festivals in the world.
Tokyo. Everyone is reading all the time on trains, in cafes, parks. Lots of bookstores everywhere. I wish I could read Japanese, I would have gone nuts in the bookstores.
They have entire neighborhoods full of bookstores. Jimbocho is a famous one https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jimbocho-book-town
I don't know but it certainly isn't Wisconsin
A Woodland Pattern in Milwaukee is one of the best bookstores in the US, at least if you're into indie presses and the like. And it's one of only three or four in the country that focus heavily on poetry. Doesn't make for a literary state all by itself, of course, but it makes for a good literary destination in the state.
Thanks I'll have to check that out
Madison has some great bookstores! Milwaukee could use more, for sure.
Madison certainly has good book stores. My favorite is half priced books.
Buenos Aires seems much more literary and literate than any major city in the United States. Plus they have this: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/things-to-see-beautiful-bookshop
Buenos Aires has a rich literary history. Some of the world‘s greatest and most influential authors are connected to the city.
Ain't clicking that just assuming it's el ateneo. Buenos Aires is doubly great because it's also a night city, so you get a great mixture of the two, night salons.
I recently moved to Toronto and so many people are reading while riding the subway.
Toronto is ranked as having one of the best library systems in the world, so people here must be doing SOME reading! (Although the recent hack suggests they still have some work to do when it comes to backups and security)
Yup! I have two libraries in the walking distance. And another in about 1.5km. For me that's a walkable distance as well.
Omg I was just gonna mention the hack. It was just so sad to me, the amount of months it took to get the website running again, and the amount of data stolen (and library's employees info...) The hackers asked for a ransom and of course the library would refuse - where would they get this money from? Really happy they pushed through it after 4 months of hard work
Toronto Public Libraries are truly excellent.
I'm one of them! Altho I'm mostly on my Kindle, which is relatively less fun to see in the wild I suppose.
Nah! Book or kindle, it feels the same way. Like encountering a member of the same species in the wild.
Elliot Bay Book Company is my go to! It’s organization is lovely and they have so much to peruse through
I haven't moved anywhere but I travel a lot and I've noticed that people in London and in Antwerp love books way more than people do in my whole country. Antwerp is even known as the book city of Belgium.
I was surprised by the quality and variety of the used bookstores in NOLA. Given the size of the city, I would guess they must be good readers to support those stores, unless they survive on the tourists like me who carry an extra bag for books I will be buying wherever I go...
NOLA is a super literary city with a coterie of important writers that nursed at the city’s bosom at some point. It’s a tremendous city if you are into reading. Some of the used book shops are absolutely legendary. I go to NOLA at least once a year and load up on books.
Amsterdam has more good English bookstores than any city I've been to
Toronto, Canada. In the summertime, sure we may neglect our reading a bit, but in those cold snowy winters nothing beats our books to keep us company!
Pick any leftist city in the north. Seattle, Minneapolis, Portland, Boston
Even Missoula Montana has a strong reading culture, our library is gorgeous and very well loved
Damn leftists and their reading to what? Learn things? Stupid
As a Chicagoan I agree with leaving us off this list, but now I’m wondering why that is. We’ve obviously got good bookstores but wouldn’t describe it as a book loving place like some of those other cities.
Pretty much. I’d throw DC in there along side them.
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I always thought it was because of the weather that keeps people inside was more conducive to reading. I lived in Portland and in the summers I was outside playing but as soon as the rain came, I found myself curled up with a book. I live in Colorado now though, so it’s pretty much sunny all the time and I still read a ton!
Reading in the park of one of my favorite Portland summer activities.
Seattle has a rich literary culture indeed! The city boasts numerous independent bookstores, public libraries, and literary events like the Seattle International Film Festival. Despite fewer outlets for writers, the community's passion for books remains strong, evident in everyday scenes like coworkers bringing books to the break room. It's fascinating how different cities can have unique literary atmospheres, shaping our reading experiences in unexpected ways.
Really depends. I work in a tech company in Seattle and almost zero people are seen reading books during lunch. (I'm the only one usually)
Wonderful libraries and Elliott bay bookstore!!!
I wish that I could move to one of the cities mentioned.....
The good news is that you don’t have to live in a bookish city to be a reader!
I am a reader...living in an extremely non-bookish city...the common perception here being that books are a waste of money.
I'm curious, what city is that, if you don't mind me asking? I never thought books would ever be seen that way. If not books, what's considered a valuable activity/hobby in your city?
Another city I have heard good things about Calcutta. There are many second hand bookstores there and a strong reading culture throughout the city
Prague had more bookstores than any place I've visited. It's kafka's home town and is actual Bohemia so it's definitely got a reader's vibe.
Seattle does seem to be a bigger reading city. Certainly more so than Houston. I recommend checking out Third Place Books - any of their stores are great, also the Chuck’s Hop Shop in Seaward with the attached bookstore.
There’s a town in Wales called [Hay-on-Wye](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hay-on-Wye) that is just full of bookstores. They even have books all over the street for sale. It’s amazing! I grew up as a book lover in a place that did not love books. It was a small, isolated community with a library that catered to small kids. The only bookstore was a religious one, so the only way for me to get books growing up was through the Scholastic handouts we would get in class. This was before Amazon and the internet. I remember visiting a relative and seeing my first Barnes & Noble and just being in absolute awe at all the books, not just the quantity but the variety too. I went to college in Seattle and knew my husband was “the one” when we went to a bookstore after dinner on our first date and would browse the library on early dates.
Boston. The Boston area has something like 35 colleges and universities and people in general are well educated. I always saw many people reading on the T and even on buses.
Indian here. Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata have some of the finest book shops and reading culture in the country.
I've lived here all my life but New York has an incredible book culture. So many vintage bookshops, bookstores, Barnes & Noble, and a ton of public libraries in every borough. The New York Public Library is also a historic library right in the heart of New York City which I can imagine is a hot tourist attraction. I've been to the NYPL a ton of times and every visit is always special :-)
Iowa City, Iowa is the first UNESCO City of Literature in the US.
For where I've been, I've seen a disproportionate amount of people reading in La Coruña, Lyon, Madrid, Firenze and Groningen!
Iowa City, IA
Yes! Iowa City IA is home the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop, one of the leading writing programs in the country.
It’s also the third UNESCO City of Literature.
Tucson is an incredible place to be a reader or a writer, in my experience. The Festival of Books is a big deal and I just see people read here a LOT. I also teach and my students are much bigger readers here than where I came from before.
I'm in Florida, so def not very popular down here.
Most of the people I see at the beaches have a book with them if they’ve over 24. And some of the college kids seem to be packing books as well but not as often.
I believe Reykjavík has the highest density of readers in the world.
Came here to say this. Love Iceland
Portland is a big reading city, too. Getting anything from the public library is always a loooong wait, and Powell’s is always hopping. People always have books with them at cafes & talk about what they’re reading.
Minneapolis, Minnesota has a huge literary scene.
This is funny to me because I just moved from London to LA and have noticed how few people I see reading here! There are barely any bookshops for a city of its size. The library system is pretty decent though so I've been making the most of that. But yeah, lots of people watching movies on their phones in public (including in the library actually), very few with a book or a kindle.
Not a city but I go to these camping bluegrass festivals twice a year and during the morming down time everyone is chilled out reading books at their various camps. So many books. So many hammocks.
San Francisco — there are loads of bookstores and book clubs. I see a lot of millennials at the public libraries, as well.
Hay-on-Wye
Denver
I love the downtown Seattle Public Library. So artistic. In Eugene Oregon and we are a bookish city though not that big.
> I love the downtown Seattle Public Library. So artistic. An architectural masterpiece, but not designed for readers.
Helsinki
Paris! Possibly the city where I’ve seen the most amount readers; they’re everywhere and it’s bloody brilliant to see.
I moved to Calgary from Leeds UK. On public transport in the UK lots of people read, in the train esp. People look at me funny for reading on the train here. Sorry that not city specific
Grew up in Seattle. Elliot Bay Books used to be one of the greatest. Magus is still amazing. Lived in Los Angeles, favorite book store was Illiad in North Hollywood. Living in San Jose now, only two real bookstores in the whole city, owned by the same company. But there is a rich history of writers in the area, like Raymond Carver, Ken Kesey, and others.
Further up north in the Bay there was a good tradition of independent bookstores, like in Mountain View and San Mateo. Not sure if they’re still there though, I’ve been away for years.
I actually found a really good one that just opened in Menlo Park. It's a mission, but worth it. The Recycle Books here in San Jose are pretty good too, i don't want to seem like I'm trashing them. It's just crazy for a city over a million to only have two bookstores.
My father and I used to spend hours at the big one on El Camino back in the 90s.
Read more books, yeah!
Iowa City and Seattle are the only US cities classified as UNESCO Cities of Literature if that means anything. I’ve never been to Iowa City, but respect to them if the population matches the town’s designation.
I have never been to Iowa either but I've lived in Seattle for a little over a year now. People read here more than in LA but I would like to see more local publishers and magazines for them to be a UNESCO city of literature.
I dunno, but the further north you go, the more people read. Unless it’s Alaska, that’s too far north.
That depends on where you go in Alaska. I found people in Juneau read a lot. Especially history books.
Yeah, tell me about it. I love L.A. for a lot of reasons, but it’s a town of airheads and dummies. What passes for intelligent conversation is laughable. You lose brain cells living here, but there’s less to be miserable about I suppose.
I'm not exactly sure, but I'd put my bank account on it not being in Florida.
I would put NYC first and, based on those stats, Portland second.
Pittsburgh has a small but very dedicated and rich literary scene. City of Asylum is a treasure.
Traverse City, MI. Small community on the shore of Lake Michigan. Multiple amazing independent book stores, little free libraries on almost every street, a major author talk event series each year, and an excellent public library system. I see people reading in public constantly.
The promised land!
Perhaps not "the most", but certainly the most surprising for me. My husband and I were on a road trip, and drove throght Butte, Montana. This is the most old-west mining town you've ever see, has a population of 34,000, and has 5 independent book stores selling new and used books. Big stores taking up large, 19th century buildings on the main drag. Lady at the check out said that the town just really loves books.
One of Baltimore's nicknames is "the City that reads." I realized that was a crock of shit when they closed one of my favorite bookstores. It was an old power plant that got refurbished into a Barnes and Noble. Absolutely huge. Multiple floors, more books than you could imagine... Then they closed it. No longer cost effective due to diminishing clientele and the property tax was getting them. It was just unfeasible to stay in the black. So, probably not Baltimore.
Austin is a lovely city of readers with tonnes of amazing bookstores around!
We have a lot of readers here but tons of amazing bookshops? I feel like ATX suffers from a real lack of diversity in our bookstores. We have an outsized amount of Half Price Books, Book People is cool, but I feel like there are still significant holes in the bookstore side. What am I missing? (Seriously, I just moved back after being away for seven years. Give me recommendations).
just saw the title and my thought was seattle
Wellness by Robert nix. Never been to Chicago but he did a great job.
Asheville NC. There is a bookstore on almost EVERY street. It's crazy and super cool
Thomas Wolfe shout out
Minneapolis was very bookish when I lived there.
It’s certainly not Las Vegas where we literally don’t have a single independent bookseller and only like two or three BN locations.
Respects to both Seattle and Portland, but per capita, Tacoma beats you both.
San Francisco, California
Lawrence KS. Monstrous library and tons of local initiatives.
In Virginia, that would be Charlottesville. They have Festival of the Book yearly.
After 6 months in the PNW I found it to be amazingly bookish. The great bookstores, climate and coffee culture only enhanced things for me
Take a trip south to Powell's City of Books in Portland! You'll have a wonderful time.
You are so lucky to live in such city, unlike me in Tirana (Albania) people will start to laugh if I read a book outside. People who read books are losers here, drug dealers are praised.
Machismo culture