As we are approaching the end of Lent Term, I decided to write a blog on the amazing bookshops I have visited throughout the year. I specifically target small second-hand bookshops that are student and environmentally friendly. A lot of the suggestions below are near student accommodations and walking distance from LSE, so do pay them a visit!
- Housmans Books – not-for-profit bookshop
Location: 5 Caledonian Road, Kings Cross N1 9DY
This is the first book shop I visited out of all four and the best one so far! Although they don’t do a lot of second-hand books, they give out free stickers and their second-hand books are really cheap! I bought Tom Bingham’s “Rule of Law” for £3 there, it was second-hand but it was almost brand new! Although a bit pricey, I quite like their book bundles, for example, black politics book bundle, decolonisation book bundle and feminism book bundle. Although it is a relatively small bookshop, they do gift cards – consider getting a gift card from them for a friend who is into humanities.
Rating: 10/10
- Skoob Books – second-hand bookshop
Location: 66 The Brunswick off, Marchmont St, London WC1N 1AE
This bookshop is 20 steps from Judd Books, although you sort of have to go into an alley next to Brunswick square to get to the book store and it is not as obvious as bookshops on high streets, I would say the quality was promising! As you go down the staircase to enter the store which is underground, you will see plenty of instagrammable posters all over the wall! To me, Skoob Books feels more like a library than a bookshop and they provide a variety of genres, which is great! I also got a couple of postcards from them. They were not generic London scenery post cards, but comics of famous women in stem!
Rating: 8/10
- Hurlingham Books – second-hand bookshop
Location: Ranelagh Gardens, 91 Fulham High St, London SW6 3JS
This one is not exactly the closest to the LSE campus, but still worth a visit. Hurlingham Books is the smallest bookshop out of the four, it is located at the corner of the street. I visited it in the summer, and back then they had plenty of books displayed outside. They have a large amount of books for a small shop, and some books are relatively cheap! I would say if you are in the area, definitely give it a visit before you cross Putney Bridge!
Rating: 7/10
- Judd Books – new and second-hand bookshop
Location: 82 Marchmont St, London WC1N 1AG
Located next to Brunswick Square, I was first attracted to it due to the cheap second-hand books sitting outside the shop. Judd Books have plenty of books in arts and humanities, they sell both brand new and second-hand books. You never know what you are going to find in their sea of books, give it a visit when you are seeing your friends from Gardens Hall.
Rating: 6/10.
