What is that strange tingle you get when you walk into a bookshop and cast your eyes around the piles of books, intriguing titles and luring cover pictures?  And why are some bookshops more appealing and engaging than others?  Well, despite the title of this blog, I’m not going to say which is my favourite, but please read on anyway!

I used to travel to Chicago regularly on business and by way of de-compressing I would spend whole evenings at Borders on North Michigan Avenue.  A huge store on five levels but sadly no longer there.  What was the attraction?  Knowledgeable staff, plenty of seating to rest upon and read a few pages of a possible purchase.  The range of genres was immense and I frequently bought books by American authors that I knew I would not get back in the UK.

Whilst I like many independent bookshops (try Maldon Books, Chicken and Frog Bookshop, Caxton Books – all in Essex, or Shrew Books in Fowey, Cornwall), I am also happy to tour the larger high street shops, even better if they have a café. Daunt Books’ iconic Edwardian shop in Marylebone is a must visit for all book (and bookshop) lovers, and while you’re in London take a bus to Heywood Hill in Mayfair where you can buy a book, a year of books or have a whole library fitted and stocked in your home!

The fact is I can’t really decide which is my number one, so I will just have to continue visiting bookshops until I’m able to vote for my favourite.