Inner West bookshops

From shops in Paddington and Berrima, Berkelouw has been rapidly expanding. (more…)

Brays Books opened in 1969 and has been providing professional service and an extensive range of stock ever since. Brays Books for Kids is a shop within the shop is a mecca for kids with specialist children's booksellers and twice weekly book readings. Owner/Manager Philip Bray also founded, in 1978, The NSW Independent Booksellers' Group.

The Cornstalk is a well-stocked secondhand bookshop with reasonable prices (for example, they know that hardcover blockbusters aren't worth anything, so they are all priced at $5). The shop is also highly organised and the staff are generally friendly. If you are searching for anything special they will take details and hunt for you. Two other features are an attractive and ever-changing window display and a wonderful glass cabinet filled with antiquarian and special interest books. These are mostly wildly expensive, but looking at them is pleasure enough. [CC]

Upstairs from Sappho and next to Gleebooks. Secondhand & antiquarian: printed music; scores; books about music. The stock is listed online.

6 rooms of second hand music - books, sheets, scores, programs, crammed into an atmospheric old 2 storey shop in Glebe. A music-lover's heaven. Friendly and knowledgeable staff (well we like to think so). Occasional catalogues. [owner]

A nice mix of new and secondhand books. Shops in the CBD (Pitt St) and Newtown (King St).

The catalogue is searchable online. Some specialisation in sport, labour history, etc.

This is a small, selective and well-maintained bookshop with very reasonable prices and an 'academic' feel to it. The opening hours are a pain - I have often stumbled off the train at Newtown and hared down King Street at 9 AM only to be disappointed! Cash only. [CC]

Specialises in gardening and botany, with hugely broad coverage – if you want a book on Peruvian cactuses, this is where to go.

Right across from the school where they hold markets on the weekends. Lots of new releases, academic books, good section on drama, a huge amount of stuff on lifestyle, classic literature and "modern" novels. Some SF/F. (LR)

Vies with Abbeys for the status of Sydney's best bookshop. Exceptional philosophy and cultural studies stock, but also solid holdings in other academic areas. Has a broad range of literature and a decent selection of DVDs. Holds regular book launches and other events. [DY]

An excellent secondhand shop and a children's bookshop joined together.

A Sydney institution, Goulds stocks mostly secondhand books - piles and piles of them, in dusty disorganised piles spread over two stories. It also has videos, vinyl records, and magazines. There are a pair of friendly twin cats which frequent the place. [Inggrid Ajani, 02/2002]

This is a Collins franchise, but has the feel of an independent bookshop.

An anarchist bookshop.

We are a general secondhand & antiquarian bookshop. Open only by appointment. [owner]

Modern Times is actually two shops - a stationery shop on the right and a bookshop on the left. The bookshop doesn't have a large stock (and it's mostly popular titles), but it does offer a 15% discount on new releases. Not a patch on the famous Modern Times bookshop in San Francisco, but a good place to browse while waiting for the bus. [DY, 08/1996]

Phoenix Rising is a small shop, but it is well lit and has a pleasant, open layout. The stock is a broad range of "alternative" and "esoteric" works - transpersonal psychology, deep ecology, self transformation, Eastern religions, natural therapies, etc. This is not my personal cup of tea (though I found a few scattered gems), but if it's what you are after then this would be a good place to look; it's conveniently close to Gleebooks, too. Their web page has a collection of short reviews. [DY]

Christian books.

'Sappho Books' looks as though it was organised by a group of obsessive-compulsives... which in fact it was. For example, the Drama section is divided into five clearly labelled and alphabetically arranged sub-sections. While we have excellent Humanities areas, the strength of 'Sappho Books' lies in its extensive Fiction sections, contemporary, classic, crime and popular titles, plus a large selection of science fiction and fantasy. Contrary to the expectations of many, 'Sappho' is not a lesbian bookshop, although Women's Studies and Gay/Lesbian literature are well represented. [owner]

Located next to the Palace Cinema. Open till 9pm (10pm on Saturdays).

A secondhand bookshop run by the student council at Sydney University.

Buys and sells current textbooks, but has some broader stock and will also sell other titles on commission.

A bilingual bookshop cafe, catering to educational needs as well as texts in English and Greek. Sells games as well.