Hi, my name is Karen and I have an addiction. I can't stop reading. Everything from the stale-smelling tomes you pick up from library shelves to mildewed $1 classics from the bargain bin at second-hand shops.
I buy a lot of my books online these days (thank you Book Depository, Mighty Ape and Amazon), but I still can't resist wandering into bookstores whenever I have a spare half-day.
There is just something about a printed book, the cover binding together pages that promise mystery, magic and potential life lessons.
You just don't get the same effect from a Kindle, PC or tablet - though they have their place. A whole generation of younger readers now will be raised on e-books, and that's fine too. Anything, as long as people keep letting themselves be swept away by the perfection of a tale well told.
I hope there will always be a place for physical bookstores, though. They are places of wonder and fantasy, a Narnia for children and grown-ups who are transported by reading into other places, other lives. This year is so busy that I've had little time to meander into my favourite bookstores, but there's no time like deepest winter to start again.
Winter is the perfect season for browsing through drowsy little shops with weird corners and angles, unearthing a literary gem and enjoying it later at home with a cup of hot chocolate.
Here are a few bookstores around Auckland that I love. Add your own tips on other amazing stores around the country, so I know where to go next time I hanker for some soul food when out of town.
This is the only bookstore I know of that's open till 9pm, every night of the week. Now that's dedication! It's the perfect place to go for gifts, either for a friend or to treat yourself, as they carry such a great selection of titles - from fiction, art and children's books to hobbies, gardening and graphic novels. The owner and her staff are real bookaholics and are often happy to recommend titles or just chat about a title that's piqued your interest. It's also a generous place, as they let out their upstairs space free to reading groups.
Dorothy Butler Children's Bookshop
I just love soaking up the candy colours and décor of this place, which I imagine must be like crack for kids. There are picture books everywhere and books for older children and young adults. Whenever I walk in, I'm tempted to act as though I'm a kid again and run wild between the bookshelves - and some littlies do.
Just round the corner from Time Out is another bookstore that I love visiting for the atmosphere. Chapter specialises in romance novels, encompassing your classic Virginia Andrews to contemporary, fantasy, futuristic, historical and regency romances. I come here mostly for the tea, of which there is an awe-inspiring medley. The last time I dropped in, I ended up spending $40 on tea leaves. I'm not a huge fan of romance, but there's a small selection of mainstream fiction here too. Apparently the bestselling authors are Nora Roberts and, more recently, Nalini Singh.
Murray Gray is a legend around Titirangi and the founder of the Going West Books & Writers Festival - he pinched the name off a Maurice Gee book. The store specialises in NZ literature and hard-to-find titles. Readers will find it worthwhile going in just to talk to Murray - the guy is fascinating, and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of NZ books, particularly those with a West Auckland bent. Murray takes pride in selling his "slightly used" books, and even though they're second-hand, they're as well preserved as anything brand new and twice or three times the price.
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Yay a book blog awesome! I too love meandering around bookstores on lunch breaks and days off work - there are so many great ones in Wellington, I'm still discovering more and I've lived here most of my life!
And the best is Dear Reader in Grey Lynn. The loveliest book shop of all time!
Unity in Wellington is the bee's knees. Great New Zealand section, great genre sections, and the staff know what's up.
This is why bookshops rule - I want to find good books and it's nice to have someone who can point me in the right direction. Amazon's mind-blowing range is grand, in theory, but I don't want twelve billion books - I just want one that's good. And when that's your goal, Unity should be your destination :D
Yay! This is awesome! I was at Time Out last week, the staff are all really nice. I asked the guy if he knew of any book clubs I could join, & he very kindly took my details to pass on to the book clubs who go there. It's the small niceities that make it so nice.
Totally agree with Unity Books in Wellington, amazing selection and the staff are awesome.
Also, the Children's Bookshop in Kilbirnie is a fantastic place to shop for kids/teens books. The staff there are amazing too!
Finally, a books blog!!
Any list of the best bookshops in Auckland which doesn't include Unity Books is seriously incomplete. They seem to be able to cram the range of their Wellington bookshop into a tenth of its space. Time also seems to pass differently there; somehow slower, but when you come to you find that you've spent half an hour staring at a sale table. I believe magic, or perhaps Timelord technology, may be involved. Terry Pratchett has a good theory regarding this phenomenon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L-Space#L-space).
For secondhand books, I'd go for Jason Books in the city, Bookmark in Takapuna, and Hard to Find in Onehunga.
Oh wonderful!
I love Unity Books in Wellington.
As someone who is moving to Auckland soon, I'm excited about prospect of great bookstores up there too!
If you are ever in Napier check out 'the Little Bookshop' for a huge selection of second-hand books, corner of Latham st and Nelson Crescent - about five mins out of the main city but still close. The books are in two side by side shops, fiction and Childrens in one side and non-fiction in the other. There is a coffee shop inside the bookshop, selling Flight coffee and a great selection of food and patrons are welcome to browse while they sup.. book prices in the fiction section rarely top $10, even for recent editions and Anne, 'the book lady' is very very helpful.
Love local bookstores, and online bookstores - Book depository, Betterworld Books, etc. No time to waste on Kindle, Kobo, other ebook readers, much prefer the feel and smell of real books. Not tech savvy at all, and I don't miss it.
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Love this. Have you come across bookish.co.nz? It lists all the online stores where a certain book is available, and in order of lowest price in NZ$(including postage). I use to be an addict to bookdepository but now after using bookish find that fishpond is more often than not cheaper. Check it out if you haven't! I am going to visit Chapter at my first opportunity - looks awesome!