Set in the heart of London’s notorious arts and literary areas, The Bloomsbury has some of the world’s most famous bookshops on its doorstep

It’s not surprising that the area that gave the influential group of associated English writers, philosophers and artists, the ‘Bloomsbury Set’ its name is home to some of the finest bookshops the capital has to offer. We’ve put together a list of some of our favourites to visit during a stay at The Bloomsbury

The London Review Bookshop (5min Walk)

Set in the heart of Bloomsbury, just a “Rosetta Stone’s throw from the British Museum”, London Review boasts a selection of more than 20,000 titles. Known for its unpretentious approach to literature both fiction and scholarly and its wine and nibbles evenings which are combined with 10% discounts on purchases – this bookshop is a must visit.

Bookmarks (2min Walk)

Bookmarks at 1 Bloomsbury Street is a veritable Aladdin’s Cave of new and second hand books. Known for making no pretence of being neutral, the shop specialises in socialist literature and is in fact a shopfront for the Socialist Workers Party, has been referred to as more than just a bookshop and is often considered to be a better resource than any library.

Judd Books (16min Walk)

This shrine to all things scholarly has a collection of over 50,000 titles in stock at any one time. Predominantly used and bargain academic books on a range of subjects from Art and Film to Philosophy and Economics.

Jarndyce Antiquarian Booksellers (2min Walk)

There is surely no sight so stunning as a row of beautiful leather-bound antiquarian books. Literature lovers rejoice, Jarndyce Antiquarian Booksellers was established in 1969 and is the leading specialist in 18^th and 19^th Century English Literature and History. Located at 46 Great Russell Street, the former home of the feted illustrator Randolph Caldecott, the site has contained a bookshop since at least 1890.

Gay’s The Word (15min Walk)

The UK’s first, and now last surviving LGBT bookshop, Gay’s The Word, was established in 1979. The shop features everything from frivolous to the profound, from prize-winning literary works to a non-fiction section covering a range of issues relevant to the LGBT scene.

Gosh! Comics (10min Walk)

Not your traditional bookshop per se, Gosh! Is the perfect spot for any comic book aficionado. With more than 30 years at the forefront of the graphic novel scene, Gosh! Stocks a range of comics that is second to none, from stylish children’s books to contemporary graphic fiction there is something for everyone through this altar to the culture of comics.

Persephone Books (15min Walk)

At Persephone Books it’s all about quality not quantity. Each of the 122 books sold in their shop on Lamb’s Conduit Street are reprints of neglected fiction and non-fiction from mid-twentieth century writers, most of whom are women. From novels and memoirs to diaries and cookery books, their special reprints include prefaces from the likes of Jilly Cooper, Elaine Showalter and David Kynaston.

Images from Flickr.