The brilliant Kirsty invited me to a meet-up book bloggers (most people were 'book tubers', I was like the only person without a YouTube channel) in London on 25th July. I've met other bloggers before, but this was en masse, so I was nervous but excited. We met at King's Cross, by Watermark Books and the Harry Potter shop, and we all milled and said hello - it was amazing to meet Kirsty after talking online for so long, and it was great to meet lots of other bloggers. The day was a bookshop tour, led by Jen Campbell of Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops fame, who carried an umbrella like a tour guide and was a fantastic host. We visited:
- Words on the Water - but it was closed!
- Hatchards
- Skoob
- Persephone
- The London Review Bookshop
- Foyles
I was trying to 'be good' and not buy too many books, so I didn't buy anything until Skoob, which is a really cool secondhand bookshop just behind Russell Square station.
Here's what I bought at Skoob:
I read some Mansfield stories at uni and loved them, so I jumped on the chance to read more! And this is a nice edition.
Can't go wrong with some Didion! And again a nice edition - I think it's a US one.
Then it was on to Persephone Books, somewhere I have been meaning to visit forever, but never seemed to have the chance. As I'm sure you know they publish and sell beautiful editions of lesser-known Victorian, all in their distinctive grey covers. I bought a couple of their Classics, which have illustrated covers, as well as some lovely postcards. It's a very pretty little shop, and the assistant on duty was very sweet and helpful and spent lots of time discussing books and making recommendations. You've got to go there.
Here's what I bought at Persephone:
Next we made our way to The London Review Bookshop, which is just across from The British Museum. There is a cake shop too, and we took the opportunity to rest our tired feet and have a sit. We felt like old ladies after all our walking carrying lots of books!
I bought a book I'd been meaning to read for ages, and Kirsty assured me Mary Beard is a legend!
Our last stop was the new Foyles - my first visit there - and I actually didn't buy anything. I think I was all shopped-out! I also managed to fall really hard on my knee at King's Cross so I was more than ready to go sit on a train back to Oxford.
Lots of people took photos of all of us, which I will link to and can't wait to see! Thank you Kirsty for inviting me, and I am glad to say I have lots of new people on Twitter and Facebook, and new blogs and YouTube channels to follow. A really great day.
Yay for bloggers and books and bookshops!!