The bookstores that still speak volumes

• Source: Global Times
• [11:00 April 27 2010]
• Comments

A wider reading selection

People who are not solely interested in classics and mainstream literature still have plenty of choice when searching for new books in the city. One popular choice among expats is Garden Books, located on Changle Road whose focus is entirely on foreigners. They offer a book ordering service, and wide variety of genres including among others, Western politics. The bookstore also has an extensive catalogue of best-sellers, contemporary fiction and a number of art and photography coffee table-style books.

Garden Books also boasts an ice cream parlor and a selection of wines and teas to be enjoyed while browsing. It is not uncommon to see parents strolling through the stacks while their children enjoy ice cream. Students can be found relaxing in the afternoon sunshine while catching up on the latest release from their favorite author.

Another book retailer that caters for foreigners is Chaterhouse located in Times Square. Aside from books, they also have an array of magazines from all over the world covering a wide range of topics (including politics, business, computers, lifestyle/fashion, and cooking), and even offer a magazine subscription service. They also hold onto old copies of magazines for up to three months and sell them at a discount. Although it is an impressive selection, it is not necessarily what they consider their main selling point.

"What makes us special is we have a highly detailed catalog of children's books according to different ages," said Chen Jie, the Chaterhouse Manager.

While the city offers a number of retail options for book lovers, the current limited number of foreign language bookstores, low stocks, and relatively high-prices can present problems when purchasing a page turner.