Bottle Rocket
Former Member
Re New York: yes indeed, the loss of the Gotham was a real pity ... there ought to have been some way to save it. I agree with you about the Strand as well, but it's still pretty amazing if you have the time and patience to sift through all those shelves. There are also a whole lot of first-rate specialized bookstores on travel, cooking, and the like, as well as foreign-language places (I love browsing one Japanese place even though I don't speak the language). For those who like graphic novels, sf, and comics, Forbidden Planet is about a block from the Strand.As I recall, Foyle's had already cleaned up their act a decade ago. But I'm glad I got to see it before that happened ... similarly, in NYC, The Strand went bland when it expanded from 8 to 18 miles of books. And, tragically, their Fulton St annex is closing. Not as tragic as the loss of Gotham Book Mart, nor Coliseum Books, within the last couple of years, but still a loss.
In London, one of my favorite haunts is Maggs in Berkeley Square, (although I "Rare"ly can finance the books I really want).
The New York Public Library system is a marvel (and can be searched pretty easily via computer -- circulating volumes can be reserved from any branch library and delivered to the branch nearest you, which is great) ... the trouble is, with 50 million items to keep track of, it's very hard to keep the catalog up to date except for the closed and closely monitored special collections.
One great benefit of attending a university with an outstanding library system is that you can maintain alumni library privileges pretty cheaply. My own almae matres have magnificent collections, although the rules have tightened up a good deal as regards open stacks, which is a pity. When I was researching my thesis, I kept running across unexpected volumes which would distract me for hour after hour; frequently I'd be the first person in a century to check a particular title out, which was just too kool for skool.
BR