JOURNAL
LP ON THE ROAD
PHOTOGRAPHS: MING TANG-EVANS, © NACÁSA & PARTNERS, CITY LIGHTS BOOKS
There’s nothing like being surrounded by books, wherever you are – LP staffers bring you the finest
oases of literature they’ve found on their travels
The world’s best bookshops
SHAKESPEARE AND COMPANY,
PARIS
I made a special trip to the Left Bank
for this one when I was in Paris. It has
two floors packed with English-language
texts, and any spare wall space devoted
to quotes from people far wiser than me.
There are a few cosy chairs, window
seats and corners to consider your
potential purchases in. I was particularly
struck by an alcove with a typewriter in
it, the walls of which, when I was there,
were covered with handwritten scraps
of paper. These notes were from visitors
- heartfelt messages to a loved one,
dedications to the shop itself, or a quote
froma favouriteauthoror philosopher.
DAIKANYAMA T-SITE, TOKYO
One of the major perks of my job
is getting paid to browse bookshops
around the world, and you’d be
stretched to find a better place to pay
homage to the printed word than
Daikanyama T-site. This beautifully
designed store is well worth scoping
out even if just to admire the building’s
beautiful, criss-crossed architecture.
Once you’ve had your fill of roaming
three floors’ worth of bookshelves,
there’s the bar, coffee shop, or even
the video rental space (how very Japan)
to give you more reason to stay just that
little bit longer. Grab a book, order
a beer and delve into its pages over
the sounds of live piano music. I could
have stayed hours here. So, erm, I did –
longafterthosemeetingswereover.
CITY LIGHTS, SAN FRANCISCO
Opened in 1953 by poet Lawrence
Ferlinghetti and professor Peter D Martin,
the now three-storey establishment
publishes and sells titles in poetry,
fiction, translation, politics, history and
the arts. It hosts events and readings,
and runs a non-profit of the same name
that aims to promote diversity of voices
and ideas in literature. It’s opposite
Vesuvio, a bar frequented by Kerouac
and other Beat-generation writers and
artists; the muralled lane connecting
them has been renamed Kerouac Alley.
Hit peak literary-traveller by picking up
a rare book in City Lights and reading
it at the bar in Vesuvio with a cocktail
named after Kerouac. (Just have one,
if youwantto beableto seestraight.)
CLAIRENAYLOR,
Digitaleditor
@RoadTripJones
JOEREVILL
Internationallicensing manager
@JoeRevill
JESSICARYAN
Seniorproducteditor
@jessimica-ryan
48 October 2019