Second hand bookshops?

scream

I'm off to Dublin in a couple of days and would like to browse the odd second hand bookshop. Are there any well known/well loved or just 'any' of them around the city that you know of. I'm not really looking for the charity shops that happen to have a book section though, but rather, shops that only do second hand books.

Thanks for your help.

eviltwin

Chapters on Parnell Street is the best imo. It's first floor is dedicated to second hand and is huge.

GLaDOS

Chapters on Parnell street has a big selection of 2nd hand books upstairs

scream

Thanks lads, I'll give that a try.

gaiscioch

I love this bookshop on Duke Street. It was known as Cathach Books for decades but is now going under the name Ulysses Rare Books. It's superb for Irish history stuff. One of the books was for sale for almost €30k the last time I was there (I think it was 15th century).

The Winding Stair still apparently has secondhand books. Years ago it had a great selection - again with a strong Irish history and literature bent.

Lastly, I'd hop on the bus and drop into the secondhand bookshop in the Blackrock market. There were some rare gems the last time I was there. It's a lovely place to while away a few hours anyway.

nosietoes

The dedicated Oxfam books on parliament street is very good as well.

scream

nosietoes wrote:

The dedicated Oxfam books on parliament street is very good as well.

I've only ever come across one other dedicated Oxfam before. Sounds just the ticket.

Ben D Bus

nosietoes wrote: »

The dedicated Oxfam books on parliament street is very good as well.

I must take a look in there myself. Do they have many big coffee table books? I buy quite a few Taschen type books - lots of pictures, few words

scream

I was in there a couple of hours ago. It's quite small. There's a little literature section, lots of Irish history and a few shelves of fiction but I wasn't too bowled over. I went to Chapters yesterday as well and their second hand floor is remarkable. If I lived in Dublin I'd not bother ever going anywhere else. Amazing place. I'd stick to Chapters if I were you.

JumpShivers

What're the prices like in Chapters, are they reasonable for a second hand book?

eviltwin

JumpShivers wrote: »

What're the prices like in Chapters, are they reasonable for a second hand book?

Depends on the quality and type of book, the average novel is about a fiver, they have books for a euro, larger books would go up in price.

scream

JumpShivers wrote:

What're the prices like in Chapters, are they reasonable for a second hand book?

I picked up a paperback novel which was €4.99, a slim collection of stories which was €1.50, and a hardback, again €4.99. All the were from the horror section and are ghost stories. Seems to range from €1.50 to €4.99 for your average novel depending on its size, although the hardback was 'The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories' which probably isn't much sought after and may go some way to explaining it's relatively low price (for a hardback).

Banjoxed

scream wrote: »

I was in there a couple of hours ago. It's quite small. There's a little literature section, lots of Irish history and a few shelves of fiction but I wasn't too bowled over. I went to Chapters yesterday as well and their second hand floor is remarkable. If I lived in Dublin I'd not bother ever going anywhere else. Amazing place. I'd stick to Chapters if I were you.

Bit dull sticking to one place, ever.

scream

Banjoxed wrote:

Bit dull sticking to one place, ever.

Yes, probably. I wouldn't actually just stick to the one shop of course. Was just expressing my surprise at how good a place Chapters was. I don't think I ever expected to see such a large, well laid out second hand bookshop. Having said that I still don't expect to find a better one anytime soon.

L1011

Chapters is the closest we have to Powells over here - and really the main difference there is the separation of new and second hand. I'm always surprised when people haven't heard of it, yet some major book buyers/readers I know don't even know its there.

nosietoes

L1011 wrote: »

Chapters is the closest we have to Powells over here - and really the main difference there is the separation of new and second hand. I'm always surprised when people haven't heard of it, yet some major book buyers/readers I know don't even know its there.

There's quite a big difference between Powell's and Chapters to be fair, tho it's as close as Dublin comes. I love Chapters, don't get me wrong but I've spent hours upon hours getting lost in Powell's which he really can't do in Chapters.

I think if any book shop in Ireland at least captured the spirit of Powell's, it would be Charlie Byrne's in Galway.

Hi, just to add that there's one on Wicklow Street - the Secret Bookshop, has a great selection of current, old and rare Irish history, philosophy, psychology etc..