Biblio-Text: Motor Books

Rachel Holdsworth
By Rachel Holdsworth Last edited 176 months ago
Biblio-Text: Motor Books
Motor Books: London transport. You know you want to
Motor Books: London transport. You know you want to
Motor Books: these guys stock books you won't get anywhere else. "Steam Passion" is only published in South Africa, and a pilot brings over a few copies now and then. This other book is about Japanese railways; the author travelled the world looking for postcards, which then went in the book
Motor Books: these guys stock books you won't get anywhere else. "Steam Passion" is only published in South Africa, and a pilot brings over a few copies now and then. This other book is about Japanese railways; the author travelled the world looking for postcards, which then went in the book
Motor Books: in their previous shop, pilots used to graffiti a certain section of wall. So when they moved to Cecil Court, they brought the (by now legendary) wall with them
Motor Books: in their previous shop, pilots used to graffiti a certain section of wall. So when they moved to Cecil Court, they brought the (by now legendary) wall with them
Motor Books: part of the chassis of a Honda Formula One car driven by Nelson Piquet (that's as opposed to his son, Nelson "DNF" Piquet Jr)
Motor Books: part of the chassis of a Honda Formula One car driven by Nelson Piquet (that's as opposed to his son, Nelson "DNF" Piquet Jr)
Motor Books in all its double fronted splendour
Motor Books in all its double fronted splendour
Motor Books: down in the military bunker (i.e. basement section)
Motor Books: down in the military bunker (i.e. basement section)
Motor Books: this may just be the coolest thing we've ever seen
Motor Books: this may just be the coolest thing we've ever seen

Continuing our amble round Cecil Court's independent bookshops

Motor Books has been specialising in motoring for 50 years (the last two in Cecil Court), branching out into railway, aviation, maritime and military. They have books you simply won't find anywhere else, never mind just not find in the mass market bookshops, and even if you don't consider yourself a transport geek there'll be something to divert you (there was us). Or just go for the banter between the specialist staff, all determined to prove their niche is the best.

Remember, we only visited just some of the shops on Cecil Court. You can also find architecture at Tindley & Chapman; Italian books at, well, The Italian Bookshop; literature, first editions and theology at PJ Hilton; first editions of poetry and literature at Peter Ellis; detective fiction and illustrated books at Nigel Williams and 19th and 20th century first editions at Greening Burland. Oh yeah, and there's also an art gallery, stamp seller, map and print shop and jewellery. This street is tiny, how the hell do they fit it all in? Mind you, just because it's short, don't think it'll take you any less than an hour to walk through.

Motor Books, 13-15 Cecil Court WC2N. Map after the jump, images author's own. Know a good bookshop? Email us at londonist (@) gmail.com.

Other posts:

Introduction

Marchpane / Goldsboro Books

Pleasures of Past Times / Tim Bryars

Travis & Emery / Watkins

Other posts:

Introduction

Marchpane / Goldsboro Books

Pleasures of Past Times / Tim Bryars

Travis & Emery / Watkins


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Last Updated 03 July 2009