Continuing our amble round London's independent bookshops
Set up in 1936 as a book club and lending library (and based in Buckingham Street until 1986), Grant and Cutler is now the largest foreign language bookseller in the UK. That being the case, the shop is so much more than a bunch of 'Spanish for beginners' CDs and dictionaries (though they do those too).
They cover 150 languages, from large French, Spanish, German and Russian ranges to Tajik and Tagalog (a language spoken by 22 million people in the Philippines. We learn new stuff every day!). They've got novels by the bucketload, world DVDs, books for children (which, by the way, is actually quite a good way of familiarising yourself with a language. Easy words, see) - and Scrabble.
The grey metal shelving may give off a utilitarian vibe but Grant and Cutler is a truly diverting experience, especially after the manic tourist crush of Carnaby Street just round the corner.
Grant and Cutler, 55-57 Great Marlborough Street, W1. Continue reading for a map, images author's own. Know a good bookshop? Email us at londonist (@) gmail.com.
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