Judd Books was stop #2 on my October bookshop-crawl. It was my doom!

Simple enough from the outside, tables and crates of cheap used books. Thankfully nothing caught my eye outside. But as soon as I entered I was lost. It is a kingdom of second hand and discounted new books.

The place is so full that there is space for one person only in front of any given bookshelf. Books are also piled high on the tables. I found quite a big section on art and related topics an on history. I got stuck in the fiction world for a while too.

I must admit I did not go to explore downstairs because it required leaving my bag at the cash register and I do not like doing that. I understand why, especially that there was no one downstairs, but I just like having my belongings with me, even when I’m looking for books. All of this was definitely made up by the price of books, to say it is attractive is an understatement.

As you can see from the pictures it is a small space crammed full of books, at good prices. Really, what else could one want to spend a lovely 40 minutes and some money.

Here is what tempted me:

1. Play it Loud – Brad Tolinski, Alan di Perna (r) – as my Bigger Half plays guitar I need to brush up on my knowledge, to stand any chance in any kind of conversation about the ‘gear’.
2. Mysteries of the Mall – Witold Rybczynski (r) – essays on architecture, I do get tempted from time to time to read about the bigger ideas behind the architectural experience we call city. It adds sense to what on the surface seems chaos.
3. Invisible cities – Italo Calvino – similar motivation to above. Also one of those books that supposedly any person dealing with architecture in any way should read.
4. Thirst for Love – Yukio Mishima (r) – I could not resist those two covers, that’s how simple it was.
5. The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea – Yukio Mishima