The reviews of Paramount really hit the nail on the head. The selection on offer here is excellent…read more- unusually for a second-hand bookshop I have been able to go in with a particular book in mind and actually leave with a copy (along with several others of course.) The owner is a genuine book lover and is happy to talk to you about your purchases. They have a fantastic selection of old Faber poetry editions. The smell of the place is wonderful too; the sweet rot of old books. My favourite thing about Paramount though is not the range of books lining the shelves (or leant against the piano in the west wing of the shop) but the crates of magazines, comics and periodicals stacked on folding tables as you enter. There are girly mags from the fifties, sixties and seventies (like a fossil record of erotic tastes) and well-thumbed compendiums of Sci-Fi short stories (with trippy cover art featuring weeping robots and space dragons.) This is the stuff that makes the shop; the stuff that would have been consigned to a bin a few decades before. Reading through a copy of Action Comics that someone probably hid underneath their pillow as a kid is a rare and treasured thing.

I have to give a major shout out to Paramount Books - a fantastic independent bookstore nestled in…read morethe sometimes overlooked and forgotten Shudehill area of town. Ok so there may be a million KFC ripoff takeaways and a few random shops that have seen better days around it but Paramount stands out as a well looked after 2nd hand book store with loads of character! I was pulled in on a wet and windy Monday by their comic book sale - in fact there's a whole area in the back dedicated to rare comics and graphic novels (fantastic selection) - inside there's a fantastic selection covering everything from music and film to politics, history and philosophy - really good to browse and possible pick up a tome to take home (wow that rhymes...) The best part of this place is the owner who basically is exactly what you'd be looking for if casting this place in a Hollywood movie. With glasses dangling from his neck and a scholarly look as he sorts the shelves - the classical music in the background makes you really feel what a unique place this is in the world of chain stores and amazon. Make sure you check out Paramount soon and enjoy a slip back into yesteryear!

This is the only shop in Chorlton that sells brand new books. Although the bars on the windows…read moredon't entice you into this bookshop, I would advice you to go in and have a browse. Although this is quite a small store they manage to pack quite a lot in, including a range of current and classic novels. These are shelved around the edge of the front room, and in the middle there is a table with many discounted books ranging from travel guides to recipe books. In the back room there are non-fiction books including foreign language books and dictionaries. The staff are really friendly, and if they don't have the book you're looking for then they can order it for you. They also have a gift wrapping service, and a great selection of arty cards including ones with Quentin Blake illustrations which I love. Let's hope that the giants of Amazon and co. do not force this lovely traditional bookshop out of business.

Toni Morrison Alice Walker…read moreJeanette Winterson Angela Carter Raymond Carter Richard Yates Cormac McCarthy Annie Proulx Carson McCullers It might be smaller than the travel section of Waterstones but Chorlton Bookshop is a lovely independent bookshop stocked with fine fiction and poetry. I've only visited half a dozen or so times but the fact I've never left empty-handed speaks volumes about the owner's selection. As well as a lots of classic British and American fiction, there's a strong, wee selection of African-American fiction, womens fiction, crime noir and books by critically acclaimed local authors. If I remember rightly, it was Chorlton Bookshop where I bought a copy of Jackie Kay's excellent debut novel Trumpet many moons ago. Since then, the Chorlton based author has produced some compelling books of poetry and short stories but I'm still holding out for her second novel. C'mon, Jackie! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiEyuJTyAlI

This is perhaps one of my favourite shops in Bury and one of the main reasons for my shopping trips…read morethere. Myself and my children are bookoholics and this shop is a heaven to book lovers. Although only a small shop they have a high stock level of factual and fiction books that are ideal for gifts or even for everyday purchases. The best bit however is you don't have to pay the publishers hiked up prices. They are especially good for children books with many of the favourates such as the gruffolo, bob the builder and dear zoo etc. I have lost count of the books my children have had thanks to this shop. The staff are polite and helpful and the stock is ever changing. Now there is no excuse for children not to have a variety of their own books and for you to add to your own collection too!

Every trip to bury seems to take me into this store and I never leave empty handed. I'f you have…read morethe time I reccommend you having a good look around their shelves. This store is small considering the amount of stock and it can sometimes get very busy but Its always worth a look. They have an excellent local history section too!

Great layout the coffee shop upstairs looks expensive although never been inside -…read more Plenty of places to sit and have a quick read of what to buy A really nice Waterstones!

One of the most impressive bookstores I have seen through my travel around many cities in the world.read more

Magma Magma books is possibly one of the coolest shops I…read morehave been into in a long time! Why you may ask? Because it sells MOOMINS merchandise and books!! They sell all sorts of cool things here like books, magazines, swirly notebooks, cuddly toys (moomin ones!), eco friendly stuff which comes in the shape of recycled objects made into something else uselful, the mother board coasters are pretty snazzy! Like the other shops on Oldham street, its only small but the layout is perfectly set out to seem like there is so much space! I love it!

Situated on Oldham Street, but a hop and skip from the Night and Day Café lies this fantastic…read morebookshop. I've been visiting this place for ages, even if it's just to browse through the store and short list future gifts. I've recently acquired some American Film Making/Studies from there (the Steven D. Katz shot by shot/cinematic motion - books that are usually pretty hard to get hold of unless you're on the net. This is one of those places where the staff know what they're talking about and can help either find what you're looking for or influence you enough to take a punt on their own expertly led recommendations in the vast array of different books and magazines in this store (increasingly rare in the accountant led 'United Chaindom'). It's a shame many more shops were as enthusiastic and passionate as the folks behind magma...I know they can't all be this way but it's currently unfairly balanced. One large chain book store dominates now (and with unfortunately less choice, more celebrity led airport reading fodder) and with supermarkets getting in the act of the book market (albeit with a truly disturbing 'array' of 'books') we should be thankful that places like this are still open in our cities. A large section of this shop sells magazines which are more like the aforementioned coffee table books the higher echelon of mags if you will. Film, Architecture, Typography, Illustration, Photography, Graphics, Fashion, Art, Design, Cities all these creative acts and scenarios collude together in the books and magazine range. They sell a top mag called 'Specialten' which is a 'bi-monthly collection of short films, music videos and exclusive interviews' which comes with a DVD for the media. Just reminded myself to pick up the next edition as I type this... This shop (alongside one or two in London village possibly the other two Magma's as it happens) was the only such store to stock Daniel Johnstone's graphics/drawings books (and as such is referred to in the fantastic Daniel Johnstone documentary). Reanimate your creative synapses and spare at least half an hour to imbibe the glorious fractions of the arts world we don't see as much as we should. It's always a pleasure to walk into a store like this, find what you're looking for (or see something jump out at you which grabs your interest by the book ends) and after downpiping your debit/credit details into the 21st Century piggy bank walk from the shop, freshly acquired book in hand. Rifling through the pages of a new 'Ilva Table book' in a nearby boozer/café is one of life's great, small pleasures.

Have I ever mentioned that I'm a bookworm? And I like markets? That would make this pretty darn…read moreperfect then wouldn't it. St. Ann's Square, that perfect little spot for the quaint and quirky stalls making up markets of Christmas, flowers, art, food and fashion, is also home every now and again to an exchange of literature. I'm afraid there aren't any definite dates, you simply need to find out when the book market is on from the website. Keeping track of Manchester magazines like Large and CityLife will help with this. (We don't talk about Manchester Confidential any more.) As we all know second hand books can be cheap as chips, and this is your opportunity to grab some rare and unusual reads. Come here for something to take on your next holiday or if you're stuck for a subject to write an essay on. There's plenty to choose from, and I don't know about you but for me there's just something about books which have already been read several times that makes them all the more special. It was here that I managed to get a first edition copy of a Victorian novel I was including in my thesis, which is probably worth a fair bit of money now. Literary nest eggs. Now there's a concept I'll happily get on board with.

Fantastic place. I'm from London but I've spent the last four or five years living in Manchester…read more People are forever asking me what I think of Manchester, and I always say that its got everything. One of the few things it really lacks though, is second hand bookshops. Browsing the second hand bookshops in London is a great day-trip in itself, but in Manchester you rarely find a good second hand book, let alone a place with a good number worth looking at. I should mention The Art of Tea in Didsbury here, which is probably the only exception to the rule, apart from Manchester Book Market. I study English literature so you can imagine this is pretty close to my heart. Not only can you get rare books for good prices here, but they genuinely have a wide selection so if it's a classic you're after then you've a good chance of picking it up for a couple of squids. They've usually got all Dickens (who could want anything more) as well as plenty of other classic works. Spend £10-£20 quid and get yourself half a dozen quality books. Plus some great editions. I too picked up a gem in a colour-illustrated copy of Oliver Twist.

An excellent Christian bookshop. It enjoys a convenient, fairly central location (just opposite…read moreBolton's main Post Office), although that's not especially good news if you want to use a car. The range of stock is good, and the prices are what you'd expect. However, the best feature of the place is the customer service, which is very good: the staff there are keen to help you and very knowledgeable if you have any unusual requests. All in all, we'd have no hesitation in recommending this bookshop.

Amazing place that accepts you for being you. *Warning* @ Social Refuge where they treat you…read moredifferently if your not like them. I visited this coffee shop recently and left feeling pretty uncomfortable with how I was treated. From the moment I ordered, the staff came across as dismissive and noticeably colder toward me compared to other customers around me. There were a few interactions that felt unnecessarily sharp, and it gave the impression that I wasn't particularly welcome there. I want to be fair, but as a straight customer, the difference in tone and attitude didn't go unnoticed. Whether intentional or not, it made the experience feel exclusionary rather than inclusive. It's a shame because the space itself has a lot of personality, but the service made it hard to enjoy. I'd hope they work on creating a more welcoming environment for everyone.

I get the irony by starting with the quote "don't judge a book by its cover" but tbh this is…read moreexactly what I've been doing every time I've walked past this place in the past few months... Whether it was because the area of town is a bit random, the building a bit unattractive and me thinking it was more of a bookshop - something just seemed to be putting me off. But today in my meeting with Matt F we decided to give it a go and what a great decision it was! First off this place is huge and a labyrinth once inside - one half hipster bookshop, the other half cool cafe with a real nod to health (check out the menu on my pics). A really lovely environment with working fountain and a variety of places to sit. The food was excellent too - my breakfast pancakes were probably the best I've had in Manchester so far which is saying something. Quick note that they don't do sides - at one stage I thought I was going to turn into Jack Nicholson in '5 Easy Pieces' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wtfNE4z6a8 but thankfully the guy sorted us out with a side of toast after I asked nicely...repeatedly... Very friendly staff, great venue. I'll be back soon to work/eat/drink coffee/read a book - or all at the same time!

This lovely book shop is soon to be closed down due to building work…read more Inside it as all the usually students books autobiograhys and even childrens book. Theres a place to sit and read before you buy and a starbucks coffee shop and even toilets( a first) staff are knowledgeable and very pleasent . didnt buy anything this time but had my eye on a beatles lyric book for a christmas gift so that was good !

As an English Literature student I literally have to guzzle my way through books and so, when I…read morehaven't planned ahead and ordered my pre-term shelf full on Amazon, Blackwell becomes a weekly port of call. This particular branch is situated within the slightly defunct University Shopping Precinct and consists of three floors of academia alongside your more mainstream reads and children's books. I love the fact that you can purchase a copy of 'Hamlet' on the ground floor and then traverse to the top floor to obtain your very own 'Yorrick' model skull from the Medical section. (They also have a really fun selection of pens concealed as syringes, spines and finger bones up here which make great gifts for children.) There is a lovely little café always heaving with intellectuals and there are well positioned sofas for moments of seated contemplation. If you sign up for a Blackwell loyalty card you'll earn one point for every pound you spend within the store and when you've collected one hundred points you'll receive a five pound voucher. It's not the most generous loyalty scheme I've ever encountered but beats being poked in the eye with a burnt stick, eh?