Not sure how this is my first visit here, but I was happy to stumble upon it after walking by one weekend afternoon. It turns out that it's a pretty dangerous place for me and my wallet to frequent at the same time, however. I think my husband was about to forcibly remove me from the store. It really suggests the age old dilemma: books or a downpayment? One needs space to house one's books, but it's really a chicken-egg situation. I will be back to drool over their 17th, 18th, and 19th century history sections-- house or no house. read more

Owner has amazing knowledge about nearly every item in the store which is insane because it is an absolute maze of books stacked ceiling high. read more

Looking for that newest Dean Koontz hardcover? Can't wait to try your hand at some of Sandra Lee's recipes? Are you looking for that book "with the blue cover" that Oprah had on her show two years ago? This is probably not the bookstore for you. Shame the Borders across the street closed. Generally speaking, this is a bookstore for people who aren't looking for a particular book and just want to bask in the treasure hunt. It's the perfect rainy day, lay down on the (hopefully clean) floor and scan the piles for books you didn't know you wanted kind of place. Whether you want to spend $6 on a used Murakami or $1500 on a first-edition Robert Frost, Commonwealth Books will not disappoint. Also, this is home of Rusty, whom I have dubbed "the sleepiest cat in Boston". read more

This place just makes me feel happy. Most bookstores have that effect on me, but this is the kind of place that you feel lost in just after a few minutes of looking around. And then stay for a few hours. When you finally emerge, the world has gone on spinning, but you feel like time just stopped for you and all the books. They've got something for everyone. And they offer shipping for those travelers like myself who could fill suitcases with books alone. I love supporting independent booksellers and the history in this place is really cool with their first editions and vintage books. So cool. read more

It's a neat book shop, I'm not much of an old book collector, but I winded up purchasing a set possibly written in the 1800's which was cool, something to shake up the shelf at home. They also had some neat maps and art from Boston history, not sure how rare they are. I loved all the cultural history topics available and it's a wonderful place to immerse yourself but highly unorganized. read more

As far as used bookstores go, this isn't the largest or the most all-encompassing one I've been to, but as someone who is usually looking for older, out-of-print books on obscure subjects, I've found that Commonwealth on Boylston is one of the few used bookstores in the area that carries what I'm looking for. In particular, if you are interested in nautical and/or whaling history, they have a fantastic selection of nautical books in their basement. The Japan section is also similarly wonderful. The staff is pretty friendly. The prices are on par with what I've seen at other bookstores in the area, but I've found that Commonwealth tends to carry books for cheap that are sold online at used sellers for 3 or 4x the price. A good duck-in for a rainy day or if you're just passing by Boston Common. read more

This review is for Leonardo DeKittie....he is the king of the bookstore. He showed me this book which I purchased, 1rst edition in 1916... read more

Commonwealth Books - Bookstores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

Like restaurants, hotels, thrift shops and shopping malls all around the world, used book stores have their own quirky character and their own unique aura. Some specialize in hard to find, out of print treasures. Others have a little of everything at great, low prices. Some are just ridiculously overpriced warehouses filled with books of all kinds, all marked at prices that make absolutely no sense. The used book world is a funny one. Commonwealth Books is for the serious book collector and the book lover. It's a warm inviting space worth seeking out. You won't find the latest best sellers at rock bottom prices. You won't find too many unique, well priced hidden treasures. (Although I did find one years ago- a first edition copy of a Jane Kenyon poetry book signed and inscribed by her- for $8.50. It was worth a lot more.) You will find books of high quality on a variety of topics. Their prices are fair and all of the books are well displayed and protected. (Nothing worse for the collector of modern books than seeing high priced volumes without a Brodart cover to keep the jacket nice and safe.) It's filled with all kinds of art books, poetry, history and fiction. No cheap paperbacks. It's cozy and inviting, the way a used book shop should be. Even some cozy chairs in front of a little fire place. I love this place. On a cold winter day, I come in here and wander around. I always feel at home. And I always find something I want. read more

One of the coolest bookstores I've ever been in. More spacious than the outside would imply, and every nook and cranny has a book. There's even a local resident cat named Dusty! While I'm putting inexpensive for the price ($) they do have rare antique books that range into the thousands. While they didn't have the books I was looking for, I'd definitely come back here, even just to browse around. It's just a great place in general. They have books in English, Spanish, French, German, and I'm sure some other languages that I didn't see. read more

See all

First of all, I wanted to say that I would have given this shop 5 stars, before an interaction that my boyfriend had with one of the employees. We had been shopping at the store a couple weeks before my birthday in December and I picked out a book that I fell in love with. He returned to the store a week later to purchase it, and when he brought it up to the counter, the clerk took one look at him and actually said, "do you think you have enough money for this?" He replied, "well, yeah, I've got cash right here..." I absolutely cannot believe someone could be so rude to say that to a customer. It was a $50 book. If they can get customer service in check, they would be tops. read more

If you were as disappointed that the Old Corner Bookstore along the Freedom Trail is actually a Chipotle as much as I was then take heart, a real book shop is right across the street. Tucked back off the main road in an alley is Commonwealth. A nice book shop that is very well organized. They have a great selection of vintage books and maps of the Boston area. Boston has a lot of great used book stores and you could make a day of seeing them all. Commonwealth would definitely be on the ones to visit. It would be nice if they had a greater selection of discounted books but the prices are very reasonable for the quality they have. I found some great cookbooks (Jacques Pepin's La Technique and Claudia Fleming's The Last Course ) and architectural books that were very specific such as the stone structures of the plazas of Venice Italy. No cappuccino sold here and no big comfy chairs to lounge in but that's ok because hunting through books is the fun part. read more

Commonwealth Books - Check the alleys for fun finds in Boston - Bookstores Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

If you are feeling random, stop in Commonwealth Books! After walking past this place literally HUNDREDS of times to and from work, I stopped in one day. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, just browsing with a friend. There are bunches of books everywhere. On the shelves, on there floor, basically anywhere they will fit. If you feel like getting lost in the yellowing pages, I highly suggest stopping by! If you are on a stroll around the common, definitely stop in. You never know what you'll find. Its easy to ignore the way its tucked in near Emerson but don't let it happen! I think if you are looking for something really really specific, it may be harder to find here, but give it a shot. Everything I have purchased has been reasonable enough. read more

What a great bookstore! I wish I had the time to visit the other location while I was there, but this one was more than enough to make me happy. A huge fiction collection with many unusual titles, including a special section for modern firsts. I picked up a beautiful copy of The Obscene Bird of Night by the Chilean writer José Donoso for a very reasonable price. I'll definitely visit both locations on my next trip to Boston. read more

See all

Very helpful and friendly. Stumbled in here on a rainy blustery day and found treasures. Manager/ sales man was knowledgable and I was able to find the used book I wanted. You just never know what you'll stumble across. read more

Commonwealth Books is a rare find! It is a used and antique bookstore located in Boston, MA. It's a great place for collectors and bibliophiles alike. It has one of the largest number of history books that I've ever seen outside of a large library. An entire wall of the store is devoted to history from ceiling to floor, including very difficult-to-find books. It also has a large art/art history section, and various sections on architecture, literature/literary criticism, poetry, philosophy and religion, business/economics, and other topics (including works of fiction). They even have medieval manuscript leaves and art monographs. Unlike most used bookstores, Commonwealth Books is organized quite well (though not perfectly). Nonetheless, you should expect to spend a bit of time searching and browsing if you are here (unless you are looking for a very specific title). You can also ask them to ship your books, if desired. One last comment: people have given a few negative reviews about the customer service. But I had minimal interaction with the staff, so I can't comment much on that. From my little interaction, the staff members were quite polite and helpful. I will definitely return the next time I'm in Boston. read more

I love eclectic bookstores like these. It's a nice homey place, and the owner is really friendly. I love to look at all the old books in there. read more

See all

I honestly came here because I knew there was a cat who likes to hang around here. Don't get me wrong - I absolutely love bookstores. But the way to my heart is through cute animals. So I made a point to stop here. Although Dusty seemed a little cranky when I went, he put up with the small petting session I gave him. He's a very mellow fellow. I did take a little while to look around. It's got floor to ceiling shelves of all kinds of used books, mostly on the older side. I was especially enthused by the music biography section, since I am a classical musician myself. They didn't have the composer I was looking for (Mahler), but I did enjoy looking through the other selections. I didn't buy anything, but it was a fun experience to get to look around here and give Dusty some SoCal love. I'll definitely stop by on my next trip! read more

Great book store with lots of prints and older out-of-print/historic titles. You can spend a lot of time here. Very good military history book sections -- lots of European history titles too. I try to hit it on every trip to Boston. Usually come away with something great. 9 Spring Lane is tucked away - close to the intersection of Water Street and Devonshire Street. Charming store. Great selection. read more

I fell in love with this bookstore the first time I saw the big orange cat curled up by the fireplace. A great place to go and browse and so cozy in the winter. It has a really fun selection of rare books, old circulars and pamphlets, and antique maps. The only reason I give it for stars instead of five is that the prices can be a little high. It's completely worth exploring, though. read more

See all

This is a serious book store. The poetry section is first rate. The art books are really incredible. The prices are very fair and they have other sections beyond my interests that I assume are great. The old and rare books are amazing to see. read more

I spent a couple of hours in this book shop over the weekend while in Boston. In terms of Boston bookstores, yes has about intermediate prestige somewhere between Brattle book shop on the low-end and Bromer on the high end. I bought this really great 170-year-olds map of Paris. They have all kinds of great stuff here. read more

Love the new store! I used to work at the other three (when it had three others--only the Old South Meetinghouse store still exists of those), but I must admit that this is several steps above the old Boylston Street store. Wish it had a little more Charles Olson. They have some fantastic rarities that I wish I were rich enough to affect the interest in. And it's a convenient walk down to the other store, so if something's there rather than here, they can call it up and have it waiting for you. The new Black Widow Press titles are intriguing, as they always are. read more

Great bookstore! They have a great, eclectic mix of used, rare, and antiquarian books here. It's mostly well organized even as the shelves and floor appear to be overflowing. A wonderful place to wander and browse. In contrast to what another reviewer has written, I don't think that their inventory is so vast that you can guarantee that a title you're looking for will be here. It's not really a place to go to hunt down something specific, more of a place to discover a treasure you didn't know existed. Also be aware that they do not carry children's books. Best of all: there is always a cat dozing in the shop, either in the front window (see pictures) or toward the back near the fiction section. These people clearly understand that books and cats are a natural pairing. What's better than being able to reach down and give a friendly pet to a sleeping cat as you browse through shelves of old books? Located in the Downtown Crossing area, this is the perfect alternative for those who are allergic to the shopping mall/chain stores located further down Washington St. read more

i LOVE this place. the guy who works there is always friendly, and seems to be really devoted to what he does since he probably doesn't make that much money doing it. i love going here on a rainy day with a coffee and just looking through the odds and ends, not really searching for anything in particular. the downstairs (paperback section) is like a neat hideaway spot. it's got that great old book smell. the bottom line is: this place is great for browsing and enjoying some books you wouldn't find at barnes and noble. read more

Obviously this place is good. It's been around for [a self-proclaimed] couple hundred years. It was organized by country/ type of book and interspersed throughout were different prints from various magazines from the last hundred years or so. Coming from a suburban Chicago gal, I was impressed. I haven't been to Harvard square to check out what they have to offer, so my review might change before the end of my Boston trip. read more

VERY GOOD selection of books and well organized. But over priced and Terri Le customer service.

commonwealth is amazing. the employees are very nice - always more than willing to help you look for a title [hell, they'll even help you play the guessing game if you can't remember the author]. now, the shop is kinda snug, so i'm usually prepared to get sidetracked by a ton of books as i'm grazing them to get downstairs. just be mindful of the time while you're down there - it tends to fly by. read more

This bookstore has locations at both Kenmore Square and Downtown Crossing. I personally enjoy any independent bookstore, as I believe Borders and Barnes & Noble are way too commercialized, but I have there are better Bookstores nearby, like the Brattle. This bookstore is, however, open later than many other independent bookstores. They are open til 7 pm most days of the week and until 8 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday; and they have a good collection of used and hard to find books (but not as good as the Brattle) Happy reading! read more

I have a very sad sense of nostalgia for Ann Arbor. Do I really need any more Ann Arbor in Boston? What Ann Arbor has more per capita than any other city in the world is books and possibly bookstores. I love them all. I like Commonwealth Books just okay, but only because it's not in Ann Arbor. They have a lot of books, some are organized and some are just strutting their stuff all about. Such is the charm of used bookstores. Usual books are around $10 a piece. The more unusual and older stuff are priced a little bit more dear to the heart. All in all, not a bad way to spend a couple of hours on a raining day. read more

This place is almost magical to any booklover. Lots of books everywhere, piles on the floor; literary quotes and pictures taped to empty spaces on the shelves. Beautiful matted maps and pictures for sale. Rare and unusual books for sale... or view in glass cases. The cat's name is Dusty. The owner was really friendly and very helpful. read more

One of the larger used bookshops, although not very organized although we might blame that one the customers throwing books here and there. Anyway, they have a very cool collection of old architectural prints from local building, maps, etc that were neat. Weren't able to find any books we were looking for but it was fun to look around. read more

It's tucked away in an alley just off Washington St, and dwarfed by all the buildings around it. Looks like a shop in Diagon Alley. There's a store cat who lets you pat him (update: sadly, the cat passed away). You can browse here for hours; old maps and prints, old books. Staff can be a little prickly. read more

I've been going her on and off for a few years. I love the wide variety of books they have and the staff is mostly friendly. There is one glaring problem--they have a cat there. Now I love cats but I'm allergic. Unfortunately the cat is always in the fiction section which is the area I always browse in. I had to leave a few times because I could feel my allergies starting up. Great place but please get rid of the cat. read more

Tons and tons of used books. The area that I really fell in love with though was the collection of vintage prints, especially all the old maps. The prints are definitely not cheap, but their uniqueness makes them totally worth it. read more

Decent prices and all-over-the-place selection with a friendly staff. We found some amazing photo books on a great sale (as they were moving). Everything was a bit unconventional, but it was an interesting challenge to look at offbeat books and choose some foreign literature-- very refreshing, actually. I would definitely recommend it! read more

This place is great! After walking past it on a few previous trips to Boston, finally went in when I was there for the marathon this past April. What an amazing selection! They have every kind of book you can imagine upstairs, and downstairs they have all the used mass market books for really cheap. I found an awesome "Architecture of Oxford" book, and I was ecstatic. Even when I was studying abroad at Oxford, I couldn't find a book about the town in any of their stores. But I found one at this little piece of heaven on earth! read more

My friends are book fiends, so any time we go into NYC or Boston, they want to check out bookstores. I'm not really that into books, yeah, yeah, I'm a philistine. However, I do really like historical prints, and this place has tons of great prints of old maps, architectural drawings, magazine cutouts and various other items. I think I spent more time looking at the prints than they spent with the books, and I want to get back since they dragged me out before I finished! Be aware, these are serious vintage / antique prints, so they aren't cheap (anywhere from $50 to $200 and up), but there are some real gems here. read more

Lovely shop. Didn't see the kitty but the staff was so nice-very eager to help out, lend a smile but were not pushy at all. Would go back again. read more

I love this place. This bookstore is amazing plus Leo is probably the mascot. Wandering around is a little orange taby that's super adorable and chill. read more

While this place can be very hit or miss if you take the time to go here a few times you will leave with some treasure. One day I left with four Philip Roth 1st editions, one of which was signed. A week later I left with nothing. It is well worth going in here and exploring because chances are you will find something amazing especially if you've never been before. read more