I'm fond of bookshops, and I'm particularly fond of this little one. Not a book shop in the…read moretraditional conception, but a book exchange, the tiny premises are often packed. Probably because it's a brilliant idea - instead of letting your old stories gather dust on your shelves (or, in the case of Manly's huge transient population, occupy valuable space in the backpack), why not pass it on and grab another? It's not a completely free swap, but you either trade in a few books and get a new one, or pay much less than a premium on that new romance you spy in the window. In an age of mindless consumerism, Andy's Book Shop is a timely reminder of the value in being thrifty, reusing, reducing and recycling!

When in Manly you're mind can't help but linger on all things leisure, and for me that includes…read morewolfing down books (if you can wolf down a book...) so I was thrilled to come across Andy's Book Exchange. This wee corner shop is an Aladdins cave of books, stacked floor to ceiling with them. For the casual browser they're helpfully arranged by genre so I was able to swoop in on the pink corner dedicated to chic-lit. What? Can't a girl indulge in some trash on the beach?! It's run by a couple of hobbit lookalikes which may or may not be off-putting for you, but they're friendly and helpful enough, if a little judgmental over your choice in books! The best thing about this shop is that it buys and sells so you can bring in old copies and get a good price, pick up used ones for a good price or even bring back one that you've bought there and get a few dollars back. It gives incentive to recycling! All the prices are clearly marked on the back including how much you'd get if you brought the book back, so it's as simple as can be (AND gives you an excuse to go back to Manly).

Cooool. A second…read morehand bookstore that occasionally sells new books, this little boutique store has a lot of character. The owner is a charistmatic woman who enjoys chatting and making a joke, so she's very approachable and capable of helping you find what you're looking for. It doesn't do mainstream, but focuses on lesser-known but very capable, often award winning literary artists, with a particular focus on history and the classics. There are typewriters on trhe walls near the ceiling, and towards the back are two glorious looking armchairs with a typewriter between them, almost as if one of these long since past authors had just risen from his place to make a cup of tea. In a book store, the vibe is very important, and this store has it right, at least matching the books it sells. What they may or may not have, is the book you're looking for. Have a browse, or call ahead if looking for a specific book. Oh, and I have been informed they are very picky about which second hand books they take. They're all in very good condition.

You could schedule out a bit of a 'book crawl' in Manly - Desire Books is just round the corner…read morefrom another secondhand bookstore, both packed with re-readable treasure. Desire is probably the more 'highbrow' of the two - along with some pop novels, there are shelves dedicated to classics and some quite alternative stuff. The owner seems to have read a scarily large proportion of them and can bang off in conversation about just about any one of the authors they feature - we ended up in the midst of one of 'those conversations' about 'We need to talk about Kevin'. Desire will buy books too. Frequent traders can establish an account, so they maintain a record of credit and you can pick up your replacement whenever something takes your fancy. I love a new book, but there's also something tantalising about one that has been read before - I wonder who by, and I wonder what they thought?

Booklovers, rejoice! All is not lost. In the age of ipads and kindles, book shops still exist in…read moresuburban malls. Dymocks is a fine example of one such book shop, and keeps me coming back time and time again. Having stood the test of both time and exorbinant Warringah Mall rent, Dymocks has been there as long as I can remember. With the exception of textbooks, I reckon every book I've bought in Australia can trace itself to that shop. I love the shelf of classic Penguins, the music books, the cooking books, the contemporary fiction... I just love it, and will sit down on the floor and read all day if you don't stop me! Dymocks exclusively employs people who feel this way, creating a goooood vibe in the store. As detailed above, the range of books is fantastic. The store itself is well-lit (essential in a bookstore), and smells fantastic thanks to the attached coffee shop. If you're in the market for a story, you'd do well to stop in here and purchase something beautiful/funny/meaningful/sad/happy/informative/escapist. It;s all here.

I live for charming little bookstores like this one. In college I would spend hours in bookstores…read moreto study or just meditate and peruse through books. Sadly, more bookstores are being replaced by Kindle, but I still prefer the smell and feel of a paperback, and the comforting stillness of being surrounded by books. It's a shame there aren't many bookstores where I live in Honolulu, but I came across quite a few in Sydney, including Ariel Booksellers. Walking in here is simply a joy. Bookstores have now branched out to not only sell books but also the cutest knickknacks and items that anyone will love. Ariel sells calendars, postcards, greeting cards, even lamps like the cute bear lamp from the LINE friends collection as seen in one of the photographs below. Ariel was a lovely and relaxing stop during my busy day touring Sydney. I recommend this bookstore to tourists and locals alike who need a bit of respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Pleasant, well laid out bookstore with staff who don't mind you actually browsing…read more I haven't asked them for their recommendations over the years, as I'm not that kind of book purchaser but a friend who reads Fantasy novels, reckons one of the ladies who works there out geeked her massively the other week. This is pretty hard to do. Frequent sales make it worth regular visits plus a loyalty membership scheme is a nice touch but the spend required before the discount kicks in is a little high for our purchasing needs. It's pretty hard to compete with online retailers but the relaxed vibe of this place provides an experience that isn't easily replicated. They sell a good range of childrens through to teen books, as well as a range of games and Lego. They also do a nice range of local area postcards out the back which are well priced.

A good book store, a bit of a shame that the staff can't smile or look you on the eye when they…read moretake your money

The smaller of the two I've been to it's still not that small given the multiple levels. Where you…read morehave me lost is that most of the ground floor is gifts souvenirs and trendy stuff/stationary. Normally I don't mind but I was surprised given the fact that everything upstairs seemed so condensed because of this like an aisle and that's it. Because of this I didn't get the type of time I wanted to have in what I was told was the biggest in Australia. Your mileage may vary on this obviously but for me that's a dealbreaker. On lighter notes staff were scarce and while nice didnt have what I was looking for. Books were in the best condition of the two and I was impressed by that as again I don't have that where I'm from. Despite that Sydney will eventually be my home I'll definitely be looking to shop in Melbourne more for the genres of my tastes.

Absolute garbage service. I PRE ORDER a textbook MONTHS in advance. I then have to reach out to…read moreTHEM to confirm my order as they didn't do so. They extend the delivery date out another 23 days, whatever, fine. I reach out again 20 odd days after that date, only to be told they don't have the book anymore. I demand a refund. They REFUSE. THEY HAVE THE *GALL* TO REFUSE A REFUND UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES!?!? The demand my bank account number! They demand 4-6 weeks turn around time for their "Accounts" team to process the refund. WHAT. A. JOKE. Don't bother with this clown company. Absolute clown circus square go.

If you need any evidence that we should NOT resort purely to shopping for books online, this is it…read more A split store, with a front section dedicated to adults and a separate rear area for children, Pages & Pages is dedicated to the written word to the extent that the owner is even CALLED Jon Page. You'll hear him from time to time on ABC Radio talking about new titles, or illustrating how and why we avoid the demise of the independent bookstore. Pages & Pages is incredibly up-to-date, with new titles available quickly and read and reviewed by staff. It hosts regular authors evenings and lunches, usually in conjunction with local businesses, and co-ordinates a Book Club that meets in the delightful Bathers Pavilion in Balmoral. Local schools and charities are endlessly supported by Pages & Pages generosity, and if there is anything you can't find they'll get it in for you if it is in print. Now dare I even start on the children's section - we should hold Amelia up in lights for singlehandedly motivating our children to read. On her lengthy daily bus commute she reads title after title, covering books for littlies all the way through to teens. She buys well, and can talk knowledgably on pretty much all the titles in stock - if she knows a child, she will confidently point them in the direction of something new they are likely to enjoy, and if she doesn't, a few quick questions will give her the clues she needs to pick out what's right. An invaluable member of the local community - long may it outlast the online menace.

'Pages and Pages' is a bookshop for people who like to talk books. Every time I've been there,…read morethere is a heavy discussion taking place between staff and customer about the customers chosen tome. Now, I love books. In fact, I'm a committed reader of many genres, but especially literary fiction, this unfortunately falsely identifies me as someone capable of intelligent discussion. The truth is, I find critiquing a novel with an eloquent book vending professional intimidating. I feel like I have to prepare a Marieke Hardy type opinion of whatever I am browsing when I feel more Laurel and Hardy. If you want a recommendation though this is your place.The staff handwrite recommendations for many of the offerings on the shelves and of course, they're on hand to give their opinions! They have frequent Author talks and books signings and there appears to be a real writers and readers hub accessible through the store. Those who prefer to do their browsing in secret might find this store a little intense!

Lots of books. There was a large amount of bilingual books although it was hard to findread more

After I was done with having lunch at The Galeries, I went upstairs to floor 2 to check this place…read moreout. They're a Japanese chain bookstore. I've been to their locations in Los Angeles, CA and Seattle, WA. My goodness, they had quite the extensive manga selection! Of course all of the super popular ones were available. If I had one of these bookstores closer to where I live, I would be giving them a lot of my money! Everything was so well organized, so everything was very easy to locate.

Great selection and hospitality, my go-to record store. Reasonable prices and easy access.read more

my name is sam i was born in deewhy but move away years ago but since ive moved back i couldnt…read morebelieve sandys music was still there ,i used go there as a kid after school nearly everyday and buy records seeing thats sandys music is still there makes me so happy an proud,so many record stores have closed down over the years but sandys is still there nigel an the gang you guys rock