It was late one Thursday evening and I had missed the late night shopping due to a rehearsal I was…read moreat. I needed to kill some time and also was still in thinking mode about some Christmas present ideas. I stopped outside Waterstones and though 'ach I'll hiv a wee nosey' so I came across some audio books and a staff member pointed me in the direction to more. I explained I was looking for something my dad and she suggested a couple for me. Well he absolutely loves them. Yay! I just want to thank the kind girl who helped me out. I was struggling for ideas and just didn't know where to begin as there's just sooo many titles. I also asked on the off chance to see if they had the Yo! Sushi cookbook at a cheaper price rather than purchasing it from Yo! Sushi themselves. Unfortunately they didn't have it in stock but the Sauchiehall Street branch did but it was about 9.30ish and it wasn't on my route to the restaurant I was heading to. It was the same price too so was best just to nip round the corner and get it out the restaurant. The staff were very helpful and took their time to help me even though it was near to closing time. Athough not as well stocked as Sauchiehall Street it catered my unexpected needs.

This branch of Waterstones pales in comparison to the Sauchiehall Street one which is alot bigger,…read moreand better. This Argyle Street store has a decent selection of books all the same, which goes beyond best sellers to include academic books and stationary. I don't think it necessarily deserves the bad rep it appears to be getting on Yelp, but it does come second best to the Sauchiehal Street branch.

Huge selection, clean and neat store, friendly and helpful staff. I think they also sell coffee and…read moremaybe some food as well. I can't remember because I don't live there and it was a quick stop before getting on a train. Not far from Queen Street Station in Glasgow.

This wonderful branch of Waterstones is filled with gorgeous big bookcases full of every kind of…read morebook you could possibly want. I can easily spend hours in here, browsing the shelves, flicking through a few books and then wandering downstairs for a coffee at their little branch of Costa. Waterstones has managed to make this great big book shop into a comfortable and cosy feeling store that welcomes its customers warmly, with staff that are well read and more than able to advise on your purchases. A good old British book store that will be staying put for years to come.

Looking very spiffy after their refurb, the new-look Oxfam bookshop is fit to retain their place in…read moreevery West Ender's heart. They have a great selection of books, DVD's comics etc. and with the new layout it feels more spacious and easier to browse. It really doesn't feel like a second-hand bookstore at all. They also sell a selection of cards, gift items and fair-trade goodies so it's always worth a browse in here to see if you can find something you like. With the new Waterstones now opened just across the road, Byres Road is making a welcome return to being a favourite place for book lovers - and about time too.

On my jaunt of the west end charity shops, it is literally IMPOSSIBLE for me not include Oxfam…read moreBooks in my second hand adventure, because: 1. BOOKS. 2. SO many, many books. 3. Books divided into useful sections, for easy browsing. 4. Good quality books. 5. Reasonably priced books. 6. BOOOOOOKS. If you're always headed straight to the book department of charity shops and often find yourself disappointed by the quality and variety, then head to Oxfam Books. If you're looking for something in particular, you might well just find it. After my last visit, I left with a new Alasdair Gray book to add to my collection. Oxfam Books, I hold you accountable for making my bedside to-read pile that little bit higher.

Voltaire & Rousseau is the book shop of Bernard Black's dreams. There's no chatting, no coffee, no…read morecustomer service, just books; books & books & books (oh and a cat!) I L O V E this shop, to me it's a Glasgow institution, a unique treasure trove of literature that appears to be completely unaffected by the world outside. If you remember seeing Scrooge McDuck diving into his vault of gold coins, I have this image of the owner jumping off the shop's ladder into all those books! What I love about this place is the fact that it's so jam-packed with books, a good number of which are probably at least 20 years old. It's like stepping back in time in the history of publishing. I've bought some of the most enjoyable & informative books I've ever read. Even if you don't like reading, then how about an old Oor Wullie annual for £1? Look up to the wooden shelf to get a (rough) idea of the subject of the books in front of you, just bear in mind that the books are three rows deep & tall enough to bury a child. I noticed a book in the shop today on mountain disasters & I felt a chill run through me, as if the cries of children, trapped behind the rows of books, were calling out to me. It also occurs to me that the current shop cat may not be the original... The two guys running the shop aren't the most animated of shop owners, usually they only move to make a cup of tea or if one of them is rolling a cig. There's a book for everyone in this shop, just don't expect any help finding it. While they're not particularly chatty, they're no Bernards either, so don't let a lack of a welcome put you off coming in to (carefully) rummage through the piles of brilliant, cheap books. Just leave a trail of breadcrumbs or maybe take a GPS marker if you decide to venture in past the first row!

V & R is exactly what a second-hand bookshop should be - it's a decaying old building with books…read morestacked from floor to ceiling so that you feel it can only be the books that are stopping the place from collapsing. The shelves have long ago been filled and are now half-concealed behind the piles of books on the floor. Don't expect an organised filing system here - I'm sure there is one but it's pretty impenetrable. Fortunately the chaps who run it have a positively encyclopaedic knowledge of what they have and can usually point you in the right direction. There are some great finds to be had if you're willing to spend the time looking; in the past I have found some rare esoteric books in here. They're not so good at buying books from you as I discovered recently when I was offered a pittance for 5 boxes of quite unusual books from my library, all in good or better condition. I appreciate they have to make a living and it can't be easy in this age of e-books and Amazon; anyway I declined the offer and I still have the books for the moment. In winter it's a bit chilly and the sole heating appliance appears to be a portable Calor gas fire - not the safest thing to have in room full of nice flammable paper you would think and I'm sure it's an accident waiting to happen. Definitely not the place to visit if you're in a rush; expect to lose an hour or two browsing around in here. It has to be my favourite second hand bookshop in Glasgow and long may it continue to be so.

Justin Bieber hardcover biography for £5? Oh so tempting. Not for myself, mind you. Crosswords,…read moregift-wrapping paper, children's puzzles, notebooks and more - there's seemingly a smattering of all things made from paper here. This bookstore takes its discount adverts in the windows seriously. I counted no less than three stacks/shelves of books and other literature paraphernalia selling at an average of roughly £3. Though there isn't much that piqued my interest other than the latest tome of the Wheel of Time series, you could easily get away with nicking a novel or three for under £10, which seems more than reasonable to me.

You can't really go wrong in this place. It's really a place where one goes when they're looking…read morefor just about anything book, puzzle, stationary or gift related. I've been in this shop a few times before, sometimes just to browse, but sometimes on a mission to find the perfect gift. Recently, Sophie K. and I were wasting time before heading to see a show that the Theatre Royal so we stopped in here for a quick wander. She was looking for a colouring book for calming herself. Sounds crazy, I know, but they do exist, and they're pretty darn cool. I might actually go back for some myself, see what they're all about. The store is a bit haphazard in it's set up, but if you give yourself enough time, you're bound to get through it without running in to piles of merchandise littered about the place or the odd screaming child left unattended by it's parent. One thing to note for all my fellow students out there: they offer a 10% discount when you show your student ID. With classes looming on the horizon, this could be a go to place for supplies, as they have loads of school supplies at the ready. The staff were in a giggling mood when we were there, but hey, it's good to know they enjoy their jobs! Makes for a better shopping atmosphere!

What a great place for cut-price books! I was in there yesterday and found several bargains…read more Everything is laid out neatly and there are stacks of books around £2, some only slightly more. Plenty of fiction but also a very good range of Scottish books literature, autobiography, travel, you name it! Many other categories too. In addition to the books, there's an astonishing variety of inexpensive fashionable handbags and attractive low-priced stationery. Good service too and the men behind the tills yesterday were very cheerful and friendly. I'll definitely go back there the next time I'm in the area.

How can anyone resist a name like Young's Interesting Books? I've actually been here a few times…read morenow - it's in the Skirving St strip of shops which I love, and Young's is always worth a stop in. It's a second hand book shop, and as the title suggests, you're going to find some interesting gems in here. The window display is always amazing and they tend to have something quirky/unusual in there, or themed (recently they've had Star Wars stuff in the window). It's definitely worth taking time for a browse in here - if you were looking for something in particular you could ask for help, otherwise it's nice just to chill out and have a browse. You never know what you're going to find.

At last an independent book shop that isn't in the west end. In fact at last an independent book…read moreshop. In fact, scratch that, following the recent death of Borders or as my friend and his Northern accent calls it 'Boarders' at last another book shop! The name could be argued as a bit presumptuous.. but it has of course a wide range of second hand books from curiosities to standards and is just the place book lovers love to while away an hour or so. If you like to feel the book in your hand that has likely been all over the world, read a wee bit and judge not by it's cover or the anonymous tips of online book sellers then this is definitely the place for you. The prices are reasonable and they buy as well as sell. Ideal.

Why has this place not been reviewed yet? It's so resourceful!…read more It's tucked away off the main street but seriously, swerve left before you hit Tattie Mac's, take a wee right and you're there! And you won't be disappointed. Like a better organised Voltaire and Rousseau or a more reasonably priced Caledonia Books, this place has a large collection of lit crit for the uni student, a ton of sheet music past and present, and a plethora of fiction and non-fiction, all organised into appropriate sections. The guys who own it are really friendly, always eager to ask if you need assistance and will find you what you need in a second flat. Great selection, the books are pleasantly priced and in good nick. I bought A Clockwork Orange today (bit of light reading, ha) and not only was it only four quid but it looks like new! The owners are always very knowledgable of their craft and banter is free. Very useful for uni students but also accessible if you just fancy a new read. Thistle Books are a service to the local literati community!

As much as I appreciate playing a game of potentially life threatening over-sized Jenga with the…read morebooks of Voltaire and Rousseau is part of the shop's appeal, sometimes all you want is a little bit of order. On those occasions, pay a visit to this little gem, which is situated in the lane adjacent to V+R. Like its neighbouring competitor, Thistle is a second hand book mecca, stocking virtually every genre you could imagine at extremely reasonable prices. Unlike V+R, it is set out neatly and something resembling orderly, meaning you actually have a chance of finding a specific title. Don't get me wrong, Thistle is no Waterstones. It retains the tattered, rough around the edges appeal of all second hand book shops in this neck of the woods and, most importantly, offers ample opportunity to uncover hidden gems at a fantastic price. The staff are also very welcoming and content to let you spend the day browsing and reading. Hell, they'd probably even make you up a bed for the night if you wanted to stay.