Tons of books and a friendly knowledgeable staff that has a good sense of humor! Shop here!read more

Bath is hardly short of book shops (being England's publishing mecca) - so what sets Mr B's…read moreEmporium apart from the rest? Outstandingly friendly service, fantastic book signing events and a room dedicated to tranquil reading to name just a few. Voted Best Independent Bookshop, Mr B's Emporium isn't just a shop - it's an experience. My favourite thing to do of a lunch hour, is to pop along to the Bibliotherapy room at the top of the show, pick up a book, sit on the sofa and listen to the relaxing music. They also have a special booth equipped with tea, biscuits and headphones if you're looking for the ultimate in 'me time'. The shop spreads over three floors and covers a number of genres from cookbooks to psychology. These books are always sold at full price, so don't expect to get a bargain here, but you will find a carefully chosen selection of publications which you don't find on the highstreet.

Topping & Co is pretty much the ideal bookshop for this new frame of mind. Set in a beautiful…read moreformer Quaker meeting house, just round the corner from Bath Abbey. it is literally the stuff of book-lovers' dreams. Gorgeous shelf ladders, carefully curated displays, and a really friendly atmosphere, coupled with a quirky building and fabulous views. There's a wonderful gallery/walkway and a huge basement, so the whole place is surprisingly big. We visited just after Christmas, which only added to its charm. Topping and Company Booksellers, in the beautiful and quintessentially English city of Bath, have many different incarnations. We bought one book, had a cup of coffee, did chit chat with the owner/staff, and then proceeded to the other stop

The most adorable bookstore. I wish I had more time to browse before returning to my tour bus. Only…read moredownside is that it is a little bit cramped at times.

Bath isn't exactly short on bookshops, but Waterstone's is by far the best chained bookshop there…read moreis. This branch on Milsom Street is well stocked with best sellers as well as the staff's personal favourites (which I think is a nice touch). The staff are knowledgable, hard working and helpful for those who can't find the book of their choice. Being a part of the Waterstone's branch means they get some big literary names come to do book signings here (only recently I've seen Dave Gorman and Stephen Fry). Unlike many of the independent book shops, Waterstone's are also able to sell their books at discounted prices so it's a good place for a bargain. Not as interesting or enjoyable as Mr B's Emporium or Topping & Co but a useful place to buy a cheap book for a long journey.

Waterstones is apparently a bookstore chain in the UK and Ireland. This store in Bath is really…read morenice. Lots of room (that is, not too cramped), very bright and airy, and comfortable chairs to sit in as you leaf through a book prior to purchase. In addition to books there are board games, small gifts, notebooks, and other items you may need for your personal library.

This is the best 2nd hand book store I have ever been to inside the UK. The range is massive, from…read morethe latest bestseller through to the classic novel, and there's always, always something that I want to buy. The prices are pretty decent less than half price of the RRP in a lot of cases, including for almost brand new books. It's pretty fun to rummage around looking for something to read, and you feel pretty good too - I mean, it's recycling, right?! They also buy your unwanted books back from you, but be aware - they only take soft back fiction, which I discovered after hauling down my hard backs, manga books and nonfiction! Really worth a visit if you're in the area.

WHSmith in Bath is one of the most unusual outlets, as far as the exterior of the building is…read moreconcerned. It is not a traditional blue - it's green. And for this reason it is easy to miss it the first time round. It is also easy to mistake for the trendy black Waterstones. At the same time it is one of the best placed outlets. You can do everything in one go: get the latest fashion mag from the Smith and cross the road to buy the new dress and a few bangles at Monsoon and Accessorize, respectively. Or you can buy your dress and bangles first, nip into Carphone Warehouse for a quick glance, and then go to Smith to buy a novel, a crossword book, or the latest fashion mag. The main disadvantage of this store is the cashier area. At a glance it appears to be a brilliant idea: four tills planted on a half-spheric counter. The doors that are used both as exit and entrance (as it happens in most shops) are located at both ends of the counter. The disadvantage is that the whole area gets terribly crowded, and people have to wriggle around the stands and each other. Not the most pleasant preoccupation for one of Britain's holiday hotspots. And the stock apparently causes occasional grievance to customers. Most of the time they cannot find a leading local newspaper. However, when I was there a guy with American accent was desperately searching for a copy of The Economist. He didn't find it, and it leaves one to wonder if he posted on his blog about this peculiar fact...

Not a place to ever pay full price for anything, they do have frequent offers. Good bookshop…read moreupstairs with a Costa Coffee, not always easy to find a member of staff to order books athat aren't on the shelf. Good selection of chart DVDs and other popular box sets, I like the art and craft sections (both children's and adults) upstairs and get lots of presents throughout the year. Downstairs is more of a jumble sale, no space to look at the cards or stationery, so I tend to avoid getting anything. The newspapers are right by the door, so you can buy these without having to go into the scrum of the rest of the downstairs. Always take the escalator to the first floor for the same reason!

Bath is a bit lacking on the music shop scene. There's a tiny HMV and a record stall in the market,…read morebut since the closure of Fopp things have become a bit dire in the city. But thankfully Oxfam Books and Music is there to save the day. With a mixture of old and new, classics and obscurities you're bound to find something that takes your fancy. But the volunteers here aren't fools - they know exactly what their stock is worth and will charge you full whack. It may not be a bargain, but at least it's going towards a good cause.

Actually, I don't know if it's because Bathonians are particularly well read or what, but this is…read moreactually one of the best places to pick up a wide range of fine books, especially the classics and underground hits like Charles Bukowski or Henry Miller (two of my favourites). And all of this comes at amazingly cheap prices and the profits go to helping one of the best charities in the world - so what's to lose. On another note, keep this place running by donating any books you can here. Before I went to live in Spain, I took three rucksack's full of books here and they loved it. Keep bookstores alive!

This is a really small Whsmiths, just off the main shopping area. I am not really sure why they…read morekeep this one going when the large one is so near. They sell books, magazines and papers etc. I like the fact that they stock a wide range of magazines, this can be hard to find as more newsagents close. The paper selection is good and they often have offers associated with the paper. Such as a free or cheap novel when buying a paper. I you need just the basics then this could be a good option and save queueing at the bigger branch.

Tucked away above a clothes shop on Walcot St, this is almost an afterthought of a shop. It's one…read moreroom, it's a bit dusty on the floor and there's nowhere to sit (hence the deducted star) but it's totally worth a visit. The range of comics, from ropey old ones, to brand new imports is great, and there's just enough balance between choice and beig overwhelmed. Staff are friendly and keen to talk and recommend too which, if you're a keen but inexpert comics fan, is really helpful and rarely the case in comic shops.