Used Bookstores Are Our Secret Haven

The economy being what it is, now is perhaps the best time to check out the secret treasures held by used bookstores. The Guardian’s book blog has a recent article about some of these treasures, and their troublesome tendency to slip away if not immediately snatched up. [via Guardian UK]

My hometown of Washington, D.C., boasts some brilliant used bookstores. Among my favorites are Second Story Books and Idle Time Books. But although Second Story’s collection can’t be beat, I must confess that my favorite local used book store is Capitol Hill Books—a book store with a sense of humor.

From their website:

To get a real taste of everything we have to offer, we recommend that you come in for a visit. We have fiction books in the fiction room (hard cover & paperbacks), mystery books in the Mystery Room, foreign language books in the bathroom, cookbooks in the kitchen on the kitchen sink, business books with the lawyers in the Business Closet, cultural biographies in the Cultural Closet, and a Weird Section for those who like witches, dreams, and things that go bump in the night.

Stop by for a visit, but be sure to watch you head! Books are piled all the way to the ceiling, and an avalanche may occur at any time.

--Rachel Frier

Photo: Capitol Hill Books