Chris Dalton's Personal Development Blog

I feel the need to sing the praises of Blackwell’s books in Oxford. Not for the first time, it must be admitted, but here’s why now.

First, I should say that the praises are being sung for the main shop in Oxford. That’s not to say that the other shops up and down the country don’t deserve singling out, but I haven’t spent time in them. I have spent time in the Oxford shop. There are several reasons for liking this shop, not least its size and range of books in stock. I love that you can just browse, and that you can take a bundle (or is the collective noun now a kindle?) of books from any of the shelves and go and sit in the cafe and check them out without feeling grubby.

I like that the staff have a slightly disorganised air about them. They’re not pushy, and in fact you sort of get the feeling that they’re a bit surprised that you want to talk to them or buy a book from them, but they exude an air of people who actually read books themselves. I bought two books there today, in two separate transactions, and I don’t think either of the staff involved made eye contact with me…

One of the books was ordered in for me. It had taken a week longer than expected, and had involved one abortive trip in to the shop for me already. In these days of Amazonian swiftness of delivery, this is probably not going to work in Blackwell’s favour, and I will admit that I often compare the prices in both places, but – on the whole – if I can, I will buy there.

Oxford used to be full of independent booksellers. Most, if not all, have disappeared, along with a host of other quirky, family-run businesses, only to be replaced by sandwich shops, cafes or shops selling “memorabilia”.