recommendations for second hand bookshops?
 

Anyone can suggest a good secondhand bookshop in London? Looking mostly for music and philosophy books.

I take it you have already tried the online ones?

I have found them excellent for actually finding what I know I want very quickly - although nowhere near as much fun a wandering round the obscure and muddled old shops!

Give The Ripping Yarns (http://www.rippingyarns.co.uk/) a shot.

Bloomsbury has, not surprisingly, some second hand bookshops with a good selection of academic books, including philosophy. Two that I'm familiar with are Skoob, at north end of the Brunswick Centre near the Russell Square tube station, and Judd Books on Marchmont Street, only about a block away from Skoob. Also, as much as I hesitate to recommend a huge chain, the flagship Waterstone's on Gower Street has used academic books on the upper floors (and is generally better than other Waterstones have become).

If you're feeling adventurous, you could comb through this list for specialists in your subjects. Since it's not necessarily entirely up to date, check with any shop before making a special trip.

You always try our local charity shop, as they generally have books (may be more than second hand though for example forth or more).

Plus by buying them at a charity shop you are helping a good cause.

[QUOTE=Giggleswick;22362522]Bloomsbury has, not surprisingly, some second hand bookshops with a good selection of academic books, including philosophy. Two that I'm familiar with are Skoob, at north end of the Brunswick Centre near the Russell Square tube station, and Judd Books on Marchmont Street, only about a block away from Skoob. QUOTE]

Also, although not a second hand one, The School of Oriental and African Studies has an interesting bookshop, obviously specialized in the continents of Asia and Africa, within the Brunei Gallery premises.

http://www.soas.ac.uk/visitors/bookshop/

Indeed - online is for when you know exactly what you want, wandering around is for those books you didn't know you needed

I've found a few interesting shops in Cecil Lane (theatre district), along with shops selling other arcana, a pleasant cafe at one end of the alley and a decent restaurant at the other.

We always stop there when we're in London.

And, of course, along Charing Cross Road.

I'll add Henry Pordes, 58-60 Charing Cross Road, to the shops already mentioned.

The Oxfam Bookshop on Marylebone High Street has quite a good and varied selection of books, especially more specialist ones.