Wednesday: A Little Word About Bookshops

Today was such a beautiful day in Larnden Town that I was a bit stuck on what to blip.  So, to prove the point that it was a lovely day here is an interior shot.

This is the staircase at Waterstones Piccadilly.  To my lovely readers overseas, Waterstones is a big bookstore chain.  This particular store used to be home to the department store, Simpsons, a much admired landmark of London architecture because of its Art Deco style and inspiration for the TV series'Are You Being Served?'.

As a rule I prefer to support independent bookshops.  I knew someone who managed a Waterstones branch who was told off by her managers for promoting books that were too, in their mind, unusual.  

They do take an unashamedly populist approach.  Today there was a display on books related to the First World War - I don't have a problem with that as such but I do mind when it is linked to the fact that 'Downton Abbey' is returning to the TV on Sunday and it is set in WW1...........Mind you, if Waterstones get people reading, for whatever reason, I shouldn't complain.....

The reason I was in Waterstones, though, was to look for books on the break-up of Yugoslavia.  Could I find any?  No.....I could not.  

P.S.  Hurrah for the return of 'Downton Abbey'!