Any Amount of Books

Charing Cross Road was once a noted centre for bookshops in London, and while many have sadly been priced out, a few remain. One of the most delightful to explore is Any Amount of Books, which entices you in with its stalls of cut-price paperbacks. The shop frequently buys up extensive book collections, making for an ever-changing selection to suit book-buyers of any budget, with prices ranging from £1 to £2,000 (including, amusingly, a ‘medium-rare’ section). It had a scoop in 2007 by acquiring the library of Angela Carter, while more recently, the books of noted bon viveur Norman Douglas made their way here. Diversifying a little never hurts business either, and the shop has developed a sideline selling collections of leather bindings to interior decorators, set designers and posh drinking establishments. It’s also much bigger than it first appears, so don’t forget to check out the basement when you pop in.