This is perhaps now one of my favourite book shops. News from Nowhere stands tall and proud amidst the bustle of Bold Street, adorned with Pride flags and a welcoming presence from first glance. The last stop on our exploration of Liverpool, this book shop is an absolute delight. My friend described it as a 'left wing socialist paradise' and that couldn't be more accurate. From the moment you step in the doorway you're embraced by liberal ideas and a profound sense of community and solidarity, no matter who you are. I particularly adored the feminism and women's history section.
Two books were purchased at News from Nowhere, although admittedly I could have spent all my money in there! One of these was Sincerity by Carol Ann Duffy, which I snatched up from a reduction table (how could I not when it was £15 down to £3.99?). After reading some of Duffy's work during my undergrad, and devouring a copy of Advent Street at Christmas, I've been desperate to read more of her marvellous poetry.
Bookshops Galore!
Were I to have longer in Liverpool, or perhaps on another trip, I'd very happily visit two more bookshops as well as News from Nowhere. Reid of Liverpool on Mount Pleasant appears to be a Tetris of bookish delight, crammed into narrow hallways and stacked up to high ceilings. Then, there is Kernaghan Books. Housed in the courtyard of The Bluecoat (Grade I listed), Kernaghan Books is at the epicentre of an Arts Hub where thoughts and creativity mingle to create exquisite pieces of art in all its forms. Named as one of the top 10 quirkiest places to visit in Liverpool, it's hard to envisage why someone would give this a miss!
Literary Liverpool
Admittedly I know very little about the Liverpool literature scene, but after some research I discovered that Liverpool was once home to Dame Beryl Bainbridge, author of the Booker Prize winning novel Master Georgie (1998). Her bleak and macabre stories were rooted in working-class life, and she is now considered among the greatest contemporary writers in Britain.
How could we forget the Liverpool Poets, too? The poets came to prominence in the 1950s with their Beat Poetry (think Ginsberg) and their work was filled with emotion and humour. Amongst their number were Roger McGough, Brian Patten and Adrian Henri to name a few. To know that such talented writers were walking along by the docks and weaving their way through every street and lane is enough to fill any writer with immense joy.
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