Mumbai is home to a growing number of chain bookstores - well-lit, air-conditioned spots that often host book launches and stock the latest best-sellers from Indian and international authors. But bibliophiles looking to ferret out bargains or rare finds shouldn't end their search without digging a little more deeply, from decades-old shops to street stalls.
Start at the appropriately, if unimaginatively, titled New and Secondhand Bookshop (526, Kalbadevi Road, Dhobi Talao; 91-22-6524-1731). Opened in 1905, the shop has two cramped floors of shelves, sorted dutifully according to subject matter. These range from poetry to international politics, with many stops in between. A recent visit yielded a 1902 Edinburgh-published Jonathan Swift collection from the rare and out of print section.
As the result of a recent anti-hawker campaign, the pavements to the north of Hutatma Chowk (formerly Flora Fountain) aren't as dense with book stalls as they were five years ago. But this is still a fine place to find a wide range of new and used books, including current favorites like William Dalrymple and Amitav Ghosh, as well as Penguin classics, at a steep discount from the cover price. (Do, though, beware counterfeits when shopping.)
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