Edinburgh Books

A fixture in Edinburgh’s literary scene for over forty years, Edinburgh Books—once West Port Books—narrowly avoided being turned into a café in 2006.

Known for its eccentric charm, the shop offers an extensive selection of second-hand and antiquarian books. Extra rooms in the basement surprise visitors with even more fiction, non-fiction, and collectable titles.

The shop’s well-worn, characterful atmosphere hints at rare finds among the shelves. Decorative touches like Clarence the water buffalo and Graham the grouse add to its distinctive personality.

Edinburgh Books stocks titles spanning a wide range of subjects, from antiquarian and nearly new to affordable paperbacks and rare, valuable editions.

A basement room, rented by Alba Musick of Glasgow, is dedicated entirely to sheet music.

Edinburgh Books – Browse our Catalogue

Roughly ten per cent of the shop’s inventory is available to browse online via AbeBooks.co.uk.

Book Buying

The shop welcomes offers of quality books and entire libraries, with a particular interest in military books, Scottish topics, literature, travel, science, leather-bound editions, illustrated works, philosophy, theology, and children’s books.

Genres like thrillers, romance, coffee-table books, and twentieth-century encyclopedias are less sought after.

• Edinburgh Books is a 16-minute walk from Haymarket Station, and an 18-minute walk from Waverley Station.
• Bus Services – 2 and 35 stop near the shop.

• Edinburgh Bookshops: Exploring the literary heart of Scotland.