Booktrailing Bookshops in Stockholm

Submitted: 27th January 2020

Buying books in Stockholm

So, I was in Stockholm last week for work ( I translate and work with publishers ) and so was quite busy in the office with all the events coming up BUT I made time to wander around the city and visit a few bookshops. I’ve put a little trail together of bookshops I visited this time and the times before in one trail so you can explore the city in a new way when you get the chance to go.

And you should – it’s GORGEOUS and very book orientated. Loads of book events, plenty of bookshops, people reading books on train, in the streets. Sweden loves books and there are some fantastic writers out there. Some haven’t been translated yet and they should be as there are some TOP stories from this country. As well as Scandi Noir, there are some remarkable romance books, thrillers and really funny children’s books.

You should of course take a book set in Sweden when you go and combine your bookshop visit with a literary trail too!

More on that later..but for now, care to wander around the Bookshops of Stockholm with me?

First of all however, a stop off at the central library…

Stockholm library (c)The BookTrail

Inside is a dream for any booklover..and linguist….. This is a special place for me as I would sit and read Camilla Lackberg books to learn Swedish. My early vocabulary was interesting! haha

Stockholm library (c)The BookTrail

Books set in Stockholm

First shop: Akademibokhandlen

Now not far away from here, there are two fine shops where I visited a few times on my lunch breaks or after work..they’re open until 7 which is perfect!

Despite the name, it’s not an academic bookstore although it does sell textbooks and such like. The Swedish equivalent of Waterstones, there’s tons of books here as well as art supplies and bookish related gifts. I stay in the book zone and it’s here where I bought Kate Morton’s novels as I always like to see how a novel I know so well in English comes across in another language. I’ve discovered some AMAZING Swedish authors here not yet translated. Plus some Danes and Norwegians. It’s a veritable Scandi fest in here!

Good English selection too by the way. Bumped into Mark Billingham and Tom Wood as soon as I walked in.

Akademibokhandeln (c) The BookTrail

Adlibris

This is a great chain of stores and this one is particularly good as it has a huge selection of Swedish and English books. Plenty of browsing space and oh the colours! The titles! The Scandi Noir that is yet to be translated. The familiar faces from the UK translated into Swedish. I always feel as if I’m waving to author friends from the UK and it’s so interesting to see the covers that attract Swedish readers! (More on this soon)

There’s another chain in the city – and this one had a cafe and sold bags and had an entire wall of books in chart positions, a table for wrapping, a self service counter and some very good offers on pocket size Swedish reads………….

Adlibris (c)TheBookTrail

Soderbokhandeln

I have to say I think this has to be my favourite. It’s like walking onto the set of Harry Potter or something similar as it’s oldie worldie, there’s a counter and shelves behind it filled with books – like an old fashioned pharmacy. There’s moving book ladders…MOVING BOOK LADDERS PEOPLE and there’s the faint smell of book, stories and history all around you. The noise outside fades away and all you hear are readers turning pages….

A magical bookshop in Sodermalm (c) The BookTrail

It’s been around since 1927 and I think it’s pretty much the oldest bookstore in the city. It’s like walking into another world – just magical this one…..I’d love a lock in in this store! (There’s also a very nice coffee and cake shop a few doors down so I could pretty much live here when I think about it)

A magical bookshop in Sodermalm (c) The BookTrail

The English BookShop

If you’re craving more English reads..there’s a fab shop which comes complete with bookclubs and author events

The English Bookshop (c) The BookTrail

The shop inside is like a tardis. It might look small on the outside but it’s nooks and crannies are packed to the rafters with books, bags and lots more.

The English Bookshop (c) The BookTrail

There are even more bookshops I haven’t managed to get to yet to take pics so next time I will ensure to take pics of those. There’s LOTS of love for books here. The Swedes LOVE to read and the selection is wide and vast. We only read a small selection of all the goodness to come from Scandinavia so it’s lovely to come here and see, meet and discover new authors and trends. I get a thrill when I spot a foreign cover of a favourite English language author and could spend hours hunting for my favourites. Other readers browsing in stores give you advice on what to buy which is nice. Book buying is serious business and I thank the lady in Akademibokhandlen who ‘sold’ me three novels on her recommendation. I will be reviewing these later on. Rest assured, I did recommend a few UK authors in return!

I would live in any one of these stores and never leave if I had the chance!

Stockholm is a reader’s paradise.