National Archives Bookshop
I must share. Have been doing some research this past week at the National Archives in Kew, about two miles from here (how lucky am I?). While the excellent staff were digging out the stuff I requested, I killed time by browsing their bookshop. It’s almost exclusively stocked with history, architecture and ancestry type titles and also has a good line in old maps etc. Best of all, it has loads of books on discount. Good ones too, not your usual bargain bin remaindered crap. So, for a princely sum of £21, I’m now the proud owner of:
Kew Past by David Blomfield
Samuel Johnson A Biography by Peter Martin
London Pleasures, From Restoration to Regency by David Kerr Cameron
Fatal Voyage, Captain Cook’s Last Great Journey by Peter Aughton
That’s over £70 worth on cover prices. So even if you are not doing research, I’d strongly recommend you visit this superb history bookshop, one you would never otherwise come across. You can shop there online too (use link, above).
Well, you just made me jealous!
Glad you had a good time researching at Kew, Mike. Did you know that if you join the Friends of The National Archives you get a 20% discount in the bookshop? The subscription pays for itself in no time if you spend as much on books as I do! Not that I’m a member of the Friends any more because I now work for TNA (and get staff discount in the shop).
Ahh, get thee behind me, satan! Difficulties are two-fold. 1) I buy history books faster than I will ever read them! 2) I’m already friends of Georgian Group, Art Fund, National Army Museum, several local history societies etc. and as it is I yearn to join London Topographical Society and friends of V&A, National Portrait Gallery, Historic Royal Palaces and Museum of London. And National Trust and English Heritage could also be handy. All boils down to money is basically the bottom line.