Colin Page's is a very cool bookshop in the Lanes, selling antiques as well as a couple of second…read morehand classics and the like. It's not that great for fiction, theatre or modern art books (9/10ths of my bookshelf), so I don't come here very often, but it's the sort of place I can imagine liking more as I age and the books I like start to grace its shelves. It's not young, it's certainly not hip or cool, but it is impressive to behold, and a great place to find hidden gems. What I have looked for, and enjoyed the selection of, is non-fiction here. There are a huge variety of old classics here, especially in the psychology section: all of the classics are here, and in ample quantities. I suppose this is the kind of shop to look for strange old books over looking for modern and exciting pieces, but since that really isn't me... I'd recommend it if it's you though.

This ia a bookshop above bookshops and certainly the kind of place you don't see so often these…read moredays. Don't expect trendy music, a in store coffee bar or the latest fiction or Jordan biography. What you can expect are shelves well stocked with leather bound tomes and grimoires covering most fiction and non fiction genres. I am a bit of a collector of random metaphysical texts and such like and can spend hours in here searching through the shelves for something out of the ordinary. Usually, anything I come across is in my price range also, which is always nice. The gentlemen running the store are also very nice and always patient to indulge a heavy browser like myself. Sadly, I rarely walk in here with a clear title I am hunting for, but I get the impression that if this was the case they would be very helpful in sourcing a copy for me. If you are more into your contemporary paperback, they also have a selection of reasonably priced title out the front of the store and I have picked up a few bargains here by sorting through the fruit boxes. If you are in the city and after a title, you would do well to keep this place in mind.

Savory Antiques and Books is yet another gem in the Fiveways crown, with a truly extensive stock…read more The pavement outside is a maze of packing cases brimful of paperbacks, and inside the shelves are well organised into sections, with a very good modern fiction section including an array of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, both the brilliant Donna Tartt book and the slight let-down, in several covers, a bit of Amy Tan and a proliferance of Vikram Seth. The classics are well represented also, and the non-fiction section worked out well for me. I'm not certain where the 'antiques' came in, unless it were the antiquarian books, of which there were many. The collector's items obviously go for a bit more, but your average paperback will be about £3, a hardback £4 or £5. It's a surprisingly light, airy bookshop that almost feels like it's not second hand - everything apart from the real antiques is clean and in excellent repair. There are no dogs or cats curled up in dusky corners, and that smell of dusty mildew is significantly absent. This was a disappointment to me, but probably an advantage to those of us without my unusual olfactory tastes. This would definitely be an excellent visit if you were looking for something specific or out of print, as the owners have a nigh-on encyclopaedic stock knowledge, not all of which is available to the browser's eye. A certain good bet for your day of Fiveways browsing.

There are so many second-hand books here that they have them in boxes outside on trestle tables,…read morepiled up on the floor, floor to ceiling inside and pretty much covering the counter. I have found so many brilliant books here- their fiction collection is incredible- the mother and daughter owners have impeccable taste and pick out a great mix of classics, future classics and fun reads. They have a great crime section, cookery section, children's section and, more unusually, they have excellent small drama, history, and political theory sections. The prices are great- paperbacks for a few pounds, hardback art books for five or less, some best-sellers on offer for a pound! Great for you and for gifts. They also buy secondhand books in good condition.

James Ellroy or David Peace? Hunter S. Thompson or William…read moreS. Burroughs? Banana Yoshimoto or Haruki Murakami? Carson McCullers or William Faulkner? Whatever authors you're into, City Books is a brilliant independent bookshop that's head and shoulders above Borders, Waterstones and other chains in the city. It's so small a coach party would have to visit in groups of ten but they manage to pack a lot of great fiction into that wee space. There's a lot of new releases, classic and cult fiction, crime, sci-fi, horror and womens fiction as well as a small selection of childrens books, cookbooks, travel books and art and design tomes downstairs. They also sell a fantastic range of greetings cards and Moleskin notebooks. The staff are all genuine book lovers so if you want something recommending, just ask. In summer, they often have a table outside offering reduced paperbacks and throughout the year they run a series of author events and readings at The Old Market - two minutes down the road. Nick Cave read from his recent novel here a few weeks ago and they have lots of authors lined up between now and Christmas. Speaking of Santa, I could probably do all my Christmas shopping here....

Books aren't for schmucks! I have written about both of Brighton and Hove's main libraries and how…read morebooks are a fantastic way to beat the credit crunch: "Libraries are a great way to be entertained and educated in times of economic hardship. Although the credit crunch sounds like a really boring breakfast cereal, it may have actually affected the way you spend money." Yeah I just quoted myself, what of it? I am going to contradict myself somewhat by now reviewing a bookshop and describing it as a great way to beat the credit crunch when I previously stated that the BEST way to do this is to get the same books from the library for free. However, you can't get all books from the library. There are some books that are too niche or just not there, so it is therefore necessary to hunt them down elsewhere. The internet is great for this, but a) the internet isn't a place in Brighton, and b) sometimes it is nicer to go out, see real people and support local businesses. Books and records are fantastically physical. It's not the same buying downloaded books, or music: it might be quicker and easier but it is ebbing away the physical way we consume. Books are records can be kept, shared, or sold on. They also give a home a real personal quality and show others what sort of person you are. City Books is a great example of a local business that we should be supporting. Not only does it give you the chance to buy books that you might not be able to get elsewhere and keep up the great tradition of reading, but they also offer an interactive experience with regular readings and book launches by established authors. It is inexpensive, educational and inspiring.

On lazy Sundays, there's nothing I like better than going for a long walk along the beach then…read morepicking up a couple of paperbacks from the West Pier bookstall. Last time I found a copy of J. Robert Lennon's hilarious novel about an obsessive compulsive mailman and this morning, I managed to scoop two recent Walter Mosley novels. Situated by the West Pier, the bookstall is open every weekend throughout spring, summer and autumn - unless there's heavy rain - and specialises in great quality, secondhand books. All the stock is in crates and there's usually a great mix of paperback and hardback fiction, poetry, biographies, true and literary crime and local interest books. The owner is clearly a bookworm himself and is happy to recommend titles if you're looking for something new and compelling.

I used to live near the West Pier on Montpeiler road and would regularly use the beach as my back…read moregarden on sunny days. This was also a good excuse to have a snoop around the crates of the West Pier Bookstall and pick up a second hand read whilst I enjoyed the sun. There is a good range of fiction and a selection of biographies that have just dropped off the current flavour of the moment. The prices are reasonable as is the quality of the books (nothing worse than a tattered paperback disintergrating from a gust of sea wind!) The propieter is an amicable chap and will try and open execpt in really adveerse weather conditions. I haven't directly been to check out his wares in a while, but noted that he was still going strong as I passed him last weekend. being a little out of the way, you also find that his prices are a littlle more reasonable than similar establishments in the North Laine.

Sky-lark is a welcome addition to the Needlemakers shops, selling new paperbacks which range from…read moreclassic authors to new novelists. They also stock a very interesting range of music and film, with a strong emphasis on world films and folk music, both of which I enjoy. It's not all media though, they also sell chunky fair-trade jewellery and textiles, made from co-ops in India and Africa. The problem for shops like this in general is that although a lot of effort goes into selecting the stock, as a small independent retailer the CDs, books and films are mostly at full price (e.g. about £13 for an album £8 for a book). Although I'm likely to see something I want in here, I'll probably - I'm sorry to say - just go home and buy it from play.com or iTunes, and get it cheaper. But at any rate, it is a pleasant shop for a browse, and the poems in the window are sweet, if a little earnest

What an absolute gem of a shop. Beautifully laid out, half bookshop,half Aladdin's Cave full of…read morefair trade gifts, local prints and jewellery, rugs, glassware, even scores of unusual seed varieties. The staff are friendly and knowedgeable and the selection of books, though relatively small is exceptionally fine, covering poetry, travel and nature writing, society, memoirs, new fiction and the wonderful Barefoot Books for children. There's a kind of international feel to the place too, with the foreign films and music by the likes of desert bluesmen Tinariwen and catalan rumba outfit Ojos de Brujos. I must disagree one aspect of Georgia A's review. Leaving aside what to my mind is her rather apalling suggestion that the place could be used as a kind of handy 3-D research base before buying cheaper elsewhere (if we all do that Georgia, obviously these places for "pleasant browsing" will disappear anyway, doh!), I noticed both a book sale area with many books less than half price, and an offer of 3 cds for £20. In any case, such a concentration of good stuff in one place doesn't have an internet equivalent, the more unusual titles available here aren't actually discounted by Play et al anyway, and obviously here you can take .away and enjoy whatever caught your eye, immediately. Certainly one of the best shops in Lewes, do seek it out if you are in town!

This stationers- they have more stationery than books in this branch- is quite a nice break from…read moreall the hand crafted, limited edition statiobery in the rest of Lewes. This place sells your more mundane pens, notebooks, calendars, cards, and sometimes that it what you want-some straightforwardness. It's also cheaper than other Lewes sources so if you want to save a little check this place out.

I'm a collector of 50s early 60s records and I couldn't believe the prices of their records I had a…read moregood look through them all and the prices in general were double in most cases what I would pay on ebay or discogs I thought seeing as I was in there I'd buy a few 6 records for £50 which I admit I could have got a lot cheaper online and quality would have been better these had a lot is scratches etc.Alol in all a real shame as they had loads of records I wanted and would have spent a lot more but not when I can get them much cheaper and better condition online

Brighton is blessed with a handful of secondhand record shops and one of the best is Wax Factor…read more Housed in a black painted building on the perimeter of North Laines, it's an atmospheric place that's literally jam-packed with secondhand vinyl, CDs and books. They stock everything from hip hop, electronica, funk, soul, jazz and motown but their real speciality is classic rock and pop from the 1950s to the present day. If you're looking for a copy of The White Album, Quadrophenia or the whole back catalogue of The Rolling Stones or The Small Faces, this is the place you'll find it!

The ill named Station Bookshop is actually more of a newsagents; they do have two little…read morewheelie-stands of books, but by far the most shelf space in this dimly lit grey shop is given over to magazines and snacks. They do have quite a wide selection of magazines, and they also have several stands of greetings cards. That, combined with the florists Miss Bloomsbury which also inhabits the station building mean that Lewes station is fairly well-equipped to provide you with some last minute presents - providing you need them before 5.30pm. The woman who runs the Station Bookshop is quite grumpy, but I'm not surprised because the low neon lighting in the shop is rather depressing. Basically, it's not lovely, but is useful if you want some water or a paper before you hop on a train.