Wonderful book shop in walkable downtown Burlington. Nice curation. Comfy chairs. Used and new…read morebooks.

Always love a bookshop to peruse. Most of the books did seem to be new and reflect that pricing.read more

This used bookstore occupies the entire first floor of an old home in downtown Plainfield. It…read morefeatures every subject imaginable and has one of the most impressive selections of books that I've seen this side of Powell's. Case in point: for the last two years, I've been searching for the English translation of the autobiography of composer, Richard Wagner, a book that has been out of print practically since before it was printed. I looked in bookstores in NYC, in Portland, OR, in Maine, in Massachusetts, and all over Vermont. The Country Bookshop was the only place that had a copy. Finding it, and finding it reasonably-priced and in great condition (especially for a 100+ year old book) helped justify yet another road trip to Plainfield. The store is a maze of bookshelf-filled old rooms. You could easily spend an entire afternoon in here. The books are, for the most part, organized on these shelves. The hardcover fiction section (my personal favorite) has disappointed me on repeated visits simply because the owner has stacked boxes in front of the bottom two shelves and the last thing I want to do while browsing for books is have to move around boxes. Nevertheless, I typically leave the store with a smile on my face and a book or two in hand, so I can't complain too much. The store is out of the way (I only make it out there once or twice a year) so I understand if anyone is hesitant to make the trip; but if you do, I think you'll find it a worthwhile trek.

This place is actually kind of enchanting. A place you'd half expect to take a wrong step and…read moreaccidentally knock over a thousand-year-old translation of the Voynich Manuscript. Well okay maybe not THAT crazy but still... I've made some pretty wild finds in this place. A little pricy but definitely has that "Vermont used bookstore" magic going on. I just wish they were open later!

This store has everything for everyone. Books and quirky gifts for all ages and I mean ALL ages…read more Great kids selections of art,crafts, books and toys. Friendly owner and very helpful.

It's a bookstore, but only just barely. 90 percent of the store is kids toys and gifty items and…read morethe rest are books for small children. You won't find much of anything for anyone over the age of 8 and navigating it feels like a cluttered mess. The employees also leave a lot to be desired. I felt like I was bothering them just by being there and the responses to my questions were borderline rude. Simply put, it all left me with very little desire to go back...

Excellent prices and selection. Not as many science and math, but plenty in other areas of…read moreinterest. Knowledgeable and helpful staff pointed us in the right direction.

I drove by here early in the day. I was heading North and knew Id be passing back by on my way…read moreback South. When I passed by in the morning it wasn't open, but even then there were books outside just calling out to be perused. So upon my return, some 7 hours later, I stopped in. Easy parking out front. It's huge. Books for days. These are used books, and many are in great shape, and priced accordingly. This isn't the cheapest used bookstore I've come across, but I think it's the most extensive. I wasn't looking for anything specific so didn't ask for anything. But I spent time in the cookbook and travel book sections. Huge. So many to choose from. Many decades of choices, including recent, especially important in the travel book section. I found the pricing a little higher than I expected, but I picked up some books anyway. Used bookstores keep books relevant and out of landfills both. Gotta love that.

This is the best book store I've been to in the United States!! I'm a big fan of local curated…read morebooks store compared to the bigger ones and this place seems curated to me. I just went for a casual browse and ended up leaving with maybe 5 books? I kept seeing great ones on my TBR list! They suggest Rabbits to me and it was a very fun read. Good board game selection as well!

The owners of this gem of a book store know so much about books and give the best recommendations,…read moreand the bread is fabulous

You're immersed in the sweet perfume of books as soon as you walk in. There are piles upon piles,…read morean improbably large number crammed into this small bookstore, the cacophony recalling a wild, lushly overgrown garden -- or perhaps a cheerier version of the bookstore in "The Neverending Story." It's just (dis)organized enough to maximize your browsing enjoyment. You stumble across unexpected delights in the many nooks and crannies! But if you're looking for a specific something, the kind owners are immediately there to assist... and expound upon similar reads you might enjoy. They're like living, breathing Spotify playlist curators for books. Good ones. Tempest also carries puzzles and a massive selection of movies on DVD. What's on display in the store is only the tip of the iceberg. The rest of the iceberg lives in the owners' garage, we're told -- but they're happy to dig out whatever you request. Sadly, we're only in the area for a few weeks of the year. Most of our time is devoted to skiing and on the days when skiing isn't ideal, seeing friends. But next December, I vow to (1) set aside a full day for a proper browse and chat with the fascinating, brilliant, and well-read owners; and (2) do all our holiday shopping here. This store is a true treasure, clearly a labor of love.

I never had a problem with the old owner, but I only interacted with him twice, and he was…read moreprofessional. I'm happy there's a huge used bookstore in Burlington since the two stores on Church Street carry mostly overpriced new books, and there are some other issues I have with these two stores, so I don't shop at either. I have already found some great used books at Speaking Volumes, and hope to find more in future. The Fiction/Literature section is voluminous, and I'm hoping that eventually the Sci-Fi is separated from the Fantasy--that's an old categorization that was already outdated in the 80s. The Mystery section is pretty nice with Christie, Hammett, Chandler, and others. Overall, this place is a reader's dream.

SPEAKING VOLUMES IS UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP! if you are reading this review AFTER may 2026, disregard…read moreall the previous reviews that talk about the awful old owner. the vibes are completely different and the new folks are trying really hard to make it a great, positive place. i already found the selection to be better&pricing more fair. give the new speaking volumes a chance--i am already looking forward to going back.