I’ve recently rediscovered the joy of reading actual books; not audio books or e-books – real paper & ink books. With this rediscovery came a visit to one of my past favourite bookshops in Dublin, Chapters. As soon as I walked in the door and smelled the slightly musky scent that the best books have, a million great memories came flooding back.

If you ask anyone where to get books in Dublin, they’ll mention the biggest book and stationary retailer in Ireland, Eason. Eason has a good selection of books and stationery, but can be overpriced, and they usually just do mainstream books. Chapters on the other hand have a huge selection of new and secondhand books at bargain prices. Sure, you’ll pay extra for new releases and quality books, but if like me you care more about the story than what it looks like, a few cosmetic issues won’t bother you!

Downstairs is packed full of brand-new books, including usual editions and specialist subjects like sci-fi or LGBTQ+. They also have a great selection of cards, stationery and knickknacks like bags and mugs. The back of the shop is jammed with thousands of secondhand books in reasonably good condition and they start from as little as €0.50. You can also bring books in for evaluation and sell them to the shop if you like the offered price. They also have a book club in conjunction with my favourite cinema, Lighthouse. It’s a haven for book lovers in Dublin.