Hanoi: Small and unexpected treasures
What makes Hanoi’s bookshops attractive is neither the quantity of books nor the shops’ designs. The beauty of Hanoi’s bookstores lies in the fact that they reflect the personality of this city, which is challenging and slightly messy.
Places that attract avid readers are not only the big and old bookshops on Trang Tien Street, but small book streets that are home to family-owned bookshops. Readers love Mrs. Mao’s Bookshop in a tiny alley off Dinh Le Street, Mu Hoa’s Bookshop with its select collection of rare and unique books, and shops like Su That, Anh Minh, and Ngan Nga. While Dinh Le is an old book street long popular with Hanoians, the book street intersecting with Ly Thuong Kiet Road is more recent and hosts many eye-catching booths belonging to private publishers. Another treasure trove of books lies on Lang Street, where second-hand books for students and out-of-print titles are sold. Here, you will sometimes find Japanese, English, or American literary works translated in the 1990s which have turned yellow with time.
Many other small bookshops are operating in different districts, for example, the Bookworm – an English-language bookshop on Pham Hong Thai Street, the spacious Dong-Tay Book Café, the tiny Hop Bookstore on Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, and the Nha Nam Bookstores. You might be surprised to discover less well-known bookshops, for example Nhung vi sao on Hang Trong Street, which displays ethnic minority products and children’s books. This is the first bookshop in Hanoi to feature self-serve and self-payment services.
In an era of digital commerce, it’s easy to buy books online or read e-books. But it’s always an absorbing adventure to go from one Hanoi bookshop to another in search of great books. You might be amazed by the mix of chaos and simplicity, where treasures are sure to be found. You’ll feel such joy when you find one, even if it’s just a second-hand book in a cluttered nameless stand selling books by the roadside.
