…in other words, the independent booksellers I’m lucky enough to have near me. We may not have the tube in South East London, but you’re never far from a brilliant bookshop.  Many of these are award winning, most host events and organise festivals, some offer coffee too and nearly all are even open on Sundays.  You may be surprised to know that they can often get a book to you more quickly than Amazon and it may cost even less that way.

To be absolutely fair, I’m listing my locals purely in order of proximity to my house.

review, 131 Bellenden Road, Peckham, SE15 4QY

Chener Books, 14 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, SE22 8HN

Rye Books has just moved from  Upland Road to 47 North Cross Rd, East Dulwich SE22 9ET, bringing it fractionally closer.

Tales on Moon Lane (THE CHILDREN’S BOOKSHOP)25 Half Moon Lane, Herne Hill, SE24 9JU

Village Books

1d Calton Avenue, Dulwich, SE21 7DE

Dulwich Books,

6 Croxted Road, West Dulwich, SE21 8SW 

And though this bookshop is no longer as local as it was before I moved south of the river several decades ago, Housmans will meet all your online book-buying needs.

BOOKS ARE MY BAG is a wonderful campaign which celebrates real, walk-in-and-browsable bookshops – a collaboration between booksellers, publishers and authors.  Find out more and get involved.