New York is a city filled with glitz, glamour, and lots of independent bookstores. Why not top off your trip here with a tour of one, two, or a bunch of the city’s most beloved book nooks?

Here are a few ideas to get you started.

May days

Garth Hallberg, a writer at The Millions (themillions.com), a site that covers cultural trends, first posted his own self-created independent bookstore walking tour in 2007. The tour hit a high note, and this year, The Millions—in conjunction with many city bookshops—hosts another version, on Saturday May 2nd (rain date is May 3rd).

The tour will kick off at 11 AM at the Three Lives book shop in Waverly Place (corner of 10th Street). From here, it makes  stops at some of NYC’s most cherished indie spots, Housing Works in Soho, McNally Jackson (Soho), and Bluestockings (Lower Eastside), before crossing the Brooklyn Bridge to hit up Court Street Books in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn and wind up at Freebird Books & Goods. The tour comprises 4.5 miles and should take about 4 hours. RSVP to: themillionsbookstoretour@gmail.com

For more information, go here and scroll down to May 2nd’s events.

Mob hobnob

On May 9th, Freebird Books & Goods hosts a unique walking tour, this time a history of Crazy Joe Gallo (he’s an original Goodfella). The tour, led by author Tom Folsom, will weave its way from Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn to Red Hook’s warehouse district, Gallo’s old mob stomping ground. The best part? It’s free and open to the public.

The tour begins in front of Carroll Park (Subway: F train to Carroll Street). An RSVP is recommended (tel: 718-643-8484 or info@freebirdbooks.com).

Finally, consider generating your own walking tour. Or, check this one out, courtesy of Lucy Di Rosa from The Examiner.

Do you have a favorite New York City independent bookshop or bookseller? Tell us about it here.

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An alley off Charing Cross Road. Photo by Andwar

In London, great writers from Dickens to Keats, Woolf to Orwell found a home and a literary community. Today, bookish visitors can find shelves filled with their works, often in charming, historically-significant bookstores. Cheapos on the hunt for souvenirs know that many of these shops hand out bookmarks for free.

Souvenirs to write home about

The proprietors of many of London’s famous bookstores promote themselves with free bookmarks. After perusing your favorite titles on the shelves at one of the shops, pick one up at the front counter. Not only will they keep your page, but the bookmark will be a pleasing reminder of your trip.

Charing Cross Road, a row famous for its many second-hand booksellers, runs between the Tottenham Court Road and Leicester Square tube stations, and is an excellent place to hunt down bookmarks. Waterstone’s and Foyles, two of the biggest British houses of books, are found here as well. You can also stop in front of 84, Charing Cross Road, well-known by the book of the same name (c. 1970) and the film starring Anthony Hopkins (c. 1987).

Daunt bookstore has four locations. The main store is at 83 Marylebone High Street south of Regent’s Park. Branches are also in Belsize Park, Hampstead and Holland Park. Rumors purport that George Orwell often frequented the location in Hampstead, where he also kept house.

While you’re at it…

Why not also buy a book for you to mark? We’d suggest buying a novel by a British author in his or her old neighborhood. For instance, a trip to London doesn’t get more self-referential than buying “A Song About Myself,” by John Keats, from the Daunt branch near the poet’s old house.

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Photo by oliviagiovetti

If you ask the older Expat Czech-set, The Globe isn’t what it used to be since it moved seven years ago from the Holesovice to the trendier address on Pstrossova, near the National Theater. Howevery you can still find them in the corner of the bookshop-slash-café that puts Borders to shame.

Browse the wide selection of English books in the storefront (including the box of freebies by the door), and don’t be shy to ask the English-speaking staff if they can order a copy of what anything don’t have in stock. After you’ve grabbed an expat (or expat-in-spirit) appropriate book, head to the back café and sit on or under its grand balcony.

The current owner has a keen eye for the aesthetic experience which works in the café’s favor, making it atmospheric without the overkill. Currently the works of Roman Zakrzewski, whose collection “The Only Woman in the World” features portraits of his wife at various ages, flirt with the eye (and can be purchased for a decidedly non-Cheapo price of $3,000 each).

A hand-picked mix of jazz, European house, and techno remixes of opera arias msehes well with the reasonably priced drinks (stop in for half-priced cocktails every day between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m), and the live music featured on Friday and Saturday nights. In addition to the print menu of beverages and desserts, there is also a dinner menu that offers great portions, wonderful flavors, and prices as friendly as the waitresses.

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Photo by Philip Sheldrake

It’s no secret that Londoners love literature just about as much as they love their tabloids. When not sifting the mags to find out where Posh and Becks are currently being preposterous, Londoners are usually nose-in-novel on the Underground or while queueing at Sainsbury’s.

Here are just some of the places where we find our favorite wordsmiths in London:

1. Foyle’s bookshop was co-created by two brothers in 1903 after they both failed their civil service exams. The store first sold only textbooks; today it hosts author events (Chuck Palahniuk ring a bell?) and gallery tours at its flagship location in SoHo. It may not be the largest and most exciting shop, but it’s distinguished and impressive.

2. Travel fans (know any of those?) should visit Daunt Travel Bookshop in Hampstead, where it’s rumored that George Orwell once clerked. The bookstore has long been known for its courteous, brilliant staff (owner James Daunt writes reviews for The Times and The Guardian) and though the names that grace their events diary may not be household to us, the talks at Daunt sure do enlighten. Ol’ Jimmy Boy co-hosts many events with another famous lad from around the corner, John Keats.

3. Waterstone’s. If you like your bookstores big and comprehensive, then Waterstone’s is the place for you. The store on Piccadilly has six floors of literary madness. Look for JK Rowling when she signs copies of the next (and last) Harry Potter here in July.

Happy reading!

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