OXFAM BOOKSHOP ON KINGSLAND RD

The Oxfam book and record shop on the Kingsland Road near the junction is one of my favourite bookstores ever!! (Number 1 being The Old Secondhand bookstore in West Park in my hometown). The Oxfam bookstore is one of the few places that Alex and I can shop together without one disturbing the other or getting bored - he goes to the records, I go to the books. And yesterday I struck GOLD!!

Aside from the fact that I love love LOVE these old blue Penguin covers with their perfect Helvetica and white band, this is one of those books that provides a great resource into what was going on in 1938. When I'm researching a subject I always try and find books written at the actual time or within 3 years of the events, because the context is almost always going to be different. The last chapter is entitled "Can Capitalism Survive?"...so glad the author isn't alive to see what it has become...

This Pocket History of Freemasonry is one of those books for post-club alcohol-fueled conspiracy theory chats. Numerous times I've been at boys houses and the subject of the Freemasons inevitably comes up. I like having a book that can refute all wild random conversations...


I first found it while browsing through St Martins library and renewed it 5 times while I got through the hefty tome. Now I have my own copy! And wowzers, I can't believe it was only 59p! Its basically about how the world is moving so fast that we can't catch up with it and then suffer from anxiety about our lives. It describes the fact that 100 years ago the only people we would have known were the 50 or so local people in our village, and now, thanks to the fast paced society (and the service industry) we can know thousands of people, causing us to suffer to lack of strong bonds etc etc...its part Malcom Gladwell, part Dr Robert Winston. Interesting read...


What!? A Pictorial eyewitness history!? On the Soviet Union!? In a handy pocket size?! Gimme More!


Check out this amazing layout of Trotsky and Lenin "haranguing the Petrograd workers"


Always good to know a bit of American history. If you love music, you should always try to read up on the history of the country at the time the music was being made as its almost always a product of social and political surroundings... The 20s and 30s America!? Lets see what caused the blues...


I just find the way the big people give the the little people things (crack, guns, diseases etc) to harm themselves with fascinating...


I haven't read any Desmond Morris but Adrian keeps telling me to, and this looks really good! I especially love the diagrams of acceptable touching zones on the body for your mother and father...


Seeing as China is gonna be THE superpower of the future, its always useful to know a bit of Chinese history to impress your future business associates. This book is about the hub of Beijing in the Ming Dynasty. Its almost like a gossip book of what happened in the kingdom. One chapter is sensationally titled "Palace maids attempt to strangle Emperor Jiajing".


I love post war Britain. I love the Windrush (obviously), and I love The Specials Ghost Town.



I saw this at Anoushka BAPEs house and was tempted to steal it but it belonged to her sister and I cant steal because I get guilt nightmares. I was very upset. Its a brillllllllliant book! and the cover photo is amazing (the full photo is printed on the back) As I always say...EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON...a month or two later and I get my very own copy for a mere 99p!



ALL OF THIS FOR ONLY £7.29!!!!! Are you insane!?!!

Sadly this bookstore is closing down - hence the lengthy post to promote it! - to make way for more shit clothes for the Dalston massive. If you live in East London please go and check it out. They're having a clearance sale next week. Bring your trolleys...