Bookstores of the World by Jean-Yves Mollier

Bookstores of the World

Jean-Yves Mollier, Patricia Sorel

WW Norton · Print & ebook · October 7, 2025

A Nonfiction pick for readers exploring Bookstores of the World.

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Who it’s for
A photographed tour of bookstores traces bookselling across regions and cultures.
Genres
Literary Travel, Architecture Photography, Travel Photography
Published
WW Norton, October 7, 2025

About this book

A NYT 2025 Holiday Gift Guide selection A magnificently illustrated global tour of contemporary bookstores, from Paris to Seoul Even in these days of online commerce, the physical bookstore retains its fascination as a place to gather and discover new art and ideas, often serendipitously; in fact, the bookstore is a refuge from the often unreflective world outside.

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This splendid tribute to the bookstores of the world begins in France—which has the most bookstores per capita of any country—and continues throughout Europe, the Americas, the Near East, Asia, and Africa. Along the way we encounter legendary emporia such as City Lights in San Francisco and Foyle’s in London, as well as new innovators such as the architecturally breathtaking Zhongshuge in Hangzhou. The insightful text explores the factors that have shaped bookselling in each region, from the price-fixing laws of France and Germany to the cultural and geographic diversity of the United States. Illustrated with superb photographs of storefronts and interiors, packed shelves and carefully curated displays, Bookstores of the World will inspire every bibliophile to chart new itineraries.

Bookshops Around the World

A photographed tour of bookstores traces bookselling across regions and cultures.

Come here for

  • Photographs of storefronts and interiors
  • Packed shelves and carefully curated displays

Expect

  • Regional forces shaping bookselling, including price-fixing laws in France and Germany
  • Cultural and geographic diversity in the United States

Where it sits

Travel Photography52%
Literary Travel40%
Architecture Photography39%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Regional Photography
  • Literary Travel
Authors
Jean-Yves Mollier, Patricia Sorel
Publisher
WW Norton
Published
October 7, 2025
Format
Print & ebook
Reading lane
Regional Photography