Take a Self-Guided Bookstore Tour in Boston

Home at one time or another to famous writers like Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott and Nathanial Hawthorne, Boston and its surrounding New England towns remain important literary hubs. Book lovers will discover the city is a haven, filled with small and large, new and historic bookshops and libraries. Here’s a guide to some of our favorite spots.

Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard St., Boston

Opened in 1961 with the slogan “Dedicated to the fine art of browsing,” Brookline Booksmith has been exactly that for 50 years. In addition to new arrivals, the store is regularly updated with cheap, used books on the lower level.

The Harvard Coop, 18 Palmer St., Boston

The Harvard Coop is the quintessential bookstore, where you’ll find an in-house coffee shop, and reading books before buying is encouraged. Harvard students founded The Coop in 1882, and it features four floors of books, Harvard clothing and more.

Papercuts J.P., 5 Green St., Boston

Papercuts is an idyllic independent bookstore in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood, offering a small, cozy atmosphere where you can hole up for hours with a great read. Boston Magazine named the store among the Best of Boston 2016.

The Concord Bookshop, 65 Main St., Concord

Outside of Boston’s main city limits, you’ll find The Concord Bookshop. Established in 1940, the bookshop is celebrating 75 years of reading. Knowledgeable, passionate staff members will help you navigate the extensive collection, and the store also hosts great author events. 

Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Cambridge

Porter Square is an independent bookstore with a great selection and community events like Overnight Readathon, book clubs and author readings. The bookstore also runs Porter Square Books Foundation, aimed at fostering a love of reading among local families whose access to books may be limited by economic or cultural factors. While you browse or read, enjoy a coffee and pastry from Iggy’s — an in-store café.

Grolier Poetry Book Shop, 6 Plympton St., Cambridge

Hole-in-the-wall Grolier Poetry Book Shop in Cambridge is the oldest continuous poetry bookshop in the United States. You’ll find more than 15,000 current volumes of trade, small press and university publications.