Bookshops

A delight for book-worms everywhere

A book lover's haven, South Oxfordshire has a variety of book sellers situated within the region, and was home to some well-known authors. Ian Fleming, the James Bond creator, spent some of his childhood in Henley. Agatha Christie and James H McClure, mystery writer and journalist both lived in the Wallingford.

Collectors and rare book dealers
Jonkers of Henley and Toby English in Wallingford sell rare and first editions of books and illustrations from the past two centuries. Original George Orwell's, Rudyard Kipling's and Charles Dickens' are examples of what is available to buy. These shops are perfect for keen collectors or for unusual gifts.

Independent bookshops
Bell Street Bookshop, Henley, and EM Lawson & Co in Didcot are all independent bookshops selling current and past books, with expert knowledge and recommendations. These shops are great places to wander around and take your time choosing a book you can really enjoy. They all stock a range of authors that you wouldn't find in high street book stores and will also order in a book if they don't have it in stock.

Second-hand bookshops
Oxfam bookshops in the district sell second hand books at a reasonable price with all proceeds going to charity. The shops have many chart paperbacks, classics and even early editions of books that are in excellent condition and worth spending a few minutes looking for.

Literary Festival
Henley Literary Festival takes place annually within the town and attracts guest stars such as Michael Palin, Roy Hattersley and Jeremy Paxman. the Festival hosts special events and talks at over 70 fantastic venues and celebrates writing in its various forms: poetry, history, politics, travel, music, lifestyle, sport and children’s books. Always a popular event attracting a wide spectrum of people from across the country.