Books by and for independent women

Battle of the Bookshops: Sandpiper Books in Brighton

Brighton’s North Laines are famous for their bustling atmosphere and offbeat independent shops. Many a tourist has traversed these streets, and the area which always seems the most crowded is Kensington Gardens (not, in fact, actual gardens, but a street too thin to accommodate the hordes). As someone who lives in Brighton and does not enjoy being stuck behind people who are a) taking up the whole pavement and b) walking at a snail’s pace, I am often tempted to avoid this area. But there is also much drawing me to it, in the form of vintage, antique and fabric shops as well as cafés perfectly placed for people-watching. And then there’s the fantastic Sandpiper Books, situated at the end of the street where a constant stream of pedestrians get temporarily stuck in the bottleneck.

Trading since the late eighties, Sandpiper is the kind of shop that looks like it should be expensive, but you get a pleasant surprise every time you look at the prices. It has a great selection of remainder and bargain books in a wide range of fields, from history to cookery and children’s books. There is an impressive music biography section and plenty of factual books on the history of film and literary heroes/anti-heroes. Don’t expect only to see the obvious names; I’ve found some excellent books for my dad on French jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli and chemist/author Primo Levi. There are also some gorgeous postcard books which I find particularly appealing given my obsession with stationery and snail mail.

Sandpiper specialises in art and design books, and there is plenty here for your coffee table to get excited about. Not just picture books, they are nevertheless a delight to look through (and always at a fraction of the recommended retail price). There are also some nice books on fashion, architecture and craft. There’s even a small room at the back where everything is a pound. You might have to rummage for a while to find something decent, but over the years I’ve found a children’s book illustrated by the brilliant Satoshi Kitamura, a guide to female rock journalism and a good how-to on writing horror fiction (though I can’t say I’ve taken up this pursuit as yet…)

It’s not a large shop but it has a Tardis-like ability to fit in an astonishing amount of books. The staff are well-informed and know the stock very well, not to mention the fact that their music taste may keep you in the shop for longer than anticipated. I have witnessed their trusty speakers blasting out everything from 60s rock’n'roll to Jónsi (solo project by the frontman of Sigur Rós). The atmosphere is everything I look for in a bookshop – homely and independent yet organised enough to find what you’re looking for.

I remember visiting Brighton before I lived here and always paying a visit to Sandpiper, often heading back up north with some bargainous gems and wishing I lived a bit nearer. Now I’m faced with a different issue – how to stop myself from going in there too regularly and ending up with stacks of books in my house as large as those in the shop. Luckily it’s also a haven for gift-buying – I may start my Christmas shopping soon!

Post by Alexis Somerville