Bloomsbury
History
Today Bloomsbury is one of the most elegant of London's districts for the area is dominated by grassy squares and beautiful Georgian houses. The area has very strong literary connections as this is where the famous Bloomsbury Group met.
This was the name given to the literary group that made the Bloomsbury the center of its activities from 1904 to World War II. It included Virginia Woolf, E. M. Forster and John Maynard Keynes. The group began as a few recent Cambridge graduates and their closest friends which would assemble each week for drinks and conversation.
By the 1920s the group's stance against Victorian values reputation was fully so established that its mannerisms were parodied and Bloomsbury became a widely used term suggesting snobbish attitude.
The group has, however, remained the focus of substantial scholarly debate and popular interest. In somewhat of a lasting legacy, the literary influence is still very strong in the area with many bookshops to choose from.
Shopping
If you are a book fanatic then this is an area you must visit. It's also a treasure trove for history buffs who are interested in everything from fiction to maps, in fact anything that is printed on paper.
Most book shops in this area are centered around the British Museum and many trade in rare, second-hand or out of print books.
The Atlantis Bookshop on Museum Street is one such shop which also offers new books. Books from India which is nearby shows the level of specialization that can be found in this area.
Good bargains can be found at Skoob Books, off Southampton Row which specializes in second-hand copies. PC Bookshop is next door and sells computer-related books.
Major book retailers such as Waterstones, W and G Foyle, Books Etc and Blackwells all have stores in the area so all interests and levels of specialisation should be covered. |
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West
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