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Browser Books
Category: Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Bookstores Bookstores [Edit]
2195 Fillmore St(between California St & Sacramento St)
San Francisco, CA 94115
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
(415) 567-8027
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 10 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
85 reviews for Browser Books
Review Highlights
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"The large collection of non-fiction worked well for me." In 5 reviews -
"to the monstrosity that is a Borders/Barnes and Noble." In 3 reviews -
"I could spend hours in here -- and have on many a weekend." In 3 reviews
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85 reviews in English
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Review from Elly F.
San Francisco, CA
11/23/2011
I went to this place to try to find my assigned english/history books for the winter trimester. I came into this small, independent bookstore looking for specific versions of the odyssey and metamorphoses and not expecting to find them. The guy who I talked with was very knowledgable -- I showed him a tiny picture of the book I was looking for and almost immediately he knew which translation of the odyssey it was! Talk about impressive. Though he did not have metamorphoses, he was quick to offer to order it for me, and he gave me an honest time estimate.
Though it is a small store, it has a large selection of book and helpful staff. -
Review from Dru M.
2/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
I can't believe I've lived down the street from this gem for months and I'm now just stumbling upon it. From the moment you walk into Browser Books...you're transported into an old fashioned bookstore. This is lovely for several reasons...more character, better selection and the staff actually cares about books. You would be surprised how many employees at big brand bookstores aren't readers. It's important.
Yes...it's a small store with an incredibly large selection of books, BUT because it's run so well and very organized...you don't feel claustrophobic at all. There are several aisles full of goodness, as well as a few areas where you can sit, read, stare or just take in the glory of this shop.
Overall...after I left I knew I wanted to go back...soon That's a good sign. I highly recommend you give them a visit. -
Review from Jennifer B.
Los Angeles, CA
9/11/2011
For some reason, I assume that all small bookstores are used bookstores. I also assume that all small bookstores have cats. Neither of those statements are true about Browser Books, but here are some truths about this Fillmore Street gem:
1. For the size, they have a great selection of books, new and old. Granted, I didn't find two of the books on my to-read list, but did find at least six others.
2. The staff seemed helpful and courteous. (I was blatantly eavesdropping as two other customers looked for books, I'm a title-reading browser myself.)
3. The store is a maze. I got lost trying to find R-S in the fiction section, but I'm notorious for having no sense of direction.
4. It's a store definitely worth your business. The world needs more independent shops, and what better one to support than your friendly neighborhood bookstore. -
Review from Courtney H.
Fairfax, CA
6/27/2011
Nice place to pop into to kill some time before a dental appointment, grab a book, and go sit at one of the five different cafes in the immediate block.
No stale corporate feel, or overworked teens being forced to follow me around and ask if I'd like to buy a $25 membership to save 10% off. Also, not a smarmy haven for hipsters and wannabe beatniks fashioning themselves to be the next Ginsburg.
Just a quiet, unpretentious little local bookstore, doing what it does (and ought to be) doing best = selling books. -
Review from Trevor S.
Belmont, CA
1/9/2012
Excellent editions, including Oxford World's Classics, Penguin Classics and Norton Critical Editions, rather than the cheapest swill possible that you see in most bookstores. Great selection of literature, philosophy and history.
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Review from Nique F.
1/3/2011
The good old-fashioned kind of bookstore that you could spend hours in. Well-organized, with the current stuff up front and a good collection of European and hard-to-find books. And unlike the big-box stores, the folks here actually care and know about BOOKS...what a concept, right?
Brower's doesn't feel claustrophobic like some smaller bookstores can. They don't have tons of space to sit and read. but it is a great stand-up-and-browse sort of place. You'll be happy to drop a few bucks at this local treasure. -
Review from Mel G.
11/4/2011
I've written a couple other reviews recently about independent bookstores in SF, and Browser Books also doesn't fail to deliver. When I first walked in, I saw a really nice selection of Buddhist/spirituality books (definitely a plus), and the whole store had a really comfy layout to it Great to spend an afternoon or a couple of hours wandering around.
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Review from Amanda F.
12/6/2010
I love hopping into this teensy neighborhood bookstore when I have a touch of the blues or want a quiet refuge from the bustle of Fillmore Street.
Although the selection has never really been extensive or cheap enough to warrant me buying an actual book with words in it, I LOVE their cute little selection of Chronicle notebooks right opposite the cash register. I picked up 2 journals on my last trip: 1 with a cover of balloons, clouds, and the sentiment, "F*ck You and Your Blog" and the other with an image of a grumpy-looking devil-child.Listed in: Edification/Edumacation
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Review from Meesh K.
San Francisco, CA
11/17/2010 1 Check-in Here
We're running out of these awesome indie bookstores in the city...
Do what you like, grab your Coffee Bean, Starfux or Peet's or whatever and come down and get lost.
I love the selection, I love the coziness...just like a bookstore should be. Go on and have yourself a happy bibliophilic adventure in here =) -
Review from Mike G.
11/16/2010
Gotta support your local independent bookstore.
These guys are solid, fast, convenient, and friendly. Good combination. -
Review from Melissa L.
San Francisco, CA
1/27/2011
This bookstore is truely a gem.
For Christmas I received a book that I already owned. I saw that the book came from this store and called them up to see if it was possible for me to exchange the book for something I could use, even though I didn't have the receipt or any othe proof of purchase. They checked their records and saw that my book had been sold recently and told me to come on down.
Although the bookstore itself is on the small side, they carry one of the most extensive collections of books for foodies - food history, food fiction, cookbooks, etc., that aren't typically found in the mega chains. Jackpot! I found two books I hadn't seen anywhere else, online or otherwise, and was very pleasantly surprised with their selection. I would comment about the other sections of this bookstore but on my most recent visit I never even made it pass the food literature section. Sorry! I only recall that on prior visits I've never been able to leave this store empty-handed.
I love to read and love bookstores, especially ones that carry titles that are not easy to find. The books are well organized and the store feels much more spacious than it is. The look and feel of the space is cozy, warm and comforting, making me wish I could snuggle into a papasan in a corner of the store and read all afternoon long.
I'm so happy SF still has places like Browser Books, where quality takes precedence over quantity and customers still matter. -
Review from Tiffany N.
Denver, CO
7/9/2010 4 Check-ins Here
I absolutely love this bookstore. It isn't huge. In fact, I doubt it has the best selection in the city. But every nook and cranny is stuff, overstuffed even, with stories. They are well organized by topics. The people here are so friendly. And best of all I can walk here in just a short amount of time.
They carry plenty of new releases in both hardback and paperback styles. They also have lots of old favorites. And books in every category are to be had in Browser Books from fiction to leadership to history. Plus they have such an awesome name - it practically encourages you to stay just a little longer, dig a little deeper into that pile of books and see if you can't find something interesting you've never heard of before that is certain to be one entertaining read. -
Review from Tammy C.
6/20/2010 3 photos
(See pics)
I love bookshops.
I love the zig zag style that's sectioned almost like a little maze. It gives a mysterious way to browse around. It's cute and almost gives a historical moment when you walk in an older structure but renovated bookstore.
They have books on sale in carts outside as you browse on a warm sunny day, or you can simply cozy up inside, getting lost with the variety of choices. The creative layout draws my attention to books that did not always in my logical thinking order, but to provide a new dimension of a section that I would buy books that I otherwise would have missed.
Service was fast but not intruding as they know you are just browsing and usually are not particularly looking for a specific title. -
Review from Liz Y.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2008 ROTD 2/17/2008
Few book stores of this kind still exist. Bookshelves too high to manage, friendly staff that greet you and your dog when you enter, a tight disorganized tangle of aisles, a certain dash of disorganization, and plenty of treasures to be found.
I always leave here with something- a new vegan cookbook that's convinced me I should be vegan, a book of short stories by an author I've never heard of, or a book that's convinced me that I should freshen up on my German, even though I don't speak German.
Upon checking out, the cashier always has something to say about my purchases as if he's read them all- "Oh, I think you'll find Hewitt to be a very clever character" with a knowing smirk.
And let it be known, it seems like the place that would never have what you're specifically looking for, but everytime, it never fails to reach into its mess and pull out the exact book I'm looking for. -
Review from annie s.
San Francisco, CA
3/27/2011
I think this is a fine bookstore, there are always tempting books that look at me from their "bargain books" table on the sidewalk, and inside has many more!
I am writing this review with a message to the owners. I wish that the employees who work there would be nicer to the new faces that wander in. Time after time, I've come in to ask for a specific book. Each time the look at me, roll their eyes, and sign as they look it up. Often they say, "no," but they don't offer to see if they can locate it for me, or offer another book that might also work for me. I'm a pretty nice person, I don't offend many people, and as far as I can remember I brushed my teeth those days, so I wonder why they have such a bad attitude! I understand that this type of bookstore is in danger, and I try to support them. But I am hesitant, at best, to pass over the threshold again. -
Review from Ed U.
3/30/2007
"To My Secret Admirer...I placed a single red rose between the pages of Truman Capote's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and put the book back on the shelf. When you find it, meet me at the cafe on the corner with the rose in your lapel. I will find you."
This is just the unassuming, independent bookstore where I could see such trysts happening. Were it not for the bargain books placed on a table out front, you could easily blink and miss the place running late to a showing at the Clay Theater with the hot sauce still dribbling from your mouth after wolfing down the burrito at La Salsa.
It's a small place crowded with books, but it's amazingly organized and manages to avoid the foreboding, musty clutter of a used bookstore. In fact, there doesn't seem to be any secondhand books here at all. Just lots of tall bookcases buttressed together with books shelved and sometimes piled on top of one another to make everything fit just so. The travel narrative and self-help sections are surprisingly robust, as is their long wall of fiction. Sci-fi paperbacks are stacked neatly way in the back so your inner geek can be exposed with abandon.
The quiet clerk in front is helpful when asked. I don't think I've ever seen more than four people in the store at a time. I assume there isn't a literacy problem in the Fillmore but rather that the store prefers the quietude...surprising that they can achieve that nirvana state given the noisy, family-friendly Peet's right next door. By the way, I did buy a copy of "Breakfast at Tiffany's"...but alas I went home to read it alone.Listed in: Books Without Borders
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Review from Sebastian S.
San Francisco, CA
10/2/2007
When I move to a new place, I always have a few key requirements:
1) Must have a good Chinese food delivery option (yes: Wok Shop Cafe)
2) Must be short walking distance to excellent coffee house (yes: Peet's is close enough, and if I'm desperate, Martha's will fix me up.)
3) Must be within walking distance of a great bookstore (yes: in fact my flat is equidistant from both Browser Books and Books Inc. in Laurel Village).
The last criteria is the most important -- I can always hop a cab from a bar or club, but there is nothing finer in life than strolling to my own bookstore for one more book to crowd my already overloaded bookcase. Even though each of my perimeter bookstores are within spitting distance of a Peet's coffee, I find that I tend to head toward Browser Books more often, simply because I enjoy the discussion with the staff, who seem extremely literate and willing to share their opinions.
I strongly support independent bookstores and even though I know Amazon would often be more convenient, I'd rather steer my business to an excellent, locally owned enterprise like Browser Books.Listed in: My Lopa/Nopa/WestAdd…
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Review from Kerry P.
7/15/2008
This place didn't get much of a fighting chance from me, since I can smell "hipster intellectual snob" from three miles away. Wandered into Browsers for a browse before dinner at Vivande, and was greeted by a smug-looking cashier but shelves upon shelves of books. Word.
They got their table of chick reads and best-selling summer paperbacks, but probably wouldn't have them unless they sold like wildfire. Obvious should be my middle name.
I started wandering through the stacks to discover their method to the madness, and began the cruise the literary fiction. Hmmm...I reach the "B" shelf and I see, "For Bukowski Ask Us."
"For W.S. Burroughs, See Us"
:::::keep cruisin'::::::::
"For Kerouac Ask Us"
I mean....is this REALLY necessary? The literature I choose to purchase is for ME, not so that I can save face around people who *think* they love it more. Is this store's collection SO EXCEPTIONAL that they need to have a conversation with you before hand to decide if you're worthy of it? I should also mention that my other middle name should be Skeptic.
Cool little store and with some impresssive selection, but the air about it is not very welcoming. -
Review from Autumn K.
11/18/2009
I am so old and boring now. And happy. An exciting night out is yoga at International Orange and a trip to Browser's books followed by chocolate and tea at Bittersweet. God, I sound like my grandmother.
Browser reminds me of the old rickety library in The Neverending Story and holds just as many treasures for young and old (including hot pac heights guys- mine included- meandering through the long, narrow aisles. There's a magical little children's area in the back with something for every little one on your gift list. They have a pretty expansive health and fitness section as well as cooking and home design (told you...boring). There are books on cake decorating, taxidermy, Judaica, antiques, pirates, polar bears, and everything in between.
The staff here are excellent, the atmosphere is new-agey and quiet (good post-yoga), and I always leave with something. They also have a frequent buyer card, which a cheap jew like me finds really attractive after paying too much for a yoga class and before paying too much for tea and chocolate. Go, spend lots of time poring over their surprisingly vast collection, buy, eat chocolate, read, and enjoy. And don't forget to get that card stamped! -
Review from Elaine W.
11/15/2010
A wonderful bookstore to browse through...but more often than not - you'll end up buying something here too! I hardly ever walk out empty handed. There's something amazing about this place -- how they manage to stock what's current along with showcasing interesting reads...even when books aren't facing forward with their title covers, there's always something that catches my eye. I don't get the same effect with the larger bookstore chains no matter how organized or flashy they are.
I've taken to coming here instead of the local library when I'm looking for a new read. It's a nice stop along Fillmore street amidst the boutiques, cafes, and coffee houses. -
Review from Suzanne B.
San Francisco, CA
9/25/2006
I'm one of those readers who alternates between mind-rotting pulpy genre fiction (usually mystery or science fiction) and backbreaking weighty non-fiction tomes chock full of obscure facts. This happens whenever I begin to feel the weight of 'wasted potential'. Or shortly after my mother calls wondering when I'm going back to grad school. Come to think of it...there's some sort of direct relationship to those two phenomena.
Anyhoo, this past weekend I was at loose ends after completing my latest fluffy brain-rot AND a history of the San Francisco earthquake. Then my cell phone rang. "Mom! How are you?"...
Now I need a book.
I hit Browser Books desperate for something worthwhile that would assist me in staving off incipient intellectual shrinkage. Something, anything --- just make it big, dense and hopefully obscure.
Walking in the door was enough to calm me down. Everywhere I looked there were substantial looking books on diverse topics just waiting to expand my mind. And of the two salespeople in the store, one was cheerfully ringing up a customer and the other was recommending something to another shopper. I explained my need and my preferences and was quickly steered to a lovely (HUGE) history book by an historian who's name and work were new to me.
As I browsed farther back in the store, I came upon a section of paperback genre fiction. Nirvana! I picked through the mildly jumbled mix and found something entertaining to offset my history book. Another successful shopping trip.
This store is small enough that there are some holes in the offerings, but it has exactly what I need. I will definitely be back to this cozy and friendly little store. -
Review from Lily E.
San Francisco, CA
2/13/2008
The best bookstores are ones where you find a gem that inspires you, or an old friend that you forgot about or couldn't find at Borders or B&N.
I found five books I wanted to buy immediately after entering Browser, and in five different sections. I prefer books that introduce me to a new concept, author, subject, whathaveyou. This place delivered like Domino's. -
Review from Eric E.
San Francisco, CA
2/26/2009
Some may complain about the tight space, but I love it. It means they are using every square inch to add yet another book for me to browse through.
One of my favorite bookstores in the city for two reasons:
1. The staff--they are friendly AND knowledgeable. You don't always get that combo in this part of town. Not only did they have an Annie Dillard novel I was running all over town looking for, but the fabulous woman who always helps me recommended another book by the same author. Damn it, I should have come here first.
2. The ambience--with books on top of books, laying sideways, etc. they make use of every inch of space yet still treat the books with care and respect. This is a bookstore's bookstore. May it remain so for many years to come. -
Review from Lauren L.
San Francisco, CA
12/17/2010
Before stepping foot into this store, my family and I had walked into Peet's next door. Not wanting to sit down and withstand the silence that usually accompanies family dinners, I decided to check out the bookstore. As I stepped in with hot chocolate in hand, I was greeted with a nod and a smile which was surprisingly nice. I thought I would've been reprimanded for bringing a hot drink into a book store, but the dude chilling at the front desk was warm and inviting.
Their selection of books isn't that extensive since it's a somewhat tiny store, but I had a great time browsing through their sections. Some books were not personally accessible as there were taped signs that said, "ask front desk for (insert author's name) books." Other than that unusual quailty, this is a great bookstore to explore. -
Review from Liz S.
6/3/2007
You can tell by all of the bookmarks that are found around my house that I buy a lot of books from this store.
The atmosphere is no-frills and attic-like, packed floor to ceiling with books in every square inch, with handmade signs for the different sections. Just the way I like it.
They always have what I am looking for, and are very nice without hovering. In fact, the staff usually remains behind the counter, allowing you to linger to your heart's content (hmmmmm, I think the word for that action might be "browse), while being available to answer questions.
They have a good variety, and I recently walked out with a travel guide to Germany (better than what I have found anywhere else), and a biography of Edith Wharton that I have been coveting.
Nice spot to hide out on Fillmore and especially cozy on a cold summer's day.Listed in: Read Me
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Review from Gabrielle J.
San Francisco, CA
12/2/2009
"Aaaaahhh" that is literally the unintentional sound I make when I walk into bookstores... kinda weird and embarassing, but for some reason there are few places on eart that make me as happy, relaxed, and stomach-turning-excited as a bookstore.
Unfortunately the one thing I cannot do at Browser is browse.
They have a constantly revolving and fantastic selection of books on sale.
My favorite part is that Browser's staff are like bartenders. I tell them what I feel like, they ask me what I usually like, they recommend some new and fantastic material I've never experienced before.
If only they sold used books, I would pledge monogamous allegiance to Browsers.Listed in: Fillmore St's tried and true
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Review from Valarie A.
San Francisco, CA
8/5/2007
I'm so excited, it's June 26th, 2007 and the new Jackie Collins' book is out!
Yes, she is my ultimate reading weakness. There's nothing like reading a Jackie Collins' book, total brain candy (ie...explicit sexual soap opera of the rich and famous).
So, I walk into the book store and browse the books and realize they don't have one Jackie Collins book anywhere on the shelf or the table.
Why is this not on the front bookshelf with all the other newbies?
I ask the sales associate for the new Jackie Collins book and she replies with "we don't carry her books; you are in the wrong bookstore" (as her lip was snarled and she stood ever so tall behind the counter, completely looking down upon me).
So yes, that day broke my reading heart a bit. But I've been back since then and purchased many NYTimes bestsellers and other great works, but no Jackie.
This bookstore is cool, I just wish the staff were a bit nicer...yes, it's Pac Heights, but don't take yourself that serious.Listed in: My Old Hood...Pac Heights,…
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Review from Mary J.
San Francisco, CA
10/27/2007
Oh. My. God.
(deep breath in)
So this is what love feels like. I can't believe I've only just found this place. Music literature freaks rejoice because this place is the motherload. And right behind the music lit? Poetry. Amazing poetry books. And so many of them too for a relatively small place.
(sigh...)
If I hadn't just spent the last dollars in my pocket on feeding myself, I would have been buying some. I'll be back, and next time I won't eat first. -
Review from John S.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2008
I love this bookstore. I don't come here often, but whenever I do, I'm really glad that it exists--at least it tries to cancel out the annoyingness that is Pac Heights.
For some reason, I prefer coming here at night, especially when it's raining. The shelves and the front window are perfect for dark bad weather for some reason. -
Review from Kari M.
San Francisco, CA
7/4/2007
The best deals on Fillmore! Seriously...if I were of substantial means, I'd spend myself silly at Design Within Reach. Then, I would unwind here. It's small but somehow manages to have a nice variety. A large number of sale books were also on display.
Books are the best antidote to conspicuous consumption. While also being items conspicuously consumed. Well...your brain will thank you. -
Review from Tina T.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2011
Awesome neighborhood book store. Cozy, homey, great for browsing. I could spend hours in here -- and have on many a weekend.
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Review from Caroline I.
San Francisco, CA
6/13/2010
Everytime I set foot in here, I am reminded of the bookstore rivalry in "You've Got Mail"--Meg Ryan's little neighborhood shop vs. the Borders of the world. Browser Books --enjoyable to peruse their selection. I never feel like I am missing anything by coming here vs. to the monstrosity that is a Borders/Barnes and Noble. Plenty of coffee and snack places up and down Fillmore. Magazine shop up the street. Come here and support local businesses.
The guy working here is not the smiliest (don't take it personally, just realize it isn't and get over it), but he's polite and will help you find what you're looking for. -
Review from Kathy K.
San Francisco, CA
6/16/2007
What an amazing bookstore!
In a time when mass production and large chain places are coming up everywhere, I find this cozy, and filled to the rafters shop perfect.
I went in last week during my lunch hour to snoop about looking for something to liven up my evenings, and was at a lost with all of the choices laid out on the table.
The front desk clerk was SO friendly and she and I chatted about my literary tastes (mostly fiction, with some good biographies and travel stories thrown in for good measure). Not only was she sweet, she gave me a recommendation that was SPOT ON!
The "Shadow of the Wind" (cheesy title I know I know) was one of those novels I started off at lunch, reluctantly put down during work, all the while eyeing it with desire the rest of the afternoon, and when I went home, could not put it down all night. I finished it in 2 days, stripping my poor body of sleep.
*FANTASTIC*
So, I highly recommend for you literary bugs out there. The only star missing is the late nights, for this insomniac when she is on the prowl to be swept away by words on those pages. -
Review from Katy T.
San Francisco, CA
12/17/2011
In general its a smaller selection than some other bookstores. Every time I go in for a specific book they don't have it or it's sold out. They are friendly enough. And it's cute. But I never discover any new books here
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Review from Gary B.
San Francisco, CA
6/8/2008
A bookstore for the truly literate... Full of gems, and none of the fluff.
Five or so years ago, I was browsing through the store, and Richard North Patterson came in the store. He was on his way to Danielle Steel's for dinner and wanted to bring her latest book to get an autography... The cashier rather matter-of-factly replied that they don't carry her books, and then added "but we do carry yours." -
Review from Michael E.
San Francisco, CA
10/16/2009
Great little bookstore. I am pleased to support this place with my business.
Long and narrow layout is cramped, sure, but I prefer to think of it as "deep". Unsurprisingly, the greatest depth of the collection seems to be new age/eastern philosophy etc. However they also have a well-stocked general fiction section.
The staff know their literature. I cannot refute the accusations of staff snobbery. At least when it comes to literature I imagine that I can snob it up with the best of 'em, so that's not a deterrent to me. (I'd be allergic to a snooty cashier in a record store, though.)
This one guy Shashi Tharoor was on Steven Colbert this week and I discovered he's written some novels, and I picked up just the one I was looking for, The Great Indian Novel, just yesterday at this place. Score! Also, one time I saw Gray Brechin speak about local S.F. history, and the next day Browser hooked me up with Brechin's book Imperial San Francisco. 2 for 2! Someone who runs this store must be very with-it. -
Review from Nomey T.
San Francisco, CA
6/27/2007
Greatest bookstore!!
Fillmore's full of lavish boutiques, salons, ways to be $pendy, but this one place offers much stimulation and is a PERFECT getaway from computers, life, and just the hustle and bustle of Fillmore shopping. If you haven't been, take a look n see! I love the cozy set up; every inch of this petite store is packed with readables. There are nooks towards the back where a few can plop down and enjoy their finds. I never walk in with a list in hand, but always walk out with more than plenty. I'm captivated by so much so fast that I can never glance every shelf (which are neatly organized and well labeled btw). There are plenty of coffee shops at this corner of Fillmo/Sacramento, and BB is a great stop if I'm waiting for a friend or ride.
It just has such a great vibe...it's my shrine. -
Review from Andrew K.
San Francisco, CA
1/21/2008
G'damn I love the friendly neighborhood bookstore! The best thing to do on a lazy Sunday, if you live in Pac Hts., is to head down to the Peet's at Sac and Fillmore and grab a cap. After realizing that the yuppies have swiped every seat in the shop, walk 5 feet next door to Browser's and comb through their snuggly arranged shelves of finely curated books. I always go in there just to "look around", and almost always come away with something I will "read", or at least add to the growing piles of books on my desk to make me seem smart when people see my room. There's something about coffee that makes you want to amass books.
Browser's is cool because it's local, not because it deigns to be cool like so many indie bookstores.
I would recommend that they expand their graphic novel section. Pictures is happy.
Friendly staff, too!
On a more practical note, this place has fair prices but is not the quintessential used bookshop. Most of the stuff I find in there is new. But unlike many secondhand shops, Browser's carries most every book I have on my reading list (yes, I keep a reading list, like a syllabus, wanna fight about it?). -
Review from Adriana K.
Brooklyn, NY
5/5/2010
I love this place so much.
Everything they have in stock is really and truly interesting. I could pick a book blindfolded and know that it would be good, simply by virtue of its being here. But I wouldn't do that because, with such a cool and eclectic selection, I can always find a book on a topic that I'm interested in--or one that I didn't know I was interested in but apparently am--so it's worth it to search with purpose here. That said, if I just want to read but don't know what I want to read, I can browse here for maybe 30 seconds before finding at least 10 titles that I just have to put on my mental list.
Their selection is always being added to--they always have something new and interesting. It was here that I discovered my love for the historical writings of Robert O. Paxton, an expert on fascism generally, and French fascism particularly. Fascinating stuff. (The silly part: he was a professor at the university where I did my undergrad, but I discovered him, during the summer after my sophomore year, which I spent at home, here.) When I wanted to find another book of his, one that is now out of print, they didn't have it but they told me exactly where I could find it and they were right!
Their anthropology section (I was an anthro major, so naturally this section interests me) is sort of small but that's because they're selective about what they stock their shelves with. If I may say so, a lot of anthropological writing is total bull, and they do a good job of keeping that stuff off their shelves.
The people who work here really know their stuff! They're super friendly and I always walk away with the impression that each of them individually has read every single book they have here. They're big fans of Michael Taussig, a professor I had in college whose class I really liked and whose writing is really very good, so they have a lot of his work here, which you don't often see at larger bookstores.
If you're in the area and need something to read, pop in. You'll definitely find something. For that matter, if you're not in the area and are looking for something interesting in a subject you are interested in learning more about, hop on your bicycle/into your shoes/into your car and come over here. -
Review from miriam b.
San Francisco, CA
5/10/2006
The cash register clerks need to learn CUSTOMER SERVICE. They used to be civil, now they are just offensive. Minus one star for their attitude. Certainly must be a start to the decline of the neighborhood.
Small and next to Peets Coffee. Open until about ???8pm and have a little bit of everything: travel books, children's books, art books, philosophical, psych.books, bargain table out front, best sellers, magazine, paperbacks, hardbacks, stiffbacks. Sometimes the salesclerks get huffy because they have to deal with some silly demands, but go in to hear the LIVE bird singing away on the top shelf to classical music.
