Everyone will tell you that the best place to browse secondhand books in Kolkata is College Street. However, we beg to differ. College Street has lost its previous standing and mostly sells academic books (think textbooks for school and college kids). If you are looking for real finds, head to Golpark in south Kolkata. The pavements around here are dotted with bookstalls that date back several decades.
This is the best and biggest secondhand book area in town.
A word of advice - go there with some time to spare because you will only find the treasures if you browse carefully. From old books and journals to out-of-print magazines and catalogues covering every conceivable subject, they sell it all. And you will find them in different languages - English and Bengali are the most common, but there are also German, Russian, Spanish, and other European languages. The books are piled up in columns, so you have to look carefully. They only take cash, so make sure you are carrying notes.
People have found rare handbound Bengali magazines and out-of-print volumes on needlework, drama scripts, incomplete sets of Tagore&rsquos Rachanabali, old copies of The Calcutta Municipal Gazette, a Gothic fairy tale compilation from the days of the USSR, a Taschen book called The Silent Orgasm, and much more.
You will also find classics and popular paperbacks of Agatha Christie, PG Wodehouse, with vintage covers. The discounted Tintin and Asterix comics are a steal. They also stock popular contemporary titles ranging from fiction to cooking to psychology to poetry, and books for children. The stall owners are quite knowledgeable too. They will recommend books in specific genres if you ask.
The best part of the experience is coming across handwritten messages in the books left by previous owners.
After the browsing is done and the books are bought, head out to one of the many quaint cafes that dot the area. These are all within walking distance, like 8th Day Cafe, Sienna, Byloom Canteen, and Wise Owl. Sit with a cup of coffee and some cookies, and spend a blissful afternoon reading.
