How to get books delivered during lockdown without giving more money to Jeff Bezos

If you’re getting books delivered anyway, why not give your money to an independent bookshop rather than Jeff ‘capitalism-is-my-bitch’ Bezos? Even if the bookshop’s on the other side of the country, why should it matter? You’re paying for postage anyway — and in some cases, bookshops are offering free postage as well. Change your ways of thinking. We don’t want a high street with no shops.

We’ve put together a round-up of some of the independent bookshops across the country doing delivery during the coronavirus lockdown. If there’s something that’s not on their website, drop them an email. More often than not, they can still source it for you. The same applies for preorders.

Come on chaps. Bezos doesn’t need any more of your money. He has plenty.

The Margate Bookshop, Margate

This beautiful seaside bookshop is offering free delivery within the Margate area and free delivery across the UK on orders over £10. As well as a broad selection of brilliant new releases, they also have a wealth of stunning books about nature and the world around us. We’re finding books like Olivia Laing’s To the River and Charlotte Runcie’s Salt on Your Tongue to be the perfect antidote to the stresses of life at the moment.

Daunt Books, London

If you haven’t been to one of the handful of Daunt Books stores in London, you’re missing a trick. The thought of that outrageous Marylebone store ever closing down is enough to make us break out in a cold sweat. Support them while they’re closed. A lot of their custom will usually come from browsers and tourists, so they’ll need some TLC.

On their website, you can find booksellers’ personal recommendations and book subscriptions, a system in which you get sent a new title each month, tailored to your preferences. Plus, Daunt Books also have their own publishing imprint, which is well worth checking out. Some of our personal recommendations from the Daunt Books imprint: At the Pond: Swimming in the Hampstead Ladies’ Pond and the new rerelease of Dorothy Baker’s Cassandra at the Wedding.

Storysmith, Bristol

Bristol’s newest independent bookshop is a gem, curated to perfection. The in-store selection is primarily made up of newly released books, but if there’s something older you’re after, pop them an email. They’re completely lovely people too. For anyone missing their daily cappuccinos, you might want to try their ‘subscriptions for curious readers’. Each month, they send out a handpicked book, some reading notes and a bag of Triple Co Roast coffee. Dreamy.

Toppings & Company Booksellers, Bath, Edinburgh, Ely and St Andrews

Each bookshop in the Toppings family is an oasis of calm. Their booksellers are some of the most attentive and well-informed we’ve ever come across. While in lockdown, you can order any of their extensive collection online or buy a book voucher to organise a complimentary consultation with a bookseller over the phone.

Toppings are also renowned for their signed copies and collectors’ editions, which might be worth investing in. While stocks and shares are riskier than ever, perhaps you should start investing in tangible products. Buying a signed copy of Eimear McBride’s new novel Strange Hotel will only cost you £12.99, but you’re guaranteed to reap the rewards in future.

Village Books, Leeds

Fancy something a little more arty? Village Books might be the place for you. They’ve got a great selection of photobooks, magazines, zines and novels. If a book is beautifully designed, they’ll stock it. This edition of Love in the Time of Cholera is an absolute treat.

In future, steer clear of Amazon and try Hive. It’s like Amazon, but rather than planting more pennies in Jeff Bezos’s capri pants, they’re supporting independent bookshops.