Welcome
Award-winning independent and much-loved bookshop, Dulwich Books has been serving the local community for over 30 years.
In these challenging times for retail, we value our loyal customers and hope that the personal aspect of shopping locally will prevail. We can order books for next-day delivery provided it is in stock and ordered by 5pm.
We stock a wide range of titles, as well as a fantastic choice of children’s books. We also stock greetings cards, gift stationery, wrap and jigsaws. In addition we offer a loyalty card scheme – just ask at the till when making your purchases.
Our friendly, knowledgeable and experienced staff are on hand to recommend books and help with any questions.
We hope to see you soon!

Order a Book

We can take orders over the phone on 020 8670 1920 during working hours or by email at hello@dulwichbooks.co.uk. We can order books for next-day delivery provided it is in stock at our suppliers and ordered by 5pm.
Alternatively, click the button below and fill out the form on our website with the details of the book you would like to order.
We are on Bookshop.org

We hope our local customers will continue to order books directly from us. For customers in other parts of the UK, we are delighted to be part of Bookshop.org , an on-line sales platform which allows readers to buy books online while supporting local independent booksellers. It has been hailed as a “revolutionary moment in the history of bookselling”: finally a socially conscious alternative to Amazon.

Books of the Month

Non-fiction

Small Island : 12 Maps That Explain The History of Britain by Philip Parker
Penguin, £25
In 878 the borders of Alfred the Great’s Wessex were confined to a small patch of marshland in Somerset. This was Britain. Four centuries later, and the country straddled the English Channel. Six hundred years later, its boundaries were to be found in the Caribbean, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Sunda Strait. These, too, were Britain. Yet when – and where – did Britain begin? Is Britain justified in its island mentality? And is the shape of Britain soon to change all over again?
This comprehensive, entertaining and concise new history uses twelve maps to explain Britain’s most characteristic trait – our need to be both part of the wider world, yet separate from it.
Middle Grade

The Accidental Stowaway by Judith Eagle
Faber & Faber, £7.99
Liverpool, 1910. When Patch runs up the gangway of RMS Glorious to find a place to hide, she isn’t planning to hang around. Too late, she realises the ship is setting sail – Patch has become an accidental stowaway!
Luckily, Patch’s unconventional past has made her fearless when it comes to fending for herself, and there are friends in high and low places to be made onboard. But hiding away becomes less and less easy: her new friends urgently need her help and there’s a mystery that needs solving, all before they reach New York…
Perfect for fans of Emma Carroll and Katherine Rundell, this brilliant historical adventure is by local South London school librarian, Judith Eagle.
Young Adult

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
Hodder & Stoughton, £6.99
Princess Shiori has a secret. Forbidden magic runs in her veins. On the morning of her betrothal ceremony, she loses control, forestalling the wedding she never wanted, but also catching the attention of Raikama, her stepmother and a sorceress. Raikama banishes the princess, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.
Voiceless and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and uncovers a dark conspiracy to seize the throne. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in a paper bird, a mercurial dragon, and the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. This is a beautiful and immersive YA fantasy retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ The Six Swans, set in an East-Asian inspired world.
Fiction

Delphi by Clare Pollard
Penguin, £12.99
It’s 2020 and a woman attempts to write a book about prophecy in the ancient world. Navigating lockdown, a marriage in crisis, and a ten-year-old son who seems increasingly unreachable, she becomes fixated on our many forms of divination and prediction. But in doing so she fails to notice the future creeping into the heart of her own home. For despite our best intentions, time, certainty and, sometimes, those we love, can still slip away…
Clare Pollard is an award-winning poet and playwright based in South London. Heartbreakingly relatable and achingly funny, her debut novel Delphi is both a snapshot and a time capsule, deftly capturing our pasts, our presents, and how we keep on going in a world that is ever more uncertain and absurd.
Picture Book

Ella and the Waves by Britta Teckentrup
Orchard Books, £12.99
Ella sits alone in a boat, battling waves so high they touch the sky. A bodiless voice beneath the surface of the sea tells her it is hopeless… But there are kind voices at sea too – ones that offer encouragement, support and the promise of hope. With the kindness of a small white bird, a lesson from a pod of porpoises and the support of a gentle whale, Ella finds her courage and discovers she was never alone.
This is a beautiful and timely story that serves as a reminder that though we may face our fears alone, we are all in this together, from award-winning author-illustrator, Britta Teckentrup.

Upcoming Events


Storytime on Saturdays, 11am
Join us in the children’s corner every Saturday at 11am for storytime when we’ll read from our favourite picture books, old and new.
No need to book, just turn up and enjoy!

Meet the Team


Cathy Slater
Owner
Cathy has enjoyed a career in publishing spanning over 3 decades, in International Sales and Foreign Rights. She joined Dulwich Books in January 2017, keen to learn about the bookselling side of the industry and purchased the shop from Susie Nicklin in November 2019. She is very happy and excited to have an opportunity to run this much-loved bookshop, and continue to serve the local community.
When not reading, she loves gardening, walking, nature and wildlife. She sings in two local choirs and is part of a shanty group called Shotley Crue. She speaks Italian and French and a little Spanish.
Cathy recommends

The Bell in The Lake by Lars Mytting
MacLehose Press, £16.99
The first in a rich historical trilogy set in Norway, a lyrical mix of legend and craftsmanship, and a compelling love story. By the author of The Sixteen Trees of the Somme.

Kitty Spence
Manager
Kitty read Modern and Medieval History at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Since then, she has worked in retail, as well as volunteering at various theatre and new playwrighting festivals. She joined the Dulwich Books team at the start of 2018 as a Saturday bookseller, has been a full-time member of staff since 2019 and has recently been appointed as manager.
She enjoys reading all sorts of books, but has a particular fondness for novels set in London and literary biographies. She also loves going to the theatre, live comedy, football, culture podcasts as well as taking long walks and swimming at lidos and ponds around London.
Kitty recommends

The Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard
Picador, £8.99
The first volume of the wonderful Cazalet Chronicles. Set during the summers of 1937 and 1938, it follows three generations of the Cazalet family as they spend their holidays together at Home Place in sunlit Sussex. Howard expertly explores the tensions and tangles of family life and she writes with a generosity towards each of her many characters. This captivating novel unfolds at a delightfully unhurried pace, making it a perfect book to get lost in. It’s always a pleasure to revisit the Cazalets and the later volumes follow the family through the Second World War and beyond.

We’re on Instagram

Proud to be able to support @afghanaidhq at this event. @maclehosepress @untoldwriters
My pen is the Wing of a Bird - New Fiction by Afghan Women @shafakelif
A Brief History of Pasta - John the chef is really enjoying it. Well researched & informative, it debunks some of the myths. By Luca Cesari. Coming in October
@profile.books
@kelliemonkey
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#pasta
#historyofpasta
It’s getting hot again 🥵! You don’t need to be without a book. We can deliver books to you free if you live locally - SE21 or SE22.
Happy publication day to Judith Eagle (@judith.eagle) for The Accidental Stowaway! 🚢📚🎉
This fantastic historical adventure, set on a steamship in 1910, is our Middle Grade Book of the Month for August.
Huge thanks to Judith for popping by to sign copies – do get in touch if you would like to reserve one.
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Liverpool, 1910. When Patch runs up the gangway of steamship, RMS Glorious, she isn't planning to hang around. But if she leaves her hiding place the constable might catch her: sitting tight is worth the risk. Too late, she realises the ship is setting sail! Patch has become an accidental stowaway.
Luckily, Patch's unconventional past has made her pretty fearless when it comes to fending for herself, and besides there are friends in high and low places to be made onboard. But hiding away becomes less and less easy: her new friends urgently need her help and there's a mystery that needs solving, all before they reach New York…
@faberbooks @faberchildrens @pfdchildrens #dulwichbooks #westdulwich #bookstagram #newbooks #childrensbooks #TheAccidentalStowaway
Our July bestsellers on our very comfy new reading chair!! 📚☀️🎉🏖
1. The Lincoln Highway – Amor Towles (@amortowles)
2. Still Life - Sarah Winman (@sarahwinman)
3. The Island of Missing Trees - Elif Shafak (@shafakelif)
4. Bunny vs Monkey: Rise of the Maniacal Badger – Jamie Smart
5. April in Spain – John Banville
6. Lily – Rose Tremain
7. The Paper Palace – Miranda Cowley Heller (@mirandacowleyhellerauthor)
8. Are We Having Fun Yet? – Lucy Mangan (@lucy.mangan)
9. Snow Country – Sebastian Faulks
10. Murder by the Seaside – ed. Cecily Gayford
We will be at the Afghanaid Cultural Festival on Wednesday 10th August, at AMP Studios, 897 Old Kent Road, selling copies of “My Pen is the Wing of a Bird: New Fiction by Afghan Women”@maclehosepress
Please support the event - and show solidarity with people in Afghanistan - by purchasing a ticket. There is an amazing line up of music, poetry & speeches, plus delicious Afghan BBQ!
Delighted to attend the launch of “We, The Oppressors” by Dr Jack Davy, an eye-opening book about how societies are designed to support the status of those in power at the destructive expense of those without it. Reading this book will help us not to look away any more and be a better person.
@quercusbooks @hachettebooks
“Essential”- Sathnam Sanghera

Join our mailing list


Location
6 Croxted Road
West Dulwich
London
SE21 8SW
hello@dulwichbooks.co.uk
020 8670 1920
Opening Hours
Mon & Tues 10am – 6pm
Wed to Sat 9.30am – 5.30pm
Sun 11am – 4pm
Nearest overground stations:
West Dulwich & West Norwood
Number 3 bus:
Stops just outside the shop

Place an order

Please fill out the form below with the details of the book you would like to purchase and we will send a confirmation email that the order has been processed.


For Schools

We have a lot of experience working with local schools and can arrange free delivery of books to your school. We can often offer free author visits to schools and organise book sales at events.
Our expert staff can share their knowledge and offer guidance on all book related enquiries to teachers and librarians, and we are happy to offer competitive discounts, so please contact us with your requirements.

Bookshop Hire

We hire out the shop for private events, such as book launches, in the evening. We charge for this service, as we will provide staff, utilities, and assistance.
If you are interested do email hello@dulwichbooks.co.uk with details of your event, and we will be happy to help.
For Publicists & independent authors

If you are an independent author, please visit the shop to see what kind of books we have in stock and email hello@dulwichbooks.co.uk with info about your work. We have had plenty of success with local and independent authors and will consider each book on its merits.

Off Site Sales

We work with lots of venues to sell books for their events, festivals, book signings and launches. All books can be put through Book Scan, and we can take credit card sales via our GPS-enabled machine as well as cash and cheques.
Don’t hesitate to call us on 020 8670 1920 or to email hello@dulwichbooks.co.uk if you need an expert bookseller for your event.