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Welcome
Award-winning independent and much-loved bookshop, Dulwich Books has been serving the local community for over 40 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.
You can place your order over the phone during working hours, by emailing us or by filling out the order form below.
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!
Welcome
Award-winning independent and much-loved bookshop, Dulwich Books has been serving the local community for over 40 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 [email protected]. 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
To the Edge of the World by Tilar J. Mazzeo
Elliott and Thompson, £20
Summer 1856. Nineteen-year-old Mary Ann Patten and her husband, Joshua are both from New England seafaring families and have already completed their first global voyage with Joshua as captain. Their dream of building a home is almost within reach, but the price of that freedom is one last dangerous transit – a high-stakes race to deliver supplies to the other side of the country. And there is no alternative but to sail all the way around.
But when Joshua falls sick and the treacherous first mate is imprisoned for insubordination, Mary Ann must step up to take the helm. Within days, she has put down a mutiny. Now she must attempt to steer this 216-foot ship, laden with the modern equivalent of $11 million of cargo, through Drake’s Passage and around Cape Horn – the most treacherous waters in the world. To the Edge of the World is the true story of one woman who, when faced with impossible odds, would do all that was necessary to survive.
Middle Grade
Finn’s Epic Fails by Phil Earle
Simon & Schuster, £7.99
Finn just wants to survive Year 7, but his life is destined to be a series of epic fails. It’s only Tuesday and his scheming, unicorn-obsessed little sister has already stuck a horn to his head (with superglue) and his properly evil older brother has wedgied him 278 times. And don’t even ask what happened at swimming, in front of the WHOLE CLASS. At least he has best friends Laszlo (a hopeless romantic) and Google (ask her anything) by his side as he attempts to turn failure into victory in his very own book that is definitely not a diary.
A hilarious new series by award-winning author Phil Earle which introduces Finn N. O. Hope and his life of epic failure! Perfect for readers of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Loki and Tom Gates.
Young Adult
Control Alter Delete by K.L. Kettle
Little Tiger, £9.99
Hal is living a fairy tale – almost. Thanks to tech genius Francis Knox building the perfect World 2.0, the universe is available at a swipe, and Hal has everything she wants. Except for her family, which fell apart after her dad’s disappearance years ago. Except, perhaps, winning the notoriously competitive Knox Cup but Hal doesn’t have the funds to enter.
Then out of the blue Hal’s guardian arranges for Hal to compete. If she wins, she’ll meet Francis Knox and all of Hal’s deepest, secret wishes might really come true. But as the competition progresses, Hal discovers decay hidden beneath the world’s perfect veneer… The Hunger Games meets Black Mirror in this speculative YA thriller, tackling themes of technology and power dynamics.
Fiction
Vigil by George Saunders
Bloomsbury, £18.99
A playful, wise, electric novel taking place at the bedside of an oil company CEO, in the twilight hours of his life, as he is ferried from this world into the next. As death approaches, a cast of worldly and otherworldly visitors arrive. Crowds of people and animals – alive and dead – materialise, birds swarm the dying man’s room, and associates from decades past show up, all clamouring for a reckoning.
George Saunders confronts the biggest issues of our time with his trademark humour and warmth, spinning a tale that encompasses life and death, good and evil, and the inevitable question: who else could we be but exactly who we are?
Picture Book
Our Love by Fatima Ordinola
Post Wave, £7.99
Discover the beauty of unconditional love in this gorgeously illustrated picture book. From cuddling koalas to snuggling penguins, protective lionesses to gentle elephants, Our Love tenderly captures the reassuring bond between a parent and child through the lens of the animal kingdom.
With soft watercolour artwork, this is the perfect read for any moment you want to remind the little ones in your life of your support and affection.
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, £9.99
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, £9.99
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.
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Location
6 Croxted Road
West Dulwich
London
SE21 8SW
[email protected]
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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] if you need an expert bookseller for your event.
