Belfast and Bookshops

Three great weeks in Northern Ireland, where even the friendliest greeting in the street can sound aggressive because of the sheer volume most men speak at. It's a wonderful place, full of beautiful scenery, fried breakfasts with absurd amounts of different breads and in-laws who will babysit.

 

Without a doubt, though, the best place I visited was, once again, the Evangelical Bookshop in Belfast now under the management of Colin Campbell. John Grier has safely been put out to pasture and a refurbishment has taken place. I wouldn't say it looks much different but there are not 1000's of unsellable Day One titles lying round the place like there used to be.

 

My three visits to the 'Evan' reminded me of the value of bookshops. I have bought too often from those online Christian wholesalers and, though they may be cheaper at times, by not going to a decent bookshop you don't get to see the variety of books that are being printed and reprinted. I know Amazon and others have the 'you may like this' but it's not the same as thumbing through a book. So, for example, last week I found 'A Short History of the Westminster Assembly' by William Beveridge, edited by  Ligon Duncan. I didn't even know the book existed. It's a gem, but I would never have found it if it wasn't for just being there to root around the bookshop.

 

I realise that most Christian bookshops in the UK deserve to be put out of business for selling Christian tat, cards and posters with animals, and texts taken out of context but, for those like the Evangelical Bookshop, we should do all we can to support them.