You know I love stepping into local bookstores during my travels.
Well, I had heard about BooksActually (on this list) even before I knew I was going to Singapore. I think it’s one of the most well-known independent bookstores in the world, or getting there. So when the talk of stopping by this sovereign city-state came up, I immediately jumped on the idea solely because I wanted to stop by this bookstore.
I didn’t take very many pictures because I spent most of my time poking my nose in every corner of the bookstore, not to mention a handful of books and magazines. They specialize in fiction and literature but you can also find everything from typewriters to original stationary. Oh and did I mention the cats, too? (Although not for sale.)
I think the owners have a very unique and eclectic taste when it comes to selecting books for their bookstore. It had an amazing selection of novels by local writers, which made choosing a souvenir book for myself all the more difficult. They also publish books under their own brand, Math Paper Press, and hold events such as book launches and readings, which I would definitely go to if I were local.
BooksActually made me wish I lived in Singapore.
No. 9 Yong Siak Street, Tiong Bahru, Singapore 168645
TEL: +65 6222 9195
HOURS: Mon 11:00am-6:00pm
Tue-Fri 11:00am-9:00pm
Sat 10:00am-9:00pm
Sun 10:00am-6:00pm
Kaori Square Feet 
I have a love for bookstores, too. This place looks amazing!! I could easily spend hours in a place like this 🙂
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I know, I was there for over an hour going back and forth on which book to get. There were so many books I'd never seen before and so many asian writers! I loved their selection 🙂
PS: Have you already been to The Last Bookstore in downtown LA?
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That is one heck of a cat. What would be a good name? Snowflake, cloud, ghost…? Ah, I know—mochi.
So what book(s) did you choose? I think something contemporary would be good so Neil Humphries would be a good choice of author but I would also want to get the Singaporean point of view so maybe something by Low Kay Hwa would be up there but the book covers look “young adult romance.” Since you were right there and with access to books Amazon has never dreamed of one can wonder…
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Books. Ahhh ….
PS: Is the cat for sale, too? 😉
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Isn't the cat beautiful?
I ended up with a book called The Ghost Bride (ironically not written by a Singaporean) and the LOST magazine in the photo above, which have a few features on Japan. I'm always interested in how others view Japan and couldn't resist getting it 🙂
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I don't think it was, although I never asked as I was too busy being envious of that lazy white cat. Surrounded by books all day, what could be better? 😀
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I am assuming the book is the one from Malacca, Malaysia just up the west coast from Singapore, written by Yangze Choo. It looks fascinating.
I had heard of the hanayome ningyo dolls of kamikaze fame but I didn’t know that traditions of spirit marriages could be found throughout East Asia.
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No, I haven't yet…! I really want to, but I'm still not very confident with my driving skills
I almost smashed another car in the parking lot the other day and it was pretty traumatic. Taking it day by day though! Hopefully I'll be driving to all the places I want to visit sometime this century 😉
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Oh gosh, that sounds terrifying! I can barely walk without tripping or running into a wall at times so I can imagine driving a car (and in the crazy LA traffic, no less) is beyond difficult. But I'm sure you'll get the hang of it and be tootin' your horn and screamin' out the window like everyone else in no time! Can't to hear about your adventures ;D
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The book was even more interesting than I thought it would be. Very dream like yet vivid. Isn't the traditions of spirit marriages interesting? I've yet to understand the many beliefs that have a continuous afterlife so it was interesting to get a view on that as well 🙂
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I liked the title Ghost Bride so much I wrote a little micro-short story.
Speaking of the afterlife you might check out Joan Grant. I just read her Many Lifetimes.
I have Yangze Choo’s book now. I must read it.
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I just started reading Joan Grant’s Winged Pharaoh. As you can see from the reviews it looks really interesting. It is said that it was written from “far memories” of a former lifetime…
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Reincarnation is always an interesting subject. Thank you for the recommendations!
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