Maybe it's because so many Dutch people in Amsterdam speak English or because of the expatriate population, but there are a surprising number of places to buy used or new books in the city for us non-Dutch.
Now many of these bookshops were found sort of randomly and because I never write down addresses but instead just memorise how to get back to places, you'll have to have a little patience if you decide to follow my map to books, but I promise it's worth it.
New Books in English
There are several places to buy new books in English (if you can stomach the price tag, which I did a few times because I didn't find the books used) especially on the Spui. There is The American Book Center (ABC) which has it's own Espresso Book machine, The American Bookshop, and Waterstone's all within minutes (plus the Begijnhof is nearby which is a must see).
In the Jordaan area you have the English Bookshop, which sells both new and used titles as well as serves tea and had many events for children and adults.
It's worth it to walk into any Dutch bookshop. There might not be an overwhelming number of books in English, but you'll always find a few. I love the bookshop on the Prinsengracht (just next to the yogurt place everyone seems to love but I don't think is very good) near the Jordaansplein. It has several English books (new) and really great staff.
Used Books in English
Now the easiest place for used books in terms of location are either the booksellers who sell on the Spui on Fridays for the Boekenmarkt. Lots of small booksellers in Amsterdam come here on Fridays so it can save you a bit of time. For example I love this sort of passageway on the Kloveniersburgwal that I only discovered because I was looking for The Book Exchange, which is perhaps the most massive used English bookstore in Amsterdam and yet all the sellers in the passage sell at the Boekenmarkt on Fridays (The Book Exchange does not have a stall there to the best of the best of my knowledge however).
Another place to find used books are the other markets around Amsterdam. I've found comics and books at the Noordermarkt (only on Monday mornings) and the Waterlooplein (every day except Sundays I think).
Also near the Spui, along Spuistraat (around no. 234) is a tiny little bookshop that has lots of used books, many first editions, and other goodies. The guy who owns it opens rather randomly though and I think he overcharged me, but just be vigilant because I've seen some real finds at that shop for example a 1st edition of The Hobbit (American printing) for 250,00 euros. If you pass the Softland coffeeshop, you've gone too far. Also don't smoke there. Go down the street to New Times, it's a much better coffeeshop in this particular area.
Not far from New Times facing another coffeeshop (this is Amsterdam afterall) called Kadinksky's (this shop has many locations, so be sure to note the street name) on Roskamsteeg is my favourite used bookshop in Amsterdam. Here I found an Obelisk Press of Miller's Tropics (before the censorship was lifted) for 8 euros and a great early Richard Brautigan (Trout Fishing in America) for 5 euros along with some other great books such an Olympia Press of Aubrey Beardsley's Under the Hill and a cute little edition of Jack London's White Fang.
Needless to say I spent quite some money on books this trip (I'm guess probably in the 200 euro range), and had a helluva time lugging my books back to Paris with me, but as an avid booklover knows, you can't help yourself. I buy books no matter where I go!
Now many of these bookshops were found sort of randomly and because I never write down addresses but instead just memorise how to get back to places, you'll have to have a little patience if you decide to follow my map to books, but I promise it's worth it.
New Books in English
There are several places to buy new books in English (if you can stomach the price tag, which I did a few times because I didn't find the books used) especially on the Spui. There is The American Book Center (ABC) which has it's own Espresso Book machine, The American Bookshop, and Waterstone's all within minutes (plus the Begijnhof is nearby which is a must see).
In the Jordaan area you have the English Bookshop, which sells both new and used titles as well as serves tea and had many events for children and adults.
It's worth it to walk into any Dutch bookshop. There might not be an overwhelming number of books in English, but you'll always find a few. I love the bookshop on the Prinsengracht (just next to the yogurt place everyone seems to love but I don't think is very good) near the Jordaansplein. It has several English books (new) and really great staff.
Used Books in English
Now the easiest place for used books in terms of location are either the booksellers who sell on the Spui on Fridays for the Boekenmarkt. Lots of small booksellers in Amsterdam come here on Fridays so it can save you a bit of time. For example I love this sort of passageway on the Kloveniersburgwal that I only discovered because I was looking for The Book Exchange, which is perhaps the most massive used English bookstore in Amsterdam and yet all the sellers in the passage sell at the Boekenmarkt on Fridays (The Book Exchange does not have a stall there to the best of the best of my knowledge however).
Another place to find used books are the other markets around Amsterdam. I've found comics and books at the Noordermarkt (only on Monday mornings) and the Waterlooplein (every day except Sundays I think).
Also near the Spui, along Spuistraat (around no. 234) is a tiny little bookshop that has lots of used books, many first editions, and other goodies. The guy who owns it opens rather randomly though and I think he overcharged me, but just be vigilant because I've seen some real finds at that shop for example a 1st edition of The Hobbit (American printing) for 250,00 euros. If you pass the Softland coffeeshop, you've gone too far. Also don't smoke there. Go down the street to New Times, it's a much better coffeeshop in this particular area.
Not far from New Times facing another coffeeshop (this is Amsterdam afterall) called Kadinksky's (this shop has many locations, so be sure to note the street name) on Roskamsteeg is my favourite used bookshop in Amsterdam. Here I found an Obelisk Press of Miller's Tropics (before the censorship was lifted) for 8 euros and a great early Richard Brautigan (Trout Fishing in America) for 5 euros along with some other great books such an Olympia Press of Aubrey Beardsley's Under the Hill and a cute little edition of Jack London's White Fang.
Needless to say I spent quite some money on books this trip (I'm guess probably in the 200 euro range), and had a helluva time lugging my books back to Paris with me, but as an avid booklover knows, you can't help yourself. I buy books no matter where I go!
