You can tell from the moment you see Commonwealth Books that it has character: situated next to Boston’s oldest street and opening its doors in 1995, being a second hand bookshop adds to the historic feel. On walking inside you instantly get a sense of relaxation, with the backdrop of jazz.
As with all second hand book shops, I enjoyed slowly browsing, especially with the range found at commonwealth; that always adds to the experience for me, a chance to slow down and take in the title and author of each book.
All sections are well stocked and organised by genre, of which there are many: a large fiction section, poetry, theatre, lots of history, politics and arts. There’s also a collection of vinyls, a section on rare books and, if interested, you can arrange an appointment to go through the collections.
This is definitely a must-visit book shop if you’re in the Boston area.