Reading the city

Chapter 1

Belgrade’s Bookastore

The retail face of the boutique publisher Booka has expanded from one to three shops over the past couple of years. That’s much to the delight of Belgrade’s bookworms and lovers of stylish literary spaces.

Chapter 2

Toronto’s specialist bookshops

While Canada’s most populous city has a fine roster of independent bookshops, it’s the small array of speciality retailers that have been the most notable staple in the city. Monocle’s bureau chief in the city, Tomos Lewis, reports.

Chapter 3

Istanbul’s Türk-Alman Kitabevi

Bookshops supply residents with something to read but they can also highlight a culture that might otherwise go overlooked. Monocle’s contributor in Istanbul, Ruth Michaelson, visits the city’s German-Turkish bookshop to explore this shared culture.

Chapter 4

Mexico’s Crear Comunidad by Proyecto Reacciona

Finding libraries in a poor condition across the country, this programme rebuilds them as centres of public life with input from locals, giving them a sense of ownership as they collaborate with the design team to determine how the space can be remade to meet community ambitions.