Books Actually, Earshot Café, Page One, 25 ºCelsius

Assistant book editor Adeline Loh recommends her favourite speciality bookstores in Singapore

ONCE upon a time, in a land far far away, all Adeline Loh had were her books and all she did was to just read. We know that is fictional but at least that is what Adeline dreams of. Since young, Adeline loved her books from romance novels to Disney fairytales. Fast forward to present day, the bookworm has since graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in – you guessed it – English literature. The bibliophile, who is an assistant editor at Page One, a publishing house specialising in art and design books, shares with us on her favourite bookstores and newsstands in Singapore. Interview by Ronald Wan.

Books Actually (No. 5 Ann Siang Road; Telephone no: 6221 1170). “This is one of my favourite bookstores. You should come here for the literary gems not found in big bookstores and the discerning selection of books on poetry, critical theory, film and art. I appreciate how the owners bring in the edition of a book with the most beautiful covers because I’m quite picky on the book covers myself!”

Earshot Café (1 Old Parliament Lane; Telephone no: 6883 1019 ). Located in The Arts House, this new shop is dedicated to the local arts scene selling Singapore’s music, film and books with about 780 book titles and 130 music titles to choose from. “I like the cosy environment and the comprehensive selection of Singapore’s literature, poetry and plays,” says Adeline.

Page OneBookshop (Vivocity 1 Harbourfront Walk #02-41/42 Tel: 6272 0822). It started out as a small bookshop but has since evolved to become a brand known to be specialising in design and art books.
“Of course I have to promote this bookshop! Besides the design and art books that the bookstore is well known for, Page One actually has a very good range of Chinese books and literature as well. See it for yourself!”

25 Degree Celsius (25 Keong Saik Road #01-01 Tel: 6327 8389) For those who love to whip up a storm in the kitchen, this is the best place to get favourite recipes and advice. The assortment of cookbooks is classified by region such as Chinese, Japanese, French and Thai. You can also hang out in the café for a drink or two with your favourite read. Adeline enthuses, “I love to come here just to browse and pick up a cookbook if I’m in the mood to learn a new dish!”

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