Three wonderful bookstores in Istanbul
ISTANBUL – On Istiklal Caddesi, in the old Pera district of the city of Istanbul, a revival is brewing. The modern new bookstores that set the tone of a new era in this historic city are reflecting that coming change. Stretching from Taxim Square to the Lyceum in Galatasaray – a section that every visitor to Istanbul eventually traverses – three bookstores that carry a wide range of English-language titles have opened in the past few years. The stores mirror the new Turkey of intellectuals, widely traveled city dwellers, students, artists, the social elite and the city’s foreign inhabitants. Two of the stores have Greek names – Homer and Pandora – and the third a name drawn from English literature – Robinson Crusoe. All three are run by talented women with confidence in the future and a passion for their work. They are boutique bookstores on two stories with high aesthetic values, a special atmosphere and an abundance of titles – a joy for any book lover.
