This might come as a surprise, but you can still get English books in Europe. In this post, you’ll discover 4 ways you can find English books while in Europe!
At the beginning of 2021, I moved from California to France and wanted to keep up my reading habit. So, I searched for the easiest ways I could get English books while living abroad in Europe. I’ve listed 4 different ways to get English books in Europe below!
4 Ways to Get English Books in Europe
1. Search Amazon
You can search for the English version of a book on your country’s Amazon website. For example, I lived in France so I used Amazon France. I would search “(Book title) English version” in French. Just a heads up that you may find a difference in cost between English versions in Europe and books in the United States.
When I first moved here, I purchased a lot of books on Amazon France because it was super easy! But I really missed the feeling of going into a bookstore and browsing the shelves.
Looking for your next book: check out my favorite non-fiction books!
2. Search for English Bookstores
Surprisingly, many big cities (and some small cities) in Europe have English bookstores. Whenever I travel to a large city, I always google “English bookstores in (city name)”. Sometimes I’ll type that into Pinterest too. You can also search “English bookstores” on google maps in the city. All options provide similar results.
For example, before visiting Amsterdam I googled “English Bookstores in Amsterdam” and discovered the American Book Center in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Which I highly recommend visiting. I felt like I was back in a bookstore in the United States, it was great!
Some bookstores may allow you to order and have English books shipped to their store. For example, there is an English bookstore in Aix-en-Provence, France that my friend Clare introduced me to called Book In Bar. You can order English books and have them delivered to their bookstore for free. She used their service often and highly recommended them. Your local bookstore may do something similar. It’s always worth asking!
3. Search for English Sections in Bookstores
When searching English bookstores, you might find bookstores that say they have English sections. You might also find no results for English bookstores. In that case, just look up bookstores in that area. If it’s a large enough bookstore in a populated area, they may have an English section but not say so online.
If you’re visiting a large bookstore in Europe, you can always ask someone that works there if they have an English section. I’ve done this many times over the past two years! I’ve seen English sections with a random mix of 10 books, 1 bookshelf, or if you’re lucky – truly a whole section.
I’ll give you an example of when I did this in Nice, France.
I searched “English bookstores” in the city of Nice on Google Maps. I decided to check a bookstore called Librarie Jean Jaurès which came up in my search. When I arrived, I asked the clerk if they had an English section. She kindly showed me to their English section in the very back of the store. There was a random mix of 2 or 3 shelves of English books that I had no interest in.
Bummed, I decided to walk to La Sorbonne, a bookstore that didn’t come up in my search results for English bookstores but did come up in my search for bookstores. When I walked in, the English section was right at the front and packed full of English books in genres that interest me!
So don’t be afraid to venture into bookstores and ask!
4. Use the free Kindle App or Purchase a Kindle
I know, I know. You may think paper copies are superior… I used to feel that way too.
However, if you like reading and like reading a lot like me, I urge you to give it a shot.
You can use the free Kindle app on your mobile device/iPad or purchase a Kindle.
Kindle makes keeping up your reading habit so, so easy when living abroad. I purchase all my Kindle books on my Amazon US account. Books are instantly downloaded to my Kindle upon purchase and I can read them seamlessly between all my applications and on my Kindle device. Ahhhh-mazing.
You can check out my Kindle here on Amazon, I am obsessed with it.
How to find English Books in Europe Summary:
If you’re moving overseas to Europe and love reading, don’t worry you can still find English books in Europe!
4 ways to get English books in Europe:
- Search for English versions on your country’s Amazon
- Search for English bookstores in a city
- Go to big bookstores and ask if they have an English section
- Use the free Kindle app or purchase a Kindle
What are your favorite ways to buy English books in Europe? Let me know in the comments below.
