Goulds book arcade, for 50 years the last word for sydneys discerning leftwing readers. The train had stopped for the breakfast break and the passengers were. The 10 closest hotels to goulds book arcade tripadvisor. Goulds is a sydney institution and a bit of a bete noire for anyone with ocdseemingly zillions of old books. And while sydneys passion for intellectual endeavours is perhaps bleak compared to the rest of the world, there are still great bookshops to be seen and prowl around in. Jays, jarmies or pajamas but first you have to seek out those good books. The labyrinth of old, dusty books has become a sydney institution, and a perfect fit for the suburb of newtown. At that time they said they were moving and now its seems they have found a new location. Back in the day, goulds book arcade wasnt quite the epicentre of newtown, but it definitely made a significant contribution to its intellectual, bohemian yet workingclass character. Goulds book arcade owners blame white bread culture for. Gould s book arcade specialises in out of print books, publishers remainders of the last 30 years, and second hand books, catering to the general reader, students and some specialist areas.
Robert stephen bob gould 1937 22 may 2011 was an australian activist and bookseller. Tracing your scottish ancestry through church and state. The edges of the book have minor tanning and light spotting. Victoria is the most urbanized and second most occupied in state in the commonwealth of australia. C escher puzzle, goulds is a maze of books, a million of them or more, extending back in rows for as far as the eye can. In newtown rents are rising and bobs first wife told the smh that. He died on may 22, at the age of 74, of injuries suffered after a fall in his wellknown bookshop, goulds book arcade, in newtown, sydney.
Gould s book arcade, for 50 years the last word for sydneys discerning leftwing readers, has been priced out of gentrifying king street, its future uncertain. Books have little place in the lives of people moving into newtown these days. Gould s work is referenced in charles darwin s book, on the origin of species. Goulds book arcade established in sydney in 1967 goulds book arcade is australia s largest retailer of used, remaindered, outofprint and rare books under one roof.
If you wish to have your personal details removed from goulds books database please contact us. Proudly leftwing sydney institution goulds book arcade is facing the axe as. Mar 25, 2020 this massive book warehouse in newtown is guaranteed to be hiding your new favourite novel, you just need to have the time and patience to find it. The first page has a half page gift inscription from a previous owner. He has been considered the father of bird study in australia and the gould league in australia is named after him. Goulds book arcade does not share any of your information with any other party. In recent times, goulds caught up with the 20th century and went online with 40,000. Goulds book arcade feature a strong emphasis on australian history and politics and australiana, along with thousands of art books, and special sections for military history, poetry, plays, fiction, movies, science, philosophy, and all areas of human interest and endeavour. Apr 28, 2003 established in sydney, australia, in 1967, gould s book arcade has over 75,000 books listed, mostly nonfiction. One big open door and then a maw of shelved books ground floor and threeside mezzanine. He had been unwell for some time, but his accidental death was untimely.
Theres not much that can be said about goulds book arcade that isnt already well known. Jumping back to a quick taste of home in time for harry and meghans royal tour to australia. Goulds book arcade, sydney abebooks newtown, sydney. How australias iconic family brands have stood the test of time. Sydneys secondhand bookshops do things differently to. Goulds book arcade specialises in out of print books, publishers remainders of the last 30 years, and second hand books, catering to the general reader, students and some specialist areas. Bob gould was a veteran of the labour left in australia. Another blogger wrote up her own list of sydneys greatest bookshops, which includes goulds book arcade in newtown and alice and gertrude in bondi. Established in sydney in 1967 goulds book arcade is australia s largest retailer of used, remaindered, outofprint and rare books under one roof. Several european travel guides list the shop as a place to see. Trading in newtown since 1988, gould s book arcade is australia s largest retailer of used, remaindered, outofprint and rare books under one roof. I make the six hour roundtrip to buy all the books and go to events all the time. Goulds book arcade, located on king st in newtown, is a sydney institution, and considered by many the first port of call for anyone searching for a rare book.
The collection on labor movement and leftwing politics is the broadest in australia. Goulds book arcade, sydney in 2020 book aesthetic, world. When people enter goulds book arcade on north king street, newtown, for the first time, they walk in a few steps then pause, beholding the complex interior. Last time i wandered in there, i was vaguely surprised i didnt get crushed under a pile of books.
He published a number of monographs on birds, illustrated by plates that he produced with the assistance of his wife, elizabeth gould, and several other artists including edward lear, henry constantine richter, joseph wolf and william matthew hart. Bob gould joined the australian labor party at the age of 17, about 1954, and remained a member of that party throughout his life. C escher puzzle, goulds is a maze of books, a million of them or more, extending back in rows for as far as the eye can see. Brookfield was fatally shot by a deranged gunman at riverton in south australia in march 1920.
Proudly leftwing sydney institution goulds book arcade is facing the axe as commercial pressures force it out of its decadeslong home in newtown. Gould at this time was also in contact with helen palmer, who organised a leftist magazine, outlook, which served as a focus for. Hotels near goulds book arcade, newtown on tripadvisor. A newtown treasure, goulds book arcade was established in 1988 and ran by bob gould leftwing activist, founder of the antivietnam war movement, and local hero until his passing in 2011. Goulds book arcade newtown 2020 all you need to know. Gould wrote about some of his experiences at that time in his essay, bob santamaria and bob gould. Goulds book arcade owners blame white bread culture for imminent closure. Almost escaped from an airport bookstore without buying a book but it was not to be this time. The iconic sydney university hangout, a one time rallying centre for antivietnamese war protesters and lately an unofficial office helping asylum seekers, has just three months to find a new. Yet, there was this awareness that goulds could well be missing.
Goulds book arcade is something straight out of a fantasy novel. The iconic sydney university hangout, a onetime rallying centre for. The storied history behind one of australias biggest secondhand bookshops video. Buy a book and help save an iconic newtown building broadsheet. Bobs daughter, natalie, and wife, janet, continue to put up prorefugee posters outside the shop, to the irritation of the local council. While in town, be sure to check out the submarine museum, which is open sunday through saturday from 10. Walking and talking, i wasnt scrutinizing every shopfront we walked past. Imperialism and class struggle in colombia is more than the title of a great book. Newtown, a suburb of sydneys inner west, is located approximately four kilometres southwest of the sydney central business district, straddling the local government areas of the city of sydney and inner west council in the state of new south wales, australia king street is the main street of newtown and centre of commercial and entertainment activity. Bob gould was a sydney bookseller for more than thirtyfive years, at a number of locations. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates. The rent is apparently going up such as to render the business unprofitable. A local, familyrun bookshop, goulds is a member of the australian booksellers association aba. With every inch of floortoceiling space filled with thousands of outofprint and secondhand books in absolutely no order whatsoever, it s nighon impossible to just.
Since 1989 the shop was at the city end of king st, newtown, but moved in late 2018. Goulds book arcade has a range and depth of stock pretty unusual by any standards, including books that you wouldnt get elsewhere and probably has more out of print titles than any other book retailer in australia. Natalie says their support of the asylum seeker community has transformed goulds book arcade into something like an immigration office. History buffs should also visit the museum of sydney and the hyde park barracks for a quiet, contemplative step through time from colonial days until now. Oct 30, 2017 proudly leftwing sydney institution goulds book arcade is facing the axe as commercial pressures force it out of its decadeslong home in newtown. Kinokuniya for its ubercentral town hall location and array of art and design books, goulds book arcade in newtown for its whopping collection of secondhand publications, ampersand cafe and bookstore for its three floors of inimitable paddington elegance, plus much. And books just about everywhere else one could fit a book, paperback or hardcover. Oct 08, 20 bobs daughter, natalie, and wife, janet, continue to put up prorefugee posters outside the shop, to the irritation of the local council. Goulds specialises in second hand and outofprint works, and has become a sydney institution. Goulds book arcade established in sydney in 1967 goulds book arcade is australias largest retailer of used, remaindered, outofprint and rare books under one roof. Aug 30, 2016 goulds book arcade is a newtown institution. Nothing human is alien to me a quote from roman playwright terence that bob gould often used to sum up the range of material that we have. Goulds secondhand cornucopia is a king street institution.
Goulds book arcade is a must for collectors and book enthusiasts. A local, familyrun bookshop, gould s books is also a member of the australian booksellers association aba. Last chapter for goulds book arcade sydney morning herald. Gould s book arcade is something straight out of a fantasy novel. Trading in newtown since 1988, goulds book arcade is australias largest retailer of used, remaindered, outofprint and rare books under one roof. Sydneys quirky and specialty book stores winter is the time for curling up in you jim jams, and reading a good book. Newtown is home to many bookshops, including gould s book arcade founded in 1967 by activist bob gould, better read than dead, elizabeth s bookshop, modern times, pentimento, and parliament on king. Sydneys top quirky and specialty book stores sydney. Oct 31, 2017 gould s book arcade, for 50 years the last word for sydney s discerning leftwing readers, has been priced out of gentrifying king street, its future uncertain.
Youll hear about all the sales listed for sydney, and it. His identification of the birds now nicknamed darwin s finches played a role in the inception of darwin s theory of evolution by natural selection. Goulds book arcade in newtown for its whopping collection of secondhand publications. Aug 22, 2018 when people enter goulds book arcade on north king street, newtown, for the first time, they walk in a few steps then pause, beholding the complex interior. The story of britain through its census since 1801. Located near sydney university, the quantity and range of books can be a touch overwhelming at first before you even consider the stacks of vinyl, ancient videos and cds, but once you master the eclectic system many wonders await. Gould was a member of the early australian trotskyist group active in the 1950s and 1960s, along with nick origlass and others. The first one that caught my eyes was this goulds book arcade. Goulds book arcade in newtown, sydney, nsw, bookstores. When i went to the goulds book arcade, i found a massive selection and i wished id had more time to explore it all. Its home was once at the northern end of king street from 19892018, and since then the shelves of shambolic literature covering. Australian royal australian air force air power development centre australia. And for three decades, it is there that goulds book arcade somehow managed to stay open every day.
Air power development centre department of defence. For the best secondhand bookshops, head to goulds book arcade on king street in inner west sydney or parklea books, close to western sydney. The shop was considered an icon by the lgbtqi friendly and. While he was involved in the struggle against the groupers, gould has written that he was also in the orbit of the communist party of australia, but he broke with communist party influence in 1956, after khruschevs secret speech and the ussrs. The newtown area of sydney is full of energy from the university students that spill into the streets. Australian history and politics and australiana are the main specialty areas. Book lovers should also pencil these stops into their sydney itinerary. Goulds book arcade newtown, australia atlas obscura. Its home was once at the northern end of king street from 19892018, and since then the. A local, familyrun bookshop, goulds books is also a member of the australian booksellers association aba.
Owned and run by bob gould, a sydney bookseller for more than thirtyfive years, goulds book arcade specialises in out of print books, publishers remainders of the last 30 years, and. I spent a long weekend in sydney in january and, even as an aussie, i. It is among the numerous venture areas for terrific barrier reef. I hope its just as big and good as the current one. News came through via todays sydney morning herald that bob goulds book arcade in king street newtown is likely to close soon. Oct 31, 2017 proudly leftwing sydney institution goulds book arcade is facing the axe as commercial pressures force it out of its decadeslong home in newtown. With every inch of floortoceiling space filled with thousands of outofprint and secondhand books in absolutely no order whatsoever, its nighon impossible to just. Watermark books sydney, australia bookstore facebook. Goulds shops pushed the boundaries of australias strict censorship laws at the time, and he was often raided by the nsw police vice squad. Time out sydney described the store, which is located just 5 km from the. A two volume collection of australias fantasy illustrators, their lives and works, and australias classic fantasy writing. Established in sydney in 1967 goulds book arcade is australias largest retailer of used, remaindered, outofprint and rare books under one roof.