Buy presents at Stanfords

There are, of course, scores of places in London selling things that you can give to friends and family for Christmas, but your author has rarely found anywhere that throws up such gems as Stanfords in Covent Garden, opened in 1901 and now the world's largest travel bookshop, with a huge collection of maps, books, guides and globes.


We are told that explorers such as Captain Robert Scott and Ernest Shackelton once shopped here and the store sees frequent events and signings covering a wide range of travel interest. Indeed, Stanfords was the venue for the launch of your author's new book Mad Dogs and Englishmen back in July, for which he was very grateful, and it feels opportune to mention that that book is still on sale there, and last Friday 100 signed copies of Tired of London, Tired of Life hit the shelves, both of which make excellent gifts, alongside most things in the shop.

For more, see http://www.stanfords.co.uk

_{^Picture © Thierry Gregorius used under a Creative Commons license^}