Unfortunately, Prague remains a very tourist-focused destination, with such consequences as sky-rocketing prices in the popular areas and general commodification of culture (Kafka and Švejk are everywhere, from postcards and totes to names of cafes and pubs). The saddest part is that I doubt even 10 per cent of all this mass of people visiting Kafka’s museum have actually read him and I think almost nobody knows that Švejk is in fact a literary hero. Oh well. Sadly, this influences the authenticity of establishments, including the popular bookshops.
One of them is the Globe English bookshop. Founded in 1993, this is Prague’s first English language bookstore and cafe, with books as well as coffee and food on offer. The bookshop itself occupies a smallish area downstairs and a bit of upstairs. Most of the space is a cafe, with unreasonably priced but OK-by-Prague-standards coffee. Although the selection in the bookshop is quite diverse, it is still a very small collection. Main topics are current affairs, culture, history, and, understandably, Prague interest. The prices are generally inflated. One hidden gem I have found is the upstairs attic, where books on sale and second-hand books live. I picked up a used copy of Italo Calvino for about 6 euros there, which I guess is an OK price, but still quite high compared to bargains that can be found in other European capitals. Overall, there was another girl beside me actually looking at books, while the other visitors seemed to be there only for coffee.
The store is marketed as a haven for expats, with different cultural events that it hosts regularly. I don’t know about those, but I would not recommend buying English books here, unless you are really desperate. On the other hand, I don’t think there is a better alternative in Prague. If there is, it would be great if you could write about it in the comments.
Bonus! There is another nice little gem of a place not far from the Globe. I stumbled upon it trying to escape the cold and rain of a Prague midday. It is called DobraCajovna (Good Tearoom), and they offer extremely good tea and shisha in a cosy medidative atmosphere.