Even in post-Euro 2012 Kyiv, when street signs and bar menus are now widely available in English thanks to last year’s football championship co-hosted by Ukraine and Poland, finding English-language books is a challenge. So let the Kyiv Post be your guide:
Chytai Gorod
Chytai Gorod shop has textbooks and business books. A couple of shelves are filled with English fiction. They are mostly classics published by Ukrainian or Russian publishing houses. That’s why the prices don’t bite. The choice is is largely limited to classics, but at least prices are reasonable. “The Best of Sherlock Holmes” by Arthur Conan Doyle goes for Hr 141 here, while “The Best of Bronte Sisters” is offered at Hr 136. A pleasant surprise at Chytai Gorod is an English edition of “The Righteous of Babyn Yar” by Illya Levkas, offered at Hr 312.
Chytai Gorod
3B Bohdana Khmelnytskogo St.
www.chitay-gorod.com.ua
279-6438
Ye Bookstore
The English section at Ye bookstore includes a wide variety of classics, modern detective stories, chick lit and business and self-help books, all moderately priced. “The Game of Thrones” by George R. R. Martin, ranked 12 in Amazon’s Top 100 list and selling online for $12, goes for $36 at Ye. While Candace Bushnell’s “The Sex And the City” and Danielle Steel’s “Wanderlust” are offered on Amazon for $7 each, at Ye they are available at Hr 157 and Hr 133, respectively. “The Secret Knowledge” by David Mamet here goes for Hr 125, almost the same that an Amazon. For those concerned about their intimate relationship, there is also help: “Is Faith Delusion?” by Andrew Sims cost Hr 225, the same price as on Amazon.
Ye
3 Lysenka St. (near Zoloti Vorota)
www.book-ye.com.ua
235-8850
Litera
Litera bookshop also offers a good choice, although the latest best sellers are missing here and the prices are a bit higher than in Ye. Cecilia Ahern’s “P.S. I Love You” costs Hr 110. Each book of Stephenie Meyer’s twilight saga goes for Hr 179, Paulo Coelho’s “The Fifth Mountain” costs Hr 105, while almost any classic book from Wordsworth Editions, including Russian classic novels translated into English, is available at Hr 42.
The store has a noteworthy collection of famous biographies. “The Open Society” by George Soros costs Hr 292 here and Nelson Mandela’s “A Long Walk To Freedom” goes for Hr 336.
Litera
11/61 Lva Tolstoho St.
234-75-08
Metrograd
A door with a sign Knizhnaya Lavka (A Bookstore) can be found in Metrograd underground mall, close to the entrance to Taras Shevchenko Boulevard. The selection here includes mostly design and architectural albums. The prices range from Hr 200 to Hr 2,000.
A tiny bookstore near Metrograd’s entrance to Arena City has a whole wall devoted to literature in English, but also focuses on coffee table books and albums. A hardcover “History of Photography” by George Eastman goes for Hr 345, almost three times the price of the same book at Amazon, $13. The bigger albums cost more than Hr 1,000. A hardcover “Icons Of Rock” catalogue costs $92 on Amazon and Hr 1,005 in this Metrograd shop. “Erotica: Nude in Contemporary Photography” is Hr 1,000 here, while Amazon offers it at $67.
Metrograd
Books Section, Section #13
www.metrograd.kiev.ua
Harms
A small collection of books can be found in Harms that opened in the former office of FEMEN, the topless protesting group that fled the nation earlier this year. The English translation of the Turkish author Orhan Pamuk’s “The Museum Of Innocence” costs Hr 200, Joseph Conrad’s “Heart Of Darkness” for Hr 130 and Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle” goes for Hr 200.
Harms
21B Mykhaylivska St.
www.xar.ms
098-559-6911
Albion Books
Albion bookstore might not be huge, but has arguably the widest range on offer and at reasonable prices. Fantasy, Sci-Fi and classics abound, but Albion also has a decent non-fiction section, notably history and biographical pieces. The Penguin History of Modern Russia goes for around $30, compared to $20 online (without delivery). And when it comes to fiction, you’ll be surprised to find titles by western authors like Margaret Atwood. The business section, however, will disappoint with just a few obscure political titles.
Albion Books
Ukraina Mall
3 Pobedy Ave.
221-0044
www.albion-books.com
