What I did on my holiday - Torino (Italy)

Earlier this year, I went to Torino (Italy), a brilliant city I recommend visiting.

But, unbeknownst to my friends who didn't know what they were in for, I found out that there was a scifi and fantasy bookshop there.
Ensued C. being lost in it, while said friends escaped, disgusted, because they were tired of waiting.

Vecchi e Nuovi Mondi is a bookshop located in the historical centre of Torino.
I was warmly welcomed by the very friendly two owners, and then I soon lost myself among the bookshelves.

Granted, it's not Forbidden Planet in London, so don't expect that many bookshelves.
But what made my day was both the variety and the quality of the books on offer.

The bookshop favours recent titles and writers, even if some of the classics are there too.
But I was particularly thrilled to see that, despite the lack of diversity in what is published in Italian, they sold translation of books by writers of colour (including Victor LaValle and Nnedi Okorafor) and/or women.

A small bookshelf at the back has on display books in English, and they also sell some first or second editions, both in italian and in English which should appeal to collectors.

Despite my extremely rusty Italian, the two owners took a lot of time to chat with me (it was a Babelian conversation, made of bits in Italian, French and English...).
In the end I bought two recent Italian scifi novels, one by a female writer, the other by a male writer, which, they assured me, were really good.
I would review them, were it not for the fact that I actually lent them to a colleague who teaches Italian literature and who haven't given them back yet because she likes them a lot... !

If you are Italian and in the vicinity of Torino, I'd highly recommend going there to spend all your money. If you're not in the vicinity of Torino, then catch a train and go spend your money there.

If you aren't Italian but you are visiting Torino, I'd recommend dropping by, even if you don't speak Italian. The collector shelf may probably have something for you, and it's always good to broaden your horizons by seeing what is published in another language and rarely (if at all) translated in English.

Vecchi e Nuovi Mondi
Via S. Francesco da Paola, 41.
Torino.