Ariel Bookstore Paddington review by BMZ

Ariel is not trying to be Barnes & Noble which is a good thing. It is not a book warehouse. It's a shop with a slant. Ariel's selection is deep in some areas and nonexistent in others. I go there for the art, architecture, and design books. The people I've met behind the counter seem to be avid readers and have a title or 2 to suggest. They feature quite a few local writers and often host book talks. Like all Australian booksellers, Ariel charges high prices for its books but at least you are getting a good selection to pick from and a knowledgeable staff to help guide you to something nice, surprising, or maybe even nicely surprising.