The Word Bookstore
Encyclopedia
The Word Bookstore, or simply The Word is an independent bookstore in Montreal
, Quebec
, specializing in used philosophy
and English poetry
books located in the McGill Ghetto
downtown. The bookstore was started by Adrian and Luci King-Edwards of McGill University
in 1973 in their own apartment as an "underground" bookstore and moved into the current location on 469 Milton Street in 1975, which was the site of the former neighborhood Chinese laundry for 70 years. The Word holds readings of poetic works and publication announcement of local authors and has been an important meeting place and inspiration for Canadian writers such as Artie Gold
and Sheila Fischman
.
The Word is also renowned for the high quality of its stocked items, with books purchased from the estates of retiring or deceased professors, or from its largely McGill-based scholarly clientele. It is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of Canada
.
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, specializing in used philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and English poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
books located in the McGill Ghetto
McGill Ghetto
The McGill Ghetto is a neighbourhood in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, named after McGill University, situated directly to the east of the university campus. The Ghetto is located in the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough of Montreal...
downtown. The bookstore was started by Adrian and Luci King-Edwards of McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in 1973 in their own apartment as an "underground" bookstore and moved into the current location on 469 Milton Street in 1975, which was the site of the former neighborhood Chinese laundry for 70 years. The Word holds readings of poetic works and publication announcement of local authors and has been an important meeting place and inspiration for Canadian writers such as Artie Gold
Artie Gold
Artie Gold was a Montreal based Canadian poet who rose to prominence in the 1970s as one of the circle of Montreal-based writers known as the Vehicule Poets...
and Sheila Fischman
Sheila Fischman
Sheila Leah Fischman, CM is a Canadian translator who specializes in the translation of works of contemporary Quebec literature....
.
The Word is also renowned for the high quality of its stocked items, with books purchased from the estates of retiring or deceased professors, or from its largely McGill-based scholarly clientele. It is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of Canada
Antiquarian Booksellers Association of Canada
The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of Canada is the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers’ affiliated organization of professional antiquarian booksellers in Canada...
.