The Montagu Bookshop

The Montagu Bookshop Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from The Montagu Bookshop, Book shop, 43 Long Street, Montagu.

Reader-centric at heart, Montagu Bookshop is a place of inspiration and discovery — where thoughtfully curated shelves invite both browsers and collectors to slow down and find books that stay with them.

CRITICAL PRAISE FOR TEENAGE SAFARI | JOIN US ON SATURDAY AT THE QUARTERTeenage Safari is not a conventional military mem...
12/08/2026

CRITICAL PRAISE FOR TEENAGE SAFARI | JOIN US ON SATURDAY AT THE QUARTER

Teenage Safari is not a conventional military memoir. It’s a literary time capsule: the raw, personal story of an ordinary 19-year-old conscript swept into the 1980s Border War.

With author Evan Davies speaking this Saturday, 15 August, the reviews make one thing clear: Teenage Safari is a powerful story of youth, war, and coming of age.

WHAT REVIEWERS AND PUBLISHERS ARE SAYING:
💬 "Unlike official military histories written by commanders, it captures the everyday reality, verbatim dialogue, unique jargon, and human impact of the era through contemporaneous notes." - Helion & Company (UK)

💬 “Anyone who finds real-life "adventure" as fascinating as I do will revel in Evan Davies' memoir of the Angola War. There are a huge number of conflicts that warrant further investigation, and this is one of them. Evan's narrative is studied and engaging. You will feel "informed" after reading about his exploits with the South African army. Inspirational.” - Books Monthly

💬 “I recommend this book to everyone. Students of the era will find it a very useful addition to the bookshelf and others will simply find it absorbing. It is quite a superb description of soldiering from another time and culture. 5 stars.” - Army Rumour Service

Evan will share the story behind the book, the reality of SADF conscription, and the process of putting these experiences on the page.

🗓️ DATE | Saturday, 15 August
⏰ TIME | 10h00 for 10h30 (Grab a coffee from Pastry Place)
📍 VENUE | The Quarter, Long Street, Montagu

Copies will be available on the day.

Montagu Bookshop is the official stockist of Teenage Safari.
📩 [email protected]

HANDPICKED FOR WOMEN'S MONTH ‪‪❤︎‬"Every great library has women's voices at its heart."There is no single women's story...
07/08/2026

HANDPICKED FOR WOMEN'S MONTH ‪‪❤︎‬

"Every great library has women's voices at its heart."

There is no single women's story—and that's exactly the point.

For Women's Month, we've gathered a small collection of genres highlighting the richness and diversity of women's writing.

‪‪❤︎‬ ‪‪Some challenged convention.
‪‪❤︎‬ Some documented history.
‪‪❤︎‬ Some imagined entirely new worlds.
‪‪❤︎‬ Some remind us of the beauty found in everyday life.

Together, these voices have shaped generations of readers and continue to inspire us today.

✿ Thank you to Country Basket for the pretty flowering plants that made the perfect bookends for our Women's Month display.✿

Pop in and discover the many voices of women’s writing on our shelves.

THE MAKING OF A SOLDIER | THE MAKING OF A STORY Join us for a thought-provoking morning with Evan Davies as he discusses...
01/08/2026

THE MAKING OF A SOLDIER | THE MAKING OF A STORY

Join us for a thought-provoking morning with Evan Davies as he discusses the newly released second edition of his memoir, TEENAGE SAFARI.

First published by Helion & Company (UK) in 2017, Teenage Safari offers a brutally honest account of serving as a 19-year-old conscript in the 1980s Border War in Angola and Namibia.

Part history, part deeply personal narrative, it offers an unforgettable look at a defining period in South African military service. It will resonate with anyone who lived through SADF training, as well as anyone who appreciates powerful, literary storytelling.

Whether you’re interested in history, memoir, or compelling firsthand accounts, don't miss this conversation.

🗓️ DATE | Saturday, 15 August
⏰ TIME | 10h00 for 10h30 (Order a coffee from The Pastry Place)
📍 VENUE | The Quarter, Long Street, Montagu

Montagu Bookshop is the official stockist of Teenage Safari.
📩 [email protected]

HAPPY PAPERBACK BOOK DAY | 91 YEARS SINCE PENGUIN CHANGED READING FOREVER 🐧Here’s the story behind one of the most famou...
30/07/2026

HAPPY PAPERBACK BOOK DAY | 91 YEARS SINCE PENGUIN CHANGED READING FOREVER 🐧

Here’s the story behind one of the most famous logos in publishing history:

🐧 Back in 1935, Allen Lane, founder of Penguin Books Ltd, set out to revolutionise reading by making high-quality literature affordable and accessible for the masses. When he mentioned needing a mascot that felt "dignified but flippant," his secretary, Joan Coles, suggested a penguin.

🐧 Young office assistant, Edward Young, was sent straight to the London Zoo to sketch penguins, giving birth to the friendly, approachable logo we all know and love today! Sold for just sixpence, the first Penguin paperbacks changed reading forever.

Pop into Montagu Bookshop this week to celebrate , browse our collection, and add a preloved paperback to your TBR list.

24/07/2026

A LITERARY ESCAPE TO AN OLIVE FARM IN PROVENCE 🫒

Some of you may remember Carol Drinkwater as Helen Herriot in the original 1978 BBC series, ‘All Creatures Great and Small’. Others may know her as the host of ‘A Year in Provence with Carol Drinkwater’.

🫒 But today, it's her much-loved memoir series about life on an olive farm in the South of France that's in the spotlight.

Her beautifully written books transport you to a world of ancient olive trees, Provençal landscapes, love, hard work, unexpected adventures, and the gentle rhythms of rural life. They're the kind of books that make you dream of your own olive grove.

So where better to introduce them than among the olive trees at Montagu Vines?

A big thank you to Montagu Vines Guesthouse for so generously allowing us to film in their beautiful olive grove—the perfect backdrop for this little literary escape.

📚Find the series at Montagu Bookshop.

IT’S WORLD EMOJI DAY, AND WE THOUGHT WE’D HAVE A LITTLE FUN 😉How up to speed are you with Emoji 'literary' lingo? Guess ...
17/07/2026

IT’S WORLD EMOJI DAY, AND WE THOUGHT WE’D HAVE A LITTLE FUN 😉

How up to speed are you with Emoji 'literary' lingo?

Guess the BOOK TITLE from the Emojis:
EXAMPLE 🧙⚡🏰 → Harry Potter
#1 🐳⚓🌊 →
#2 🦁🧙🏻‍♀️👑🚪👧🏻 →
#3 💍🔥🌋 →
#4 👨‍🌾🐮? →
#5 👱🏻‍♀️🧸🧸🧸→
#6 🐷🐷🐷🐺→
#7 🐛🍎🍓🍰🦋 →
#8 ⏰🍊→
#9 𐀪🍫🏭🎩→

Match the Emojis to the GENRE:
#1 🔍🕵️‍♀️🩸 =
#2 ❤️🌹💌 =
#3 🚀🌌👽 =
#4 🏰🐉⚔️ =
#5 🌍✈️🎒 =

Let us know your answers in the comments 👇🏼 or challenge friends and family to see who is the most emoji-literate.

"CURIOUSER & CURIOUSER" | STEP INTO (OUR) WONDERLAND 🎩⏱️🐇་Today is INTERNATIONAL ALICE IN WONDERLAND DAY, celebrating th...
04/07/2026

"CURIOUSER & CURIOUSER" | STEP INTO (OUR) WONDERLAND 🎩⏱️🐇་

Today is INTERNATIONAL ALICE IN WONDERLAND DAY, celebrating the anniversary of Lewis Carroll first telling his now-famous story to 10-year-old Alice Liddell on a summer afternoon in 1862.

One of our favourite Alice quotes is: "What is the use of a book without pictures or conversations?"

We like to think Alice would approve of our newly finished Children's Corner, where picture books spark the imagination of curious young readers.

And for everyone else? The magic of Alice in Wonderland isn't just that it's wonderfully weird and whimsical. It's a reminder that great stories begin with a little intrigue and the courage to follow a rabbit hole that will leave you changed.

"We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad." (Step into Montagu Bookshop and you'll find you're in good company.) 🙃📚

Come and browse our bookshelves at The Quarter, Long Street, Montagu.
You probably won’t bump into the Queen of Hearts or the Mad Hatter, but we’re pretty confident you’ll meet your next great (‘wild card’) read.

PS | Featured in the photo is a collector's edition of Alice in Wonderland (c.1934), illustrated with 48 colour plates by Margaret W. Tarrant.

🍂 AUTUMN MUSINGS, A DASH OF PINK & A COIN FLIP⬆️ That's the subject line of our latest Montagu Bookshop newsletter. But ...
02/07/2026

🍂 AUTUMN MUSINGS, A DASH OF PINK & A COIN FLIP

⬆️ That's the subject line of our latest Montagu Bookshop newsletter.
But it only scratches the surface of what the past three months have had in store for us.

Inside this quarterly edition, you'll discover:
🩷 A stately (and very pink!) book launch that turned out even better than planned.
📚 Some of our favourite literary birthdays and international bookish celebrations.
🔥 A memorable fireside evening with local poet and swordsmith, Evan Davies.
🧸 How our Children's Corner came to life.
🪙 The story behind a lucky gamble that transformed our newest reading nook.

Click through to read the newsletter (with photos) ⬇️
https://tinyurl.com/Montagu-Bookshop-Newsletter-3

INTERNATIONAL INSECT WEEK | INSECT INSPIRED READS IN STORE 𓆣 It’s International Insect Week (22–28 June), and we’re tur...
25/06/2026

INTERNATIONAL INSECT WEEK | INSECT INSPIRED READS IN STORE 𓆣

It’s International Insect Week (22–28 June), and we’re turning our attention to the small creatures that quietly keep our world turning.

𓆣 If you’re feeling inspired, we’ve pulled together a few fascinating non-fiction reads on insects, nature, and the hidden life all around us.

𓆣 And for fiction readers, the award-winning Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce is a beautifully written adventure about a woman who leaves her ordinary life in 1950s Britain to travel across the world in search of a rare golden beetle. Part quest, part friendship story, it’s both funny and moving.

From field guides to feel-good fiction, International Insect Week is the perfect excuse to get bugged by a good book.

Featured potplants available from Country Basket ꫂ❁

Address

43 Long Street
Montagu
6720

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 16:30
Tuesday 09:00 - 16:30
Wednesday 09:00 - 16:30
Thursday 09:00 - 16:30
Friday 09:00 - 16:30
Saturday 09:00 - 13:00

Telephone

0236142772

Website

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