Back Creek Books

When I opened the door to this brilliant little shop, I was greeted by the welcoming scent of aged paper and the kind of warm nostalgia that only the feeling of the far past can bring. I was certainly entertained as I first began browsing the owner-​curated selections in categories like military history and fiction, many with author signatures on their first edition pages. But it was when I found the low, glassed in cabinets towards the back of the shop and knelt down reverently to browse their contents that I realized I had found the place where old dreams are rediscovered and new ones found. Carefully, as requested by the hand lettered sign above these cabinets of true curiosities, I opened the doors and gently extracted first a wooden bound one of a postcard collection dating back almost a century. I admired the photos and wondered at the maker’s life, then replaced it on the shelf. It was then that I caught sight of a signed Tom Clancy novel, the perfect Father’s Day gift for my Clancy obsessed dad and the first of a series of finds so extraordinary that I’m still giddy about it. From Clancy I stumbled upon a beautiful edition of Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales that, although lacking the dust jacket, still had its box. A book including the classic tale of briar rabbit and the tar baby made itself mine without a moments hesitation, and nearly half a dozen other extraordinary finds later I had amassed a small collection that I cannot wait to both read and display. Perhaps one of the most intriguing discoveries, and one of several congratulatory gifts for my med-​school bound fiancé, was a series of plates from an extraordinary work of anatomical documentation by one of Darwin’s own teachers. (Yes, that Darwin!)
It was truly an indescribably wonderful experience, made even better by friendly service from the exceptionally well informed and clearly passionate owner. He even offered a sign up sheet with the opportunity to list interests so as to be informed of future finds and, after we discussed the potential of tracking down the anatomical plates in their complete form, he emailed us that very night following up with information on the book.
Truly a gem of a bookstore, although we might need to find a new word because «bookstore» really doesn’t do this place justice!
Happy browsing!

A nice little book shop in the heart of Annapolis, you don’t come here to find the newest YA novels or super popular novels in general. It has a large variety of eclectic books that you couldn’t really find anywhere else; once I found a book about Armenian art featured in New York museums. If you’re a book lover and really enjoy the aesthetic of old books this place is for you!

What a great little bookshop on Main Street! They have a nice selection of books that is easy to browse and not overwhelming in number. Sometimes I like to get lost in a bookstore and search for buried treasure, but other times I prefer to just pop in and look for a few things, and this is the latter type of store.
Bookworms will love it.