The Backstory Behind Backstory
История создания Backstory
Every bookshop has a backstory. This one begins with two women — Abbie and Kate — who met in an outdoor training class in Barcelona, discovered a shared obsession with books, and decided to do something about the gap in the city's literary life. The result is Backstory English Bookshop, at Carrer de Mallorca 330 in the Eixample, and now also at Carrer del Rec 46 in El Born.
Каждый книжный магазин имеет свою историю. Эта начинается с двух женщин — Эбби и Кейт.
It is, without exaggeration, one of the finest English-language bookshops in southern Europe. And the numbers suggest Barcelona agrees: Backstory has grown quickly, opened a second location, and built a community of readers that extends well beyond the city's expat population.
What Makes It Special
Что делает его особенным
Walk in and you immediately sense that every book on these shelves was chosen deliberately. This is not a shop where unsold airport novels go to retire. It is a carefully curated selection — literary fiction, essay collections, travel writing, poetry, and children's books that actually deserve the name.
A few things that set Backstory apart:
The children's section is accessed through a tunnel — yes, a tunnel — that transforms the act of choosing a book into an adventure before a single page is turned. For any parent trying to raise bilingual children in Barcelona, this section alone is worth the visit.
The community library offers a monthly borrowing service for €12. For English speakers in Barcelona who read voraciously, it is one of the best-value propositions in the city.
The coffee corner means you can sit, sample a few pages before committing, and stay longer than you planned. You will stay longer than you planned.
The events programme — book clubs, writing workshops, open-mic nights, coffee talks — has turned Backstory into something rarer than a good bookshop: a genuine gathering place. Strangers have been known to sit in the basement for three hours, then go for lunch together.
For English Learners Specifically
Для изучающих английский
If you are learning English — whether you are at A2 or pushing towards C1 — Backstory is an extraordinary resource. The staff will help you find a book pitched at exactly the right level: not so easy it bores you, not so difficult it defeats you. This is the sweet spot where real language acquisition happens.
Если вы изучаете английский, «Backstory» — это невероятный ресурс. Персонал поможет вам найти книгу именно вашего уровня.
Reading authentic English texts — novels, memoirs, essays — is one of the most powerful things you can do alongside a structured course. Grammar and vocabulary learned from a book you are genuinely invested in sticks in a way that exercises alone cannot achieve.
Ask Kate or Abbie for a recommendation. Tell them your level, tell them what you love to read in your own language. They will find you something perfect.
Visit
Как добраться
Backstory English Bookshop — Eixample Carrer de Mallorca, 330, 08037 Barcelona
Backstory English Bookshop — El Born Carrer del Rec, 46, Barcelona
Monday–Saturday: 10:00–20:00
📧 hello@backstorybookshop.com 🌐 backstorybookshop.com 📷 @backstorybookshop
The best English learners read widely — in class and out of it. Pair your EnglishSpark course with a real book from Backstory, and watch your progress accelerate. Find your level and start free →