A Walking Book Crawl by Medway Author and Comedian Zhara Barri

Author Zahra Barri

22nd January 2025

Medway Book Crawl: A Full and Comprehensive Guide

By Zahra Barri Comedian and Author of Daughters of the Nile

Part 1

You know you’re getting old when you find yourself taking selfies on a debaucherously book crawl rather than three sheets to the wind at, well, Three Sheets to the Wind (great pub on Rochester High Street). But hey, If Carrie Bradshaw, once said that reading Vogue fed her more than food, it’s fair to say that book crawls can get you merrier than the pub.

Since moving to Medway four years ago, I have had the good fortune of becoming an author myself (must be all the Charles Dickens vibes) and what I have discovered about being an author is not what I had originally thought. Turns out it ISN’T wholly constricted to crying into your laptop every day, whilst wondering whether there is any point changing into clothes, when its 4pm and you’re still in your pyjamas. What I have found is that once you have actually written the book, you do actually have to get dressed and furthermore you have to go out. Most specifically, it requires the ability to walk into bookshops with the same amount of gusto, naivety and desperation as a contestant on The Apprentice and sell your book directly to the booksellers.

The upshot of this is my life is a constant book crawl, and the downside of this is that, whilst selling my book at said bookshop, I also make the rookie mistake of also buying a book at said bookshop. Thus, rendering my net profit back to zero. (A financial fact that I have chosen to leave out of my Dragon’s Den presentation). Alas, from this process what I have unknowingly unearthed is the holy grail of the Medway book crawl.

Here it is for your eyes only…  a mapping of Medway literature merchants selling everything from the classics of Dickens and Defoe to the more modern Rowling and Rooney. From the vintage second hand to the brand spanking new, to the universally adored to the uniquely unknown, books you can borrow and books you can buy, Medway has it all!

My first blog will be visiting some of Rochester’s book shops.

Take in the stunning grounds and explore the architecture of Rochester Castle which dates back from 1127. My Egyptian dad said that the epic 10th century fortress was ‘more impressive than the pyramids’ (in fairness they both score very highly on Trip Advisor). Why not climb the steep steps up to the English Heritage’s entrance and get a ticket for a proper peruse, spiralling up the staircase from giftshop, to dining quarters to canyon shooting windows- before climbing right to the top to look down at your fellow Rochesterians as you imagine a Medieval Medway, (not much different to Casino Rooms on a Saturday night I would think). Then walk along the river, take in more epic architecture- the enthralling, emerald- green Rochester bridge guarded by two statuesque lions either side.

Begin your book crawl at:

Baggins Book Bazaar: The biggest and largest second-hand bookshop in England, Rochester High Street

First up its Baggins, the biggest and largest second-hand bookshop in England, which owner Godfrey George tells me often gets customers confused. Some mistakenly think it’s the second biggest and largest bookshop in England. When it’s actually the biggest and largest second-hand bookshop in England.

‘Second hand’ doesn’t really do it justice. For, second-hand evokes a sort of manic random chaos, finding treasure amongst the trash kind of vibes. However, at Baggins it’s all treasures. And Godfrey’s choosing of, and consequent curation is a literary craft in itself. Walking into Baggins is like walking into Narnia, an old wardrobe of bits and bobs it is not! In actuality Baggins opens you up to a whole new world. In short Godfrey brings old books back to life. And it’s the antithesis of Amazon because at Baggins, you don’t choose the books, the books sort of choose you.

For example, this is where I discovered/she discovered me, Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying and became a lifelong fan. It’s also where I found/it found me one of the weirdest books I’ve ever read, Wrecked by Charlote Roche. I was hooked on this book. Eat your heart out ‘it was the best of times it was the worst of times’. Godfrey tells me his most memorable find was a signed copy of Seven Gothic Tales by Isek Dinesen. This is an example of Godfrey’s meticulous expertise and astuteness in the literary world, because he divulges to me that he knew that Isek Dinesen was a pseudonym for the Out of Africa author Karen Blixen. So, he scooped it up and sold it for £4000. I stood back aghast when he told me this. For in my book, literary astuteness is simply knowing that George Elliot was really a woman called Mary Anne Evans.

Godfrey’s favourite book is George Orwell’s 1984. Also, all the staff love dogs, and so Baggins allows them in. And we all know Dogs + Books = the start of a magical film.

Baggins Books Owner Godfrey Baggins

Baggins Books Owner Godfrey Baggins

Walking along Rochester high street

Now walk down Rochester’s historic cobbled iconic high street and feel rather like a character in a Richard Curtis film. My book was actually reviewed on GoodReads as ‘Bridget Jones meets the Middle East’ and was very much inspired by Rochester’s quintessential Englishness mixed with my Egyptian roots! Take in the town’s infamous guildhall Museum built in 1687 and has several claims to fames including featuring in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations and also it pretended to be Windsor’s Registry Office in the last series of The Crown. Humble Brag: I was an extra in the crowd scene, waving my British flag as Prince Charles and Camilla played by Dominic West and Olivia Williams drove down the high street in a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce. Then reminisce about all the other film and tv shows Rochester has featured in such as The Bill and Hoff the Record (a much beloved David Hasselhoff doc which may or may not have gone straight to DVD).

Baywatch Slow Mo run to your next stop

Store 104: Rochester High Street

This place is like Waterstones Crazy Aunt, you will find the kookiest and most diverse range of current books that don’t get as publicised as say a Dolly Alderton, Bernadine Evaristo or a David Nicholls but are just as noteworthy. I got introduced to Christine Smallwood’s The Life of the Mind and Elif Batuman’s The Idiot here. And yet I also have picked up some utter classics like Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. I will always have a special place in my heart for Store 104 because I did my Daughters of the Nile book launch here too. (Heart Emoji Times a Thousand.) Patrick, Libby, Karen et al are a super friendly bunch. So friendly they have found a way to get introverts to talk to each other by running a book club on the first Wednesday evening of the month. Manager, Patrick tells me the selection process of the book is a group effort and very democratic, yet he tells me with a twinkle in his eye, Store 104 also endeavour to get readers out of their genre comfort zones. So whilst it’s a group consensus, Patrick and Libby also make you swallow your literary medicine every once in a while. Check out the blackboard behind the counter for their next book and to sign up. They have also just started Medway Play Lab which is like a book club for reading (and performing) plays. Ask in Store (104) for details.

Also, they have a knitting shop! And we all know Knitting + Books = the start of an episode of Little House on the Prairie. (Very Louisa May Alcott too!)

Patrick’s favourite book is Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. He waxes philosophical about the poeticism of Baldwin, and I am so convinced I promptly buy myself a copy in store.

Patrick from Book Shop Store 104

Patrick from Book Shop Store 104

Now waddle on over, bundle of books in hand and head into the little alcove, under a huge mural of local (and celebrity) artist Billy Childish’s head which brazenly blurts: ‘Brexit is Childish’, the pun leaving you wondering whether the artist is for Brexit or against it, thus appealing to the masses and remaining as politically neutral as Switzerland. 

As you head back to the High Street, your thoughts are only of where to next…. 

Book crawl: Rochester High Street Part 2 coming in February 2025.

In the interim why not visit one of the ‘highlight books’ at the recent Medway River Literature Festival.

Purchase: Daughters of the Nile by Zhara Barri is published by Unbound.

Back to all blog articles

Popular articles