Arundel is the used bookstore of your dreams -- the place in your favorite old movie where the couple Meets Cute. It feels decidedly un-Seattle, which is in this case splendid. Amidst the book dust there's much treasure to be found.

Here you'll find hand-written book recommendations, all the latest must-reads and lots of gay/lesbian reading, along with a generous selection of alternative comics and sexy art books.

This tiny, overstocked U District bookstore is heaven for cinephiles. Browse through hundreds of scripts, biographies of actors and directors, books that document the making of your favorite films and much, much more.

This "resource center for conscious living" is the place to go to find literature on a range of topics including alternative health, astrology, psychology, mysticism, vegetarianism and more. Tarot, I Ching and clairvoyant consultations are available.

If you dare look into the world of the occult, Edge of the Circle stocks hundreds of "books of arcane, forbidden knowledge" that will help take you there -- texts on Wicca, neo-paganism, Santeria and voodoo.

Simply put, this is one of the finest bookstores in the Northwest. Elliott Bay's selection of books and periodicals is enormous, the staff is knowledgeable and authors drop by to read from their works almost daily.

Ballard's Epilogue is a dog-friendly haven for bibliophiles. From the people-watching to the comfy chairs and the carefully selected merchandise, this is an independent bookstore that does justice to the term.

Like its publisher parent, Fantragraphics' flagship store is virtually bursting at its seams with visions and ideas. You could easily spend hours here, browsing through titles by Jim Woodring, Ellen Forney, Richard Sala, Gary Panter, Dame Darcy and others.

Flora & Fauna is full of thousands of tomes related to gardening, botany and natural history, covering everything from fancy grasses and Seattle slugs to Bengal foxes in Nepal.

The price of learning is always high, but sometimes you can shave a few bucks off the top by shopping at this chain. Check out an enormous stock of books, both new and old, priced far below retail.

As the neighboring Uwajimaya market is to the palate, so Kinokuniya is to the mind: a wealth of flavors from all over Asia. You could easily lose an hour browsing though shelves of manga, books on Asian history and culture, travel books and even a choice selection of Asian magazines.

Since 1973, this Pike Place Market book shop has been the literary equivalent of a voice raised in protest. Find everything you need to know to overthrow the capitalist military-industrial patriarchy -- books on culture and politics and beaucoup zines as well.

One of only two poetry-only bookstores in the country, tiny Open Books stocks a near-measureless number of poetry and prose titles. This is a place for browsing titles known to the rest of the world by special order only.

If you're looking for the way to spiritual enlightenment, your quest begins at Quest. Everything you need to begin learning about metaphysics, mysticism and religion can be found here.

This book store has its priorities in place: "Fiction" takes up more than half the floor space, "poetry" is larger than "diet and health" and a special space is set aside for children's books, with a sprawl-friendly rug. Author readings happen frequently.

True to its name, this Pioneer Square bookstore specializes in mysteries, thrillers, true crime and other tales of intrigue. Top authors happen by for weekly book signings.

Children's storybooks are the sunshine that keeps this garden verdant -- but there's plenty of great reads for adults here, too.

The coolest bookstore in the city, with floors of literature and nonfiction, strong academic shelves and a basement of textbooks and art supplies.

This is a dream factory for the wanderlust-afflicted. Here among the usual and not-so-usual travel guides, you'll also find current and classic works of fiction, memoirs and journals grouped together by destination.