This bookshop at 93a Morehampton Road in Donnybrook is small and intimate. The owner John Keane brought me on a journey of the books and pointed out those which he feels will make good gifts this Christmas.

Local authors such as Ivy Bannister feature with ‘Blunt Trauma’, Ruari Quinn with ‘Straight Left’, A journey in Politics, and Garrett Fitzgerald with ‘Ireland in the World’. Popular choices are ‘Teacher Man’, Frank McCourt’s follow up to Angela’s Ashes, and Ruth Rendell’s new Inspector Wexford thriller or Michael Connelly’s ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’. Laughter is guaranteed with the new Lynn Truss book ‘Talk to the Hand’.

There is a large selection of new cook books or very attractive calendars, diaries and address books from the National Gallery collection.

The Children’s shelves offer, among other options, a tempting variety of classics including a collection of ‘Irish Myths and Legends’, Oscar Wilde’s ‘Faery Tales’ and editions of ‘The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe’ and other Narnia books by CS Lewis. Harry Potter is, as ever, in high demand