Mother Foucault's Bookshop

Mark A. Sutton

This place is so intricately amazing. If you like books, you could get lost here, never to be found again. It's a must see.

Kevin Robbins

Portland's quirkiest bookstore by far. Run by seriously anarchic book lovers for seriously anarchic bibliophiles. This place admirably keeps the city far weirder than most via piles of essential texts. Superb runs of modern Euro-lit and philosophy plus unpredictably fabulous caches of history and art history tomes on a global scale. Always best to call ahead since posted opening hours here are a concept but never a rule. Once inside, budgeting time to shop just exiles you from civilization. Browse aimlessly and discover! Besides, the surrounding neighborhood sports enough dive bars, beer halls, and cheap eats to sustain you before return to the Mother Ship. As Foucault himself would say:"Go and do more than just lick the windows!"

Author Alys Marchand

This show reminds me of a more spacious Shakespeare & Co, an awesome little shop in Paris. The old creaky floors, books tucked away everywhere, a treasure hunt... Despite their no-cameras policy, I may have to sneak a few photos just to entice people to go into this shop. Get down on your hands and knees and you'll find books under things and tucked behind other stuff, in addition to what's on the shelves. It's like a treasure hunt! Which is what I call hunting for old books to add to my collection of rare and old books, but aside from even that, it feels like a literal treasure hunt! Prices are shockingly good, and I found quite a few foreign language books on the shelves with the English books, almost as many books in French as I find at Powell's on Burnside, which I check a lot. I'm lamenting only discovering this shop today. I'm having surgery on Monday and will have limited mobility for several weeks (surgery on both feet), and I'm antsy to go back and to take my best friend, who won't be home until Monday. ARGH. Not getting to Powell's on Burnside will be bad enough (the Cedar Hills location is spacious enough that I might be able to manage it, and screw Hawthorne), but not getting to this shop will be painful!! There's so much I didn't get a chance to see today. Yes, Powell's still has a larger selection, but this shop may now be my favorite. The treasure hunt aspect of it, finding literature under tables or in cabinets, the old creaky floors the incredible atmosphere... Absolutely amazing and I can't rave enough.

Jeremy Breedlove

One of my favorite bookstores in Portland. They offer many hard-to-find books at reasonable prices. They are especially strong in foreign language, literature, and philosophy. The store is in a really nice space and is the perfect size for browsing. They also host many readings.