Welcome
Books Paper Scissors is an independent bookshop in leafy South Belfast, near the Botanic Gardens, Queen’s University and the Ulster Museum.
We stock a curated selection of new fiction and non-fiction, plus classics, Irish writing and poetry. We also have a children's room, with choices from newborn to teenager. If you don't see the book you want in store or on-line, just ask via e-mail or phone, we can source most books in just a few days.
Beyond books we stock high quality stationery from Leuchtturm, pens from Lamy, diaries and artisan greetings cards. Plus gift wrap and of course, scissors.
Please note, our website inventory is not tracked with our shop stock.
If not in stock, books can be ordered within 2/3 days.
Latest
Really Good, Actually - Monica Heisey ( paperback end Sept 2023)
$13.00
I feel like when you get a divorce everyone's wondering how you ruined it all, what made you so unbearable to be with.If your husband dies, at least people feel bad for you. Maggie's marriage has ended just 608 days after it started, but she's fine - she's doing really good, actually. Sure, she's alone for the first time in her life, can't afford her rent and her obscure PhD is going nowhere .
. . but at the age of twenty-nine, Maggie is determined to embrace her new status as a Surprisingly Young Divorcee (TM).
Soon she's taking up 'sadness hobbies' and getting back out there, sex-wise, oversharing in the group chat and drinking with her high-intensity new divorced friend Amy. As Maggie throws herself headlong into the chaos of her first year of divorce, she finds herself questioning everything, including: Why do we still get married? Did I fail before I even got started? How many Night Burgers until I'm happy? Laugh-out-loud funny, razor sharp and painfully relatable, Really Good, Actually is an irresistible debut novel about the uncertainties of modern love, friendship and happiness from a stunning new voice in fiction, Monica Heisey. 'A smart, funny and warm debut with such a strong voice' Cathy Rentzenbrink
Faber Poetry Diary 2024
$17.00
The Faber Poetry Diary 2024 is a celebration of the remarkable Faber list of published poets, first supported by TS Eliot in his time at Faber.
Poem on the left hand page, 7 day diary on the right.
Stock of these diaries sells fast!
This diary contains poems by:Victoria Adukwei Bulley Rachael Allen Simon Armitage Emily Berry William Blake Emily and Charlotte Bronte Rupert Brooke Robert Browning Mary Jean Chan John Clare Gillian Clarke Arthur Hugh Clough Wendy Cope and Seamus Heaney....
Let The Light Pour In, Lemn Sissay ( poetry, hardback Sept 2023)
$17.00
For the past decade, Lemn Sissay has composed a short poem as dawn breaks each morning. Life-affirming, witty and full of wonder, these poems chronicle his own battle with the dark and are fuelled by resilience and defiant joy. Let the Light Pour In is a collection of the best of these poems, and a book celebrating this morning practice.'How do you do it?' said night'How do you wake up and shine?''I keep it simple,' said light'One day at a time'
North Woods, Daniel Mason (hardback Sept 2023)
$23.00
North Woods has been heaped with praise and hype, and deservedly so. This is a book that treats life as a miracle and demands the proper awe from its readers' Antonia Senior, The Times 'This is a time-spanning, genre-blurring work of storytelling magic .A SINGLE HOUSE DEEP IN THE WOODS OF NEW ENGLAND. A young Puritan couple on the run. An English soldier with a fantastic vision.
Inseparable twin sisters. A lovelorn painter and a lusty beetle. A desperate mother and her haunted son.
A ruthless con man and a stalking panther. Buried secrets. Madness, dreams and hope.
All are connected. The dark, raucous, beautiful past is very much alive. Exhilarating, daring and playful, NORTH WOODS will change the way you see the world.
'A monumental achievement . . .
I loved it' Maggie O'Farrell'
Impossible Creatures- Katharine Rundell (hardback Sept 2023)
$20.00
A boy called Christopher is visiting his reclusive grandfather when he witnesses an avalanche of mythical creatures come tearing down the hill. This is how Christopher learns that his grandfather is the guardian of one of the ways between the non-magical world and a place called the Archipelago, a cluster of magical islands where all the creatures we tell of in myth live and breed and thrive alongside humans. They have been protected from being discovered for thousands of years; now, terrifyingly, the protection has worn thin, and creatures are breaking through.Then a girl, Mal, appears in Christopher's world. She is in possession of a flying coat, is being pursued by a killer and is herself in pursuit of a baby griffin. Mal, Christopher and the griffin embark on an urgent quest across the wild splendour of the Archipelago, where sphinxes hold secrets and centaurs do murder, to find the truth - with unimaginable consequences for both their worlds.
Together the two must face the problem of power, and of knowledge, and of what love demands of us. 'A marvellous, imaginative fantasy told with great style and sparkle - a book to race through in a day and keep for a lifetime' - Jacqueline Wilson
Weirdo, Sara Pascoe ( hardback Sept 2023)
$20.00
Deep in Essex and her own thoughts, Sophie had a feeling something was going to happen and then it did. Chris has entered the pub and re-entered her life after Sophie had finally stopped thinking about him and regretting what she'd done. Sophie has a chance at creating a new ending and paying off her emotional debts (if not her financial ones).All she has to do is act exactly like a normal, well-adjusted person and not say any of her inner monologue out loud. If she can suppress her light paranoia, pornographic visualisations and pathological lying maybe she'll even end up getting the guy she wants? Then she could dump her boyfriend Ian and try to enjoy Christmas. What readers are saying:'Acutely and profoundly observed.''Brilliantly relatable and painfully honest.''A book that will make you laugh, think, and feel a little bit better about being yourself.''A funny, insightful and unusual perspective on growing into yourself.
Permacrisis : A Plan to Fix a Fractured World, Gordon Brown and others
$33.00
Do you feel like we're in a permacrisis? Chances are you feel some anxiety about the state of the world. Gordon Brown, Mohamed A. El-Erian and Michael Spence certainly did.Three of the most internationally respected and experienced thinkers of our time, these friends found their pandemic Zooms increasingly focused on a cascade of crises: sputtering growth, surging inflation, poor policy responses, an escalating climate emergency, worsening inequality, increasing nationalism and a decline in global co-operation. They shared their fears and frustrations. And the more they talked, the more they realised that while past mistakes had set the world on this bumpy course, a better path leading to a brighter future exists.
Informed by their different perspectives, they sought a common goal: achievable solutions to fix our fractured world. This book is the product of that thinking. At the heart of today's permacrisis are broken approaches to growth, economic management, and governance.
While these approaches are broken, they are not beyond repair. An explanation of where we've gone wrong, and a provocative, inspiring plan to do nothing less than change the world,
The goodbye cat, Hiro Arikawa ( hardback October 2023)
$15.00
The uplifting new Japanese cat novel from the million-copy bestselling author of The Travelling Cat Chronicles...
Against changing seasons in Japan, seven cats weave their way through their owners' lives. - A needy kitten rescued from the recycling bin teaches a new father how to parent his own human baby- An elderly cat hatches a plan to pass into the next world as a spirit so that he and his owner may be together for ever- A colony of wild cats on a holiday island shows a young boy not to stand in nature's way- A family is perplexed by their cat's devotion to their charismatic but uncaring father- A woman curses how her cat constantly visits her at night.
Bursting with empathy and love, THE GOODBYE CAT explores the unstoppable cycle of life as we see how the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down. A huge bestseller in Japan, every page is a joyous celebration of cats and how we cannot resist sharing our lives with them.
D is for Dog, by Em Lynas ( hardback Oct 2023)
$13.00
Bound into this playful and energetic rhyming text featuring an adorable cast of dogs. Whether it's getting marvellously muddy, leaping and lolloping or hiding under the bed with a stolen slipper, a dog's life is so much FUN. This hilarious alphabet celebration of canine capers is perfect for dog lovers young and old.Featuring stylish and vibrant artwork by the award-winning Sara Ogilvie, illustrator of Julia Donaldson's The Detective Dog. This bright and cheerful book is the perfect gift for any child (or adult!) to read aloud or enjoy alone.
The Book You Want Everyone You Love to Read, Philippa Perry ( hardback Oct 23)
$15.00
Life success is all about relationships and the quality of those connections, whether that's with family, partners, friends, colleagues or most importantly yourself. If you can get those relationships on a functional and even keel, then the other tricky stuff that life throws your way becomes easier to manage. In this warm, practical and witty book, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling psychotherapist Philippa Perry shows you how to approach life's big problems.
How do you find and keep love? What can you do to manage conflict better? How can you get unstuck and cope with change and loss? What does it mean to you to be content? Are other people just annoying or are you the problem?With a healthy dose of sanity, Philippa Perry's compassionate advice could help you become a happier, wiser person.
Following on from the hugely successful, The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read - for parents of children of ALL ages.
John Hume, by Stephen Walker ( hardback October 2023)
$35.00
Peacemaker, politician, Nobel laureate: John Hume was a titan of Irish political history and a key architect of the Good Friday Agreement, bringing peace to Northern Ireland after decades of conflict.
But who was the real John Hume? What motivated the former history teacher to reach beyond political lines? What sustained him during the bloody years of violence and how did he convince the IRA to end its long-running campaign? How did he persuade presidents and prime ministers to take risks and back his vision for Northern Ireland?
How should John Hume be remembered? Stephen Walker combines over 100 interviews with many of Hume's colleagues, critics and family members, with never-before-published interviews with Hume himself to present a comprehensive portrait of one of the most significant political figures in Northern Ireland and around the world.
Carl Frampton : My Autobiography ( hardback October 2023)
$29.00
Belfast’s Carl ‘The Jackal’ Frampton MBE is no ordinary boxer. One of only three fighters from the British Isles to be named the Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year, he has headlined multiple sell-out world championship bouts on both sides of the Atlantic, winning multiple world titles in the process. His dedicated army of fans have traversed the globe to be ringside throughout it all.
But Frampton’s popularity far exceeds the traditional adulation for a sporting icon; he is regarded as a symbol of hope and unity by both sides of the sectarian divide in Northern Ireland.
In this captivating autobiography, Frampton reveals the most personal aspects of being a fighter; of fears and doubts, of exhilaration and devastation, of friendship and animosity. He also recounts for the first time his high-profile, acrimonious split with Barry McGuigan, in devastating and revealing detail.
Frampton speaks openly and passionately, not only about boxing, but about his country, how far it has come and the problems it faces. This is a uniquely intimate account of a true modern-day sporting great and a local hero like no other.
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop, Hwang Bo-reum (hardback Oct 23)
$20.00
There was only one thing on her mind. 'I must start a bookshop.' Yeongju did everything she was supposed to, go to university, marry a decent man, get a respectable job. Then it all fell apart.Burned out, Yeongju abandons her old life, quits her high-flying career, and follows her dream. She opens a bookshop. In a quaint neighbourhood in Seoul, surrounded by books, Yeongju and her customers take refuge.
From the lonely barista to the unhappily married coffee roaster, and the writer who sees something special in Yeongju - they all have disappointments in their past. The Hyunam-dong Bookshop becomes the place where they all learn how to truly live. A heart-warming story about finding comfort and acceptance in your life - and the healing power of books.
'An incredibly exciting debut novel. At once gentle and invigorating. I devoured it' Sarah Crossan
Diary of a Wimpy Kid, No Brainer ( Jeff Kinney, hardback Oct 2023)
$20.00
Number 18 in the phenomenally successful series.
It's up to Greg to save his school before it's shuttered for good. Up until now, middle school hasn't exactly been a joyride for Greg Heffley. So when the town threatens to close the crumbling building, he's not too broken up about it.
But when Greg realizes this means he's going to be sent to a different school than his best friend, Rowley Jefferson, he changes his tune. Can Greg and his classmates save their school before it's shuttered for good? Or is this the start of a whole new chapter for Greg?
WHAT'S IN DIARY OF A WIMPY KID?50% words, 50% cartoons, 100% hilarious!
Let Us Descend, Jesmyn Ward
$25.00
From Jesmyn Ward—the two-time National Book Award winner, youngest winner of the Library of Congress Prize for Fiction, and MacArthur Fellow—comes a haunting masterpiece, sure to be an instant classic, about an enslaved girl in the years before the Civil War.
White Holes, Carlo Rovelli ( hardback Oct 2023)
$20.00
White Holes : Inside the Horizon
A mesmerizing trip to the strange new world of white holes, from Carlo Rovelli, the bestselling author of Seven Brief Lessons on PhysicsLet us journey into the heart of a black hole. Let us slip beyond its boundary, the horizon, and tumble - on and on - down this crack in the universe. As we plunge, we'll see geometry fold, we'll feel the equations draw tight around us.
Eventually, we'll pass it: the remains of a star, deep and dense and falling further far. And then - the bottom. Where time and space end, and the white hole is born .
. . With lightness and magic, here Carlo Rovelli traces the ongoing adventure of his own cutting-edge research, of the uncertainty and joy of going where we've not yet been.
Guiding us to the edge of theory and experiment, he invites us to go beyond, to experience the fever and the disquiet of science. Here is the extraordinary life of a white hole.
India Knight’s Beauty Edit (hardback Nov 23)
$26.00
'India Knight is a LEGEND in the beauty industry. I am OBSESSED with her column because you can trust her to get it right every single time!' Charlotte Tilbury
With beauty, as with so much else, knowledge is power. Here's all of mine. Why has my favourite eyeliner stopped looking flattering? What can I do about the skin on my neck?Am I too old for contour? What is contour? Every week, tens of thousands of women turn to India Knight's beauty column in the Sunday Times Style Magazine, to be directed to beauty products that really work by someone they can trust - and who understands how much this stuff matters. It matters because looking, and therefore feeling, like yourself at every stage of life is fundamental. In this brilliant, essential, reassuring book, India has distilled her beauty wisdom into practical advice for every part of the face and beyond: from tips for thinning lips and thinning hair, to the best skincare for older faces, to the make-up products that really make a difference, to demystifying the scientific jargon beloved by the beauty industry.
If you would rather not use 35 products on your face every morning or watch how-to videos on TikTok, or if you have ever looked in the mirror and found yourself thinking 'Who is that?', then India Knight's Beauty Edit is the book you've been waiting for. It is a glorious and indispensable celebration of how to be old(er) with minimum fuss and a generous helping of grace, confidence and style.
Be Useful, Arnold Schwarzenegger (Hardback Oct 2023)
$26.00
The seven rules to follow to realise your true purpose in life-distilled by Arnold Schwarzenegger from his own journey of ceaseless reinvention and extraordinary achievement, and available for absolutely anyone. The world's greatest bodybuilder. The world's highest paid movie star.This is Arnold Schwarzenegger. And this did not happen by accident. Arnold's stratospheric success happened as part of a process.As the result of clear vision, big thinking, hard work, direct communication, resilient problem-solving, open-minded curiosity, and a commitment to giving back. All of it guided by the one lesson Arnold's father hammered into him above all: be useful. As Arnold conquered every realm he entered, he kept his father's adage close to his heart.
Written with his uniquely earnest, blunt, powerful voice, BE USEFUL takes readers on an inspirational tour through Arnold's toolkit for a meaningful life. Arnold shows us how to put those tools to work, in service of whatever fulfilling future we can dream up for ourselves. He brings his insights to vivid life with compelling personal stories, life-changing successes and life-threatening failures alike--some of them famous, some told here for the first time ever.
Too many of us struggle to disconnect from our self-pity and connect to our purpose. At an early age, Arnold forged the mental tools to build the ladder out of the poverty and narrow-mindedness of his rural Austrian hometown, tools he used to add rung after rung from there. Now he has shared that wisdom with all of us.
The Joy of Wild Swimming ( Lonely Planet) Sept 2023
$26.00
Dive into 60 of the world's most joyous wild swimming spots and discover a further 120 ideas for uplifting bathing experiences. Packed with inspirational expert insights, immersive photography, and essential trip planning tips, this remarkable book explores the open-water swims guaranteed to exhilarate, rejuvenate, restore and above all, spark joy. Wade into Hawaii's crystal clear sea where tropical fish weave through the coral reefs of the Kona coast; or experience the magnificence of Slovenia's Lake Bled, where swimmers tread through the other-worldly Alpine blue waters to reach the iconic island at its heart.With 60 mesmerising wild-swimming wonders to tour, readers will soon be immersed in the culture, landscape and characteristics of each life-affirming swim. Inside The Joy of Wild Swimming:- 60 in-depth profiles of wild swimming spots, organised by region and accompanied by beautiful photography, plus first-hand accounts from writers who have experienced the joy of each swim- 120 extra must-visit natural water destinations-
Sunday Miscellany, A Selection 2018-2023
$24.00
RTÉ Radio 1’s Sunday Miscellany is an Irish institution, a programme that has provided comfort, joy and entertainment to hundreds of thousands of listeners for over half a century. Arranged in calendar months and spanning the seasons of the year, some of the best broadcasts from the last five years are collected here in one volume. This sparkling selection of writing by the best of new, established and household names is sure to amuse, move and delight readers of all ages.
Contributors include:
Colm Tóibín - Niamh Campbell - Joseph O'Connor - Louise Kennedy
John F Deane - Susan McKay - Nicole Flattery - Donal Ryan
Manchán Magan - Rosaleen McDonagh - Lisa McInerney
and many more...
Book Club
The BPS Book Club meets in the last full week of every month. We have two sessions, each one covering the same book so just pick the session that suits you. It's a relaxed and unintimidating sharing of views and opinions.
Tuesday morning 9.30-10.30, or
Thursday evening 7 - 8 pm.
Please contact us if would like to be added to our book-club mailing list.
Please note it fills up quickly ( I take a maximum of 15 per session) so you can only book in response to the email invite each month, on a first come first served basis.
BOOKS as GIFTS
Perhaps you have a relative or friend who loves reading but you have no idea what to choose?
We offer a monthly subscription gift service where the book(s) are chosen and dispatched by Books Paper Scissors with a gift message from the giver.
The recipient will receive an introductory questionnaire and voucher, with SAE to return, allowing them to select genres and identify preferences - we do the rest!
For children or adults, 2023 prices:
Hardback Subscription £24 per month.
Paperback Subscription £14 per month.
Children's Books £12 per month.
No minimum or maximum length of time. Includes all postage.
Please enquire if you would like more details, or order online by searching ' gift subscription'.
Our Book Store
15 Stranmillis Rd, Belfast BT9 5AF
Phone: 028 9066 7815
Monday - Saturday- 10.00 - 17:00
