Another Country

A second-hand bookshop with legendary status and a whiff of bohemia: Another Country is a window into a Kreuzberg of the past. Its proprietor, Sophia Raphaeline, established the shop at a time before the area was laden with the cafés, restaurants and shops that now dominate Bergmannstrasse. The set of rooms have the feel of a private study, with homely blue paintwork, piles of books laid out on tables and a fridge for beers; a projector in the back room is set up for film nights and the shop also hosts quizzes and dinners. Another Country operates a quasi-library system, whereby books are returned for a refund (minus €1.50) – it’s a social service which encourages scarcer titles to stay in circulation. Although a rather fiddly system, it’s good for those who are on the move, short of pocket or low on storage space. It’s also one of very few places that opens on a Sunday if desperate for a literary fix.