If you ask a Taipei resident to recommend a bookstore for you, the majority of them would probably say Eslite Bookstore, especially the one located on Dun-hua South Road, its original headquarters.

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the big bookstore is a beacon of light for bibliophiles. They can find a wide selection of books in humanities, novels, architecture, arts, design, computer science, business, etc. Many titles are in English, especially literary works. If a bestseller, say, Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Hard Choices, is translated into Chinese and sold there, the original English version would be available as well.

Children’s books are also Eslite’s strong suit. When my two kids were little, I often found award-winning illustrated children’s books in English or Chinese there. Almost ALL the lovely children’s books I bought there are still with us. In addition, there’s an area full of magazines in sports, fashion, automobiles, gardening, handicraft, news, and so on, most of them in English or Japanese.

But that’s not all. What sets the bookstore apart from elsewhere is the atmosphere — created by squeaky wooden floors, warm and neat interior design, inviting chairs, and big vertical windows that let in sunlight. Too tired to go on reading? There’s a shopping area on the first floor and in the basement and a food court that’s open from 11 A.M. to 10 P.M. every day.

The only drawback of the bookstore is its popularity. Early in the morning at around 7 or 8 A.M. is probably a better time to visit there, as there would be fewer tourists. The bookstore does close—on Chinese New Year’s Eve, and typhoon days.