Welcome to BRTD

Established in 1996, Better Read Than Dead has been recognised many times for its commitment to its customers including an Excellence in Customer Service Award, an Outstanding Retailer of the Year and the People's Choice Award 'Newtown Times Retailer of the Year'. Before we were four years old, we were awarded the street's highest accolade, 'Business of the Year'. We are also tickled pink to be named by Lonely Planet as their “favourite Sydney Bookshop”.

From the moment Better Read Than Dead opened, it has been the quality and specialised knowledge of our booksellers that sets the store apart. Our staff's outside work interests include: music, theatre and stagecraft, history, cultural studies, philosophy, children’s education and international commerce. This, together with a collective passion for books and reading, provides the ideal environment for us to excel at providing you with our special brand of service and range of titles.

Amelia is our specialist children's buyer and has already achieved a cult-like following among a local tribe of wide-eyed under-fives for her exhaustive knowledge of picture books.  Her savvy staff picks span the whole range right up to Young Adult fiction.  Check out some of Amelia's latest staff picks here. She's always happy to assist schools and librarians with recommendations, and will do just about anything to get out of the store and visit your school. Amelia can organise author visits, set up account facilities upon request and set up a rewards scheme so that when parents of the school shop at BRTD, the schoo library will earn credit to spend on books. Give Amelia a call to enquire how a BRTD school account can benefit your school.

Ask Tom

There some three million titles available on our website but if there's something you want that we don't have, Mr Tom will be happy to track it down and order it in. Mr Tom is a not a cyber-creature, nor is he an electronic database, (although we have plenty of those), he's a real, live, flesh and blood person who manages our very important special order business and customer enquiries. You can ask Mr Tom if you have any general enquires or if you wish to order books without using the Checkout system. To Ask Mr Tom, simply click on orders@betterread.com.au to send an email. Mr Tom will promptly respond to your request. Please give us a phone number as well so that he can get back to you as quickly as possible!

Calling All Reading Groups

Do you spent hours deciding what snacks to prepare instead of reading the book? Do you hate cleaning the house before your reading group arrives? We have solved your reading group dilemmas. Not only can we advise you of suitable books, offer free reading copies and discount your purchases, but now, high above Better Read Than Dead we have a built a Reading Group Room. Seating 8 comfortably, 10 or 12 at a pinch, we're happy to offer free use of this facility to any reading groups looking for a new home. To enquire, please email Kate at books@betterread.com.au

Thinking about joining a reading group? Our open-to-everyone book group meets upstairs in our lovely reading room on the 2nd Wednesday of every month. We'll make sure there's a chair and a glass of wine ready when you get here, so don't be shy! For information on what books are coming up click here.

We invite you to drop into our store in Newtown located on King Street. Newtown is one of the most colourful shopping experiences in Sydney - with culinary diversity, art house cinemas and intimate theatres.

The street is bounded by two universities, the School of Performing Arts and the Enmore Design School.

At the heart of this shopping strip is Better Read Than Dead bookstore, a literary landmark that nourishes the neighbourhood's intellectual dynamics with regular author and community events.