Books on the Northern Ireland Troubles at Belfast Books

If you are searching for Troubles books, Northern Ireland Troubles books, or Belfast history books, this page is a practical starting point. Our Belfast Books website lists new titles online for UK and worldwide delivery, and we also hold a specialist in-store used and out of print range focused on the Northern Ireland Troubles, war, horror and Classics at our York Road bookstore.

We lived through the Troubles. That does not make us “right”, but it does shape our curation and gives us lived experience insight that other bookstores don't have. We don't censor Troubles books but stock from across perspectives so readers can understand how narratives are formed, contested, and remembered. This is our shared history and it needs read in the hope that future conflicts can be avoided. As the late greatly respected loyalist paramilitary turned politician David Ervine said "If people's mindsets are confused, as they always have been in our society by the perceived distrust of the other, well we're going nowhere."

Why Troubles books can be hard to find online (and how we solve it)

One reason Troubles books can be difficult to browse online is inconsistent publishing metadata. Some publishers do not reliably file titles under the most specific Book Industry Communication (BIC) subject for Northern Ireland, which is 1DBKN. Others may place them under broader categories like 1DBR (Ireland), or under conflict and political violence categories such as JPWL (Terrorism, armed struggle), JPWL1 (Political assassinations), JPWL2 (Terrorist attack), or JPWQ (Revolutionary groups and movements).

Because of that, category browsing alone can miss relevant titles. To make discovery easier on our site, we also group titles using the Shopify tag “The Troubles”, so you can browse all delivery-eligible titles about the Troubles in one place.

What you can buy online

New books, delivered worldwide. Our online catalogue of new books is much larger than what we can physically hold in the shop. If you want new Troubles books, Belfast history, politics, memoir, journalism, photography, and related titles, the website is the best place to browse and buy.

Delivery and pricing, in plain terms

• Free UK tracked delivery on eligible online orders over £25

• Upgrade to Royal Mail Tracked 24 for 99p on top of free delivery

• Worldwide delivery is available, but shipping is calculated by weight and size and can be expensive (especially for heavy hardbacks)

How to find Troubles titles on the site

• Use site search for specific authors, titles, places, or themes

• Browse the tag “The Troubles” to see all delivery-eligible titles we have grouped as Troubles-related

What you will find in our York Road Book Nook

Used and out of print (Troubles, war, horror and 100s of Classics). 

In-store is where we specialise in used and out of print Troubles books, plus strong used ranges in war, horror and Classics. If your goal is to browse the Northern Ireland Troubles in depth, that is where the shop shines.

Important: used books are in-store purchase only

Our used books are for purchase in store only and are not available for home delivery. The website is solely for new books that can be delivered worldwide

What we are not

We are not the place to assume you will find one very specific book on demand. Since the advent of the ISBN system, the scale of publishing has exploded. For context, one widely cited estimate put the number of unique books in the world at roughly 130 million as far back as 2010, and the total number is much, much higher now. In a tiny, volunteer-run bookshop, it is statistically unlikely we will have the exact title you need to complete a collection.

A quick note on Amazon and used books (why it feels like they “have everything”)
Amazon’s used listings are typically a marketplace. In most cases, Amazon does not hold the used books listed there. Thousands of independent bookshops and second-hand sellers across the UK list their stock there, which creates the impression of a single warehouse of every used title. It is an aggregator model, not a tiny shop miracle.

Visiting Belfast Books

We are volunteer-run, and our bookshop is tiny, narrow, and cluttered. For everyone’s safety and to make sure you actually get a good browsing experience, we run visits via booking.

How booking works

• Book your VIP slot here

• We can only host 2 to 3 people at a time

• Booking notifications come by text and or email

• If you cannot make it, please let us know as early as possible so we can stand volunteers down

Why we do it this way (no “Hope Marketing”)

We do not rely on hope marketing. The idea that you can “build it and they will come” is not how volunteer-run retail survives. Booking lets us staff responsibly, protect volunteer time, and avoid disappointing visitors when we cannot safely host walk-in browsing.

Visiting as a tourist

We’re a little off the beaten track, away from the usual chain stores and tourist routes, but that’s exactly where real Belfast lives. If you want an authentic bookshop experience rooted in a local community, with shelves that reflect the city’s hard history as well as its wider story, we’re worth the detour. Just make sure to book ahead so we can welcome you properly. Our Belfast Books Rap explains what we're about...

Getting here by public transport

• Nearest train station: York Street Railway Station around 1.5km away. If you're coming from Belfast Grand Central Station, to York Street train station use this link for times, and if Botanic near Queens University use this link: and if Lanyon Place near St Georges Market use this link

• Use Translink Metro 2 services 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h and 2p ONLY  which run along the York Road/Shore Road corridor, for current bus times from Donegall Place to Grove Place, dropping you about 75m from our shop. Tip: Translink timetables vary by day, route and season, so always check times from Belfast City Centre to Belfast Books closer to your planned journey

• Timetable for buses back into Belfast city are here 

Maps and local planning

• Use Google Maps to plan your route and walking time from York Street Railway Station to Belfast Books (search “Belfast Books York Road”)

• If you rely on reviews and photos check our Google Business profile (search “Belfast Books”)

FAQs

Do I need to book in advance, or can I just walk in?

We ask you to book. We are volunteer-run and the shop is small, narrow with books on floor as well as on shelves. Booking protects your time and ours and makes sure we can host you properly rather than rushing or turning people away.

How many people can browse at once?

2 to 3 people maximum. The shop is tiny, narrow, and cluttered, and we take safety seriously.

What happens after I book?

You will receive booking notifications by text and or email. If you cannot make it, please tell us so we can stand volunteers down.

Are the books on the website held in the shop?

Not usually. Our online selection of new books is far larger than what we can hold physically. The website is the best place to buy new titles for delivery.

Can I buy used books online?

No. Our used books are for purchase in store only and are not available for home delivery.

What can I buy online?

New books, including Troubles books and related Northern Ireland topics, for UK and worldwide delivery (shipping costs depend on weight and size).

Do you only stock one viewpoint on the Troubles?

No. We are not in the business of censoring Troubles books. We stock from multiple perspectives, because understanding the conflict requires reading widely and critically.

Why are some Troubles books hard to find on websites when browsing categories?

Publishing metadata can be inconsistent. Some titles are not filed under the most specific Northern Ireland subject (BIC 1DBKN). They may appear under broader Ireland (1DBR) or under conflict-related categories like JPWL and related codes. That is why we also group relevant titles using the Shopify tag “The Troubles” on our site.

Do you have Belfast’s biggest used selection across every genre?

No. Our strongest used and out of print ranges are Troubles books, war books, horror and classics. If you want depth in those areas, you will find it here. For other genres, another Belfast bookshop may be a better fit depending on what you are after.

Can you help me find a specific title?

We will always try, but it is important to set expectations. There are tens of millions of unique titles in circulation and a small shop cannot hold anything approaching everything. If you want a specific title, the most reliable path is ordering a new copy through the website if it is available, or using wider used-book marketplaces where many shops list stock.

Do you deliver worldwide?

Yes for eligible online orders of new books. Shipping is calculated by weight and size and can be expensive.

What is your UK delivery offer?

Free UK tracked delivery on all online orders over £25. You can upgrade to Royal Mail Tracked 24 for 99p on top of free delivery.

Where are you located?

We are 112 York Road, BT15 3HF in Lower North Belfast. Because visiting is by booking, please use the #BookTheBookshop booking link for the most reliable visit planning: