The American Book Center

The American Book Center is one of the best book stores in Amsterdam. It offers not only a wide range of books in various languages, but also games and other related things. There are several floors and if you’re looking for a specific book you’ll most likely find it there. And if you’re only coming there to look around, you will definitely find something that will catch your eye and won’t leave empty handed;)

My favorite book store in the Netherlands!! A bit on the pricier end, but that is because they have amazing editions from both the UK and the USA. The cozy vibe they have curated at ABC is the best. I love to spend extra time I have here.

I could genuinely spend hours in here, this is one of the best bookshops I’ve ever been in!! They have soooo many books to choose from, and the store itself is beautiful. My only hindrance is that some of the books I really wanted were only displayed in XL size (not hardback) which I’m not the biggest fan of 🥲. It would be good to have both the regular size and the XL as options :)

This is one of the best bookstores I’ve ever visited! Such an inspiring milieu and atmosphere, lovely cafeteria and really friendly service.

Besides having a huge selection of books in English, which is not so common in Amsterdam, ABC is a great bookstore in itself. Knowledgeable and super nice staff, great selection in arts, and an amazing section on young literature, fantasy, comics, and even a very decent selection of modern board games. Going to ABC is a pleasure even if just to wander, super recommended.

Large selection of books. Friendly staff. Extra points because they carry my New Kid graphic novels. ❤️❤️❤️

I’ve been going here since a teen (30 years and counting) buying international magazines which were not available at the other booksellers. It was always a joy to be greeted by Giorgio, Greg and the tall guy with long hair. I had a standing reservation for my titles. It was a 2x per month visit for Instyle, Vogue, HB, People, NYT and the Moleskine calendars/notebooks. A real kind and authentic bookstore and service that weathered the storm of many ups & downs. I still frequent them also for books, bc it gives me a cosy feeling. The little nook for coffee reminds me of independent booksellers in the US. So quaint and lovely. I had a matcha and a pie this weekend and read my purchased books. Their self development, fiction, creative, travel, interior selections are extensive as is young adult, horror, thriller and fantasy. Go here instead of ordering online ✨

One of the nicest bookshops in Amsterdam. The interior definitely gives these vibes of “infinite library” and it is full if beautiful editions on many topics. My favourites are the first and second floor. Not incredibly cheap, but students have 10% discount with your student card or showing your profile on the phone. Nice (small) comic selection!

What comes to mind when I think of the American Book Center a pretty average bookshop that does not stand out from the rest, despite them speaking English. I always try to stop in here every once in a blue moon to see if a book will stand out for me to purchase. Once in a while, I get lucky to find a book that strikes my interest. However, most of the time I try to check out other bookstores that have that warm, cozy, and friendly feeling because half of the time I feel they definitely don't got it.

This will be the best selection of English and American books in Amsterdam. It's very sterile, but has a wide selection. Especially in a city that really celebrates Dutch book shops, if you need an English book this place will have it.

Very cool bookstore in Amsterdam. The staff are knowledgable and speak good English.

A really great selection of English books, and lots of places to explore. Super friendly staff too!

Oh holy heaven of glorious books. This is like a breath of fresh air for me. As a book fiend and living in a place with few small English bookstores, coming here is like arriving in the Promised Land. I am sure staff members and other patrons think something is wrong with me as I wander through the stacks, running my fingers over the spines, and sighing with content. They have a great selection of all sorts of wonderful topics, including music biographies (something lacking in many English bookstores in Europe) and arts and crafts. Don't even get me started on the cookbook section. The staff is lovely and helpful. Always willing to answer questions and laugh at my jokes. It is a nice way for me to spend a few days.

This has the style and feel of a bookstore in London or Oxford; it's hard to find new bookstores this size in the U.S. The stuff on the first floor is oriented toward non-English speakers (lots of architecture and photography books), while the history and politics stuff that's really interesting to me is on the third floor (second floor in the European numbering system). Some of the sections that stand out in terms of breadth include graphic novels, environmental studies ("Ecology"), and religion. Not necessarily cheap even with the weak Euro, but there are also extensive "bargain" shelves that correspond to most of the sections.

Nice but incredibly expensive. I found the book I wanted very easily and the staff was nice. I thought it has a nice atmosphere. We found a bench easily to sit and read. No one disturbed us. There are several floors and lots of space. I quite liked it for browsing but I would not go back and purchase something if I could find my book elsewhere.

This is one of my favorite book stores, and the tightly packed space reminds me of the Strand in NYC. There isn't a ton of seating so it isn't great for loitering, but the staff is super friendly and helpful.They also have a great section for expats regarding Dutch culture/life, and other useful guides to adjusting. If you follow them on FB, you can find out about authors and other cool events. They also markdown their books every now and then, so you never know what kind of hidden gems you might discover.

A great place to get lost for a couple of hours, with their great selection of art books, extensive graphic novel section, board games, etc. A must-stop anytime I'm in Amsterdam.

Just a busy bookstore in a busy area. It gets crazy full of people! Space is at a premium in Amsterdam and there are so many books - there has to be a trade off somewhere. At ABC, that's with the amount of space you have to navigate and hence the layout. I always feel that the arrangement is very chaotic and haphazard. While there are sections, they're not very easy to discover. Correspondingly, the selection is somewhat limited, unless you're looking for the latest best seller. For example, try the dictionaries section. Very limited. They do have a huge magazine catalogue at the ground floor. You can also sometimes see people getting some reading done on the staircases or just on the floor. All in all, ABC is my spot to seldom check out what's the latest in literature and to spend some time before a movie or shopping.

My all time favorite bookstore. Love the collection! A lot of cool books. Great art/design sections. Also quite a lot of manga and other comics. Cool people work here. Love the vibe. Students get 10% off.

This is a very, very good English language bookstore (far better than the English Book Store in the vicinity). Two floors of new books on a wide variety of topics. Also, English-language books on Dutch history and culture. The staff is very knowledgable and can help make recommendations. It's located in the center of Amsterdam. Wonderful place to browse the stock on hand.

Second only to Powell's in a long list of bookstore favorites. Convivial atmosphere, alluring and extensive selection of books and a fabulous conch shell arrangement that takes up and around to discover more of this excellent bookstore. I would move to Amsterdam for this and the ollibollen alone.

This place is really great. It's several floors, with a good selection and helpful staff. They even have a printer and option for self-published books. I always leave with something special.

what can i say...if you need an english book, come here. nothing special outside of that. i wish there were more chairs to hang out on. the variety seemed ok but i found what i was looking for.