Caliban Book Shop

I find it hard to rate any small book shop less than five stars. They hold a special place in my heart. This one in particular is a great place to wander around if you’re looking for something a little quirky, dated, and/​or obscure. They have a great selection for being a pretty small shop, but I could still poke around here for hours checking out all of the sections. And you can’t beat their sale book prices! I’m always delighted to see book shops thriving and I’ll keep doing what I can to contribute to that!

One of my favorite book shops ever. Has this amazing scent of old books — gosh, I could get high off of the aroma here (don’t judge). Also, awesome staff that is super accommodating and knowledgable of the curation of books in this store. Which brings me to the books they have here… almost EVERYTHING you could imagine. There’s a reason why books are literally crammed into every nook and cranny in this space, and it’s because they just have so many of them. Also, they have an awesome collection of records.

Love this place. Always find a hidden gem. Last time I found a rare copy of my favorite play at a reasonable price. Looking forward to my next visit!

Simply adorable inside. Tight space, but i didn’t mind. So many selections and super cheap! I went with my dad and he found a few CDs he liked for only $ 1 each. I got some art books like Matisse and Van Gogh. The person working there was very friendly. Overall i would go back.

I broke my nail, like really badly, while I was here. I still remember how much it hurt, even though it was five months ago. But I can’t fault Caliban because I broke my nail for the very best reason: the books were packed so tightly on the shelf that I somehow cracked it trying to pull out a desired title. See? Awesome!
When I go to bookstores I check out the photo/​art books, and now history and Western US history sections. Caliban had a really nice selection of titles — not just the picked over bargain book stuff, but a good mix of recent and older/​classic titles, all in great condition and at competitive prices. It’s definitely worth the visit.
I found them on my third trip to PGH, and only wish I found it sooner.

I don’t know how to rate things. In a world with Labyrinth Books, Powell’s, and Capitol Hill Books, why do I rate every good bookstore as five stars? Because this isn’t the restaurant world. Great bookstores deserve superlative reviews because it is a herculean task to keep a bookstore open these days.
Caliban’s is easily the best bookstore in Pittsburgh. It has a terrific vinyl collection, some lovely prints, and oh DO NOT FORGET TO GO DOWNSTAIRS. That is where all the paperbacks are. It took me several visits to figure it out (yes I am embarrassed but I see other reviewers made the same mistake so I want to be sure other visitors have the best experience possible). Their history and philosophy section is phenomenal. They have some very, very nice first editions which I cannot possibly afford, but they have so many good, affordable editions of those same books that there’s no cause to complain. This isn’t just a shop for antique collectors. Also, I like the stuff they’re always playing in there.
On the wish list? I wish it was bigger. And served pie. But that’s pretty much my wish list for every bookstore, so ignore me.

Caliban Book Shop is such a treat. I went in here three years ago with a friend and never got the chance to go back until today. There are a variety of books covering a lot of subjects, such as children’s books, philosophical essays, and art.
This bookstore is tiny. When I went in there were maybe 10 people in the store and it felt crowded. I had my instrument with me, which didn’t help. The aisles lengths are not wide enough for two people to walk through, which makes moving around a little difficult, but nothing uncomfortable.
The books are cheap, and they are unique. You won’t find some of these books in your local Barnes & Noble. Plus, they have SO MANY classical CDS! That’s my favorite.
Although the books are used, they can still be a little pricey. If you’re not a used book fan, I wouldn’t recommend this place, but who doesn’t like used books? They have a nice aesthetic quality to them that new books don’t have. Caliban also has sales where they sell books for super cheap. This bookstore is definitely a goldmine, and I will definitely make an effort to come here more often.

This shop is so charming! I love the tight shelves with books at their feet. There are so many cool books that you’d never see in a Barnes and Noble, They also have some old music and scores and a basement full of paperback fiction. There are some pretty good deals.
I usually go just to browse the shelves, not to look for anything in particular. I could spend a day in there if I had the time! The shop is organized by topic, but the sale section (almost an entire wall of $.50 paperbacks and $ 1 hardcover books) is shelved randomly, as far as I can tell, which just adds to the allure of the place!
I’ll be living really close to this shop soon. I have a feeling I’ll be spending a lot of time there!

This book store, although a bit on the small side, is a hidden gem in the neighborhood. I can spend hours there, browsing, admiring, falling in love with book after book. The selection seems large, despite the small-​ish space. The store employees are helpful and kind. Prices are good. I’ve walked out with more than I was looking for every time I’ve gone there!

I’ve always been a bit underwhelmed with this book shop. I feel that the selection isn’t great. I know that they have to be a bit picky when it comes to what books they accept to turn around to sell, but every time I have come in with a box of old books that I no longer want, they never accept any book that I have. I know at least one person who works here who is as nice as one can be, but there is at least another guy who works here who has always been short with me over the phone or in person if I have a question about buying/​selling/​or donating a book. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a nice store to walk in to browse on a stroll down Craig Street, but in my opinion is by no means the best used bookstore in the city.

I’ve rated Caliban at at 4 stars, but in truth, it’s more like a four and a half.
I’ll start with what keeps me from bring the rating up to five stars. First, the books are a little pricey for a used bookstore in Oakland. However, there are some great finds and some really good deals to be had among the tightly packed shelves of Caliban, so it’s really a small quibble (mostly because I always end up buying more than I meant to). Secondly, I really wish they opened a little earlier – sometimes I’d love to drop by at 9 or 10 am and I’m always frustrated that the doors don’t open until 11.
Other than these two minor quibbles, I can’t say enough good things about Caliban. As mentioned by other reviewers, they have a great selection and there always seem to be new and interesting titles popping up. I have also never encountered a more helpful or knowledgeable bookstore staff. Seriously, I’m always amazed by their ability to recommend titles based on books you’ve read or authors you like– they’ve never steered me wrong.
If you haven’t checked them out, you should really stop by!

Exceptionally interesting, diverse selection — picked up some books I’d long been searching for, as well as unexpected gems from the sales shelf. Were I a local, I’d be heading down to Caliban whenever possible. Go get at those books!

I’ve bought many a book in this quaint little store. The minute you walk in you’re bombarded with intimidating stacks and bookcases piled with numerous books that you probably never heard of and will never even develop the interest of reading.
I usually make a beeline for the fiction section located downstairs, this is probably where I spend most of my time moseying around Craig street. I usually scour this place for their cheap and interesting books. I usually find something located on the smallest bookcase in the middle of the fiction basement.
Overall, I got to say I’m a huge fan of this place.

I love shopping here. I’ve found the most wonderfully unusual things! The only drawback is the aisles are a bit tight and its hard to see the bottom rows. I always feel like I’m in someone’s way.

Great used bookstore. I probably frequent this place way too often, and almost always get something.
Don’t let the website mislead you into thinking it’s only rare books. There’s something for everyone. Paperbacks are mostly under $ 4 or $ 5, and I don’t recall ever seeing any above $ 8 or so, unless it’s a special edition (e.g. Advance Reading Copy). Also, huge plus: they finally organized the paperback sci-​fi section, alphabetically by author. You can now find the good stuff without having to dig through endless rows of weird crap. Yessss!
I’ve also gotten some nice hardbacks, like a couple of beautiful illustrated Steinbeck novels in cardboard dust-​jackets. They were relatively inexpensive ($ 10-​$ 15). Not rare editions, but they don’t make books like that anymore, and that’s still even cheaper than new paperbacks nowadays. I always see lots of nice hardcover sets like this. They’d make great gifts.
If something is signed but not rare, it’s probably $ 30-​$ 50. They tend to keep these among all the normal books, so try some shelf-​digging and you might find something cool if you’re into signed books.
The rarer books are in the glass case by the register. These are nice to stare at while you pay for your cheapo books :)

Caliban has a great selection of interesting and diverse books. It’s organized in a good way and even though it’s not all that big, I’ve found that I can get lost in a section while perusing what’s there. Within each section, there’s a lot of diversity.
Upstairs has almost all hardbacks, and the smaller downstairs is just paperback books. One of my favorite parts of Caliban is their record section. Tucked into a corner, their record section has been growing over the last 6 months or so. There are a number of record stores in the city, but every once in a while I find something at Caliban (actually the record section is called Desolation Records) that I can’t find elsewhere. They started selling a few used records as well, and you can find a few gems there too.
If you like books, or records check it out.

Support local bookstores and try to buy your books from places like this. Great vibe here, the place is pretty small so don’t expect to find every book you might be looking for.
In addition to books they have a small selection of vinyl records with bunches of rare titles.
Caliban is the home of Pittsburgh literary magazine «The New Yinzer» so check out their website and support Pittsburgh’s local writers.
The reason I am giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because they don’t have a great selection of paperback fiction.

Ok, I just wanted to throw a little dissent into the mix. While I really love the atmosphere of Caliban, it’s just a little bit on the expensive side. They have a great selection, which is great, but definitely don’t go in with less than 10 bucks expecting to be able to get what you’re looking for, unless, of course, it’s in the sale section outside. In which case, GO!
P. S. The main shop guy with wire-​frame glasses knows a lot about the underground literary scene in Pittsburgh; try talking to him sometime

Caliban Book Shop has to be the most remarkable bookstore in the ‘Burgh. It isn’t quite a used bookstore. You don’t go here expecting to find used paperbacks of Steinbeck or Dickens. No, this is really much more of an antique and collector’s bookstore. As a reviewer on another site says, the first thing you notice upon entering the place is the sweet scent of old books. I found an old book on pop music once as a gift for my dad. He really loved it.
They do get used textbooks and not-​so-​rare paperbacks too. So if you want to escape the look-​alike world of the major chains (Barnes & Noble or Borders, not that there’s anything wrong with those places) then by all means, drop in here!

Pretty radical.
Although personally I’m more of a ‘used bookstore’ kinda guy rather than the ‘antique/​first edition bookstore’ kinda guy, Caliban is a great place to poke through. Tons of potential gifts and ‘impress the person you brought over to your house from the bar for a one night stand with your amazing bookshelf’ type books. Even better, the place is not dusty. All too often these sort of places get a bit unkempt and cause my allergies to freak. No such problems here.
They even have a graphic novel section! Nice!