Foyles for books

In 1903, teenage brothers William and Gilbert Foyle failed their civil service exams and took out an ad in a periodical to re-sell their textbooks. Receiving many enquiries, they quickly saw an opportunity, procured more textbooks, sold them on at a profit and what was to become the 'world's greatest bookshop' was born. Over the past century the world has become a different place but what we can say for sure is that few bookshops today can claim such a rich and varied history and still retain the passion Foyles have for books and the people who write, publish and, above all, read them.