If you live in Melbourne and haven't lost an hour or two in Readings, then are you really from Melbourne? While Readings' Carlton store is the gem of Lygon Street (and the original), the St Kilda outpost also has iconic origins (it was formerly the independent bookshop Cosmos). Also, musicians Paul Kelly and Nick Cave have been known to peruse the stacks here. There's a whole range of genres to choose from here including history, art and design, travel, literary fiction and the like from both Australian and international authors. Plus, the St Kilda shop also keeps a rare and impressive range of books from independent publishers. Beyond books, the shop specialises in new release vinyl and it often hosts book launches and author talks.