At the border of England and Wales lies a small town surrounded by books—Hay-on-Wye, the world's first book town. Though compact, it boasts numerous secondhand bookshops, with people browsing books visible everywhere on its streets.We browsed several bookshops here and chatted with shop owners and café staff about their lives. The pace is slow, yet deeply authentic. If you're passionate about books, travel, or simply enjoying conversations with people, tune in to this episode and discover this quiet, extraordinary town together.
This episode's swing pilot
You'll hear
Part 1: Introduction
- 00:00 Introduction
- 01:21 First Impressions of the Town
Part 2: The Origins of the Secondhand Book Kingdom
- 04:19 The Town's Origins
- 05:51 Why It's Called the World's First Book Town
Part 3 Book Town Shops
- 11:50 Unique Independent Bookstores
- 15:16 Other Commercial Establishments
Part 4 Book Town Events
- 18:11 Hay Festival
Part 5 The Soul of the Book Town
- 22:19 The Townspeople
- 26:46 A Kingdom of Tranquility and Resistance
Part 6 Swing
- 31:37 Swing Time
- 33:45 Swing Encore|Boston Pops Orchestra - Colonel Bogey March
Other Content
Contact Us
- Aiden: @Aiden
- Flora: @Flora
- RedNote: @Swing
- Instagram: @swing.std
- Email: [email protected]







