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Beowulf
3rd-August-2009, 01:17 PM
"Hi My names Beowulf and I'm a bookworm.
It's been 1 day since I read my last book. "

I feel like an addict sometimes.. having to feed my insatiable cravings for reading material. And when you don't have a book in your bag you get withdrawal symptoms.. frantically reading anything you can get your hands on.. often stooping as low as reading the headlines of the Sun newspaper over the shoulder of the commuter standing in front of you.

The problem is feeding my addiction is ,like all addictions, proving expensive. I'm on at least one book a week at the moment. I get most of my books on the high street. I'm not a fan of online book shopping unless there's something I know I want. I like to run my fingers in a gentle caress along the bookshelves, plucking books here and there and reading the blurb on the back before picking my victim and pouncing on it, purchasing it to devour later.

What I want is a really good , well stocked, friendly, yet cheap, second hand book store, but I've not found one nearby. I know there's the book market on the Southbank at weekends.. but I'm rarely in that part of town ..

so, pray tell fellow addicts... where do you get your fix?

Northants Girly
3rd-August-2009, 01:20 PM
Amazon :)

Yliander
3rd-August-2009, 01:26 PM
I have several ways to feed my addiction

online shopping - when i know what I want - usually the cheapest way

tesco and the like when I want something trashy - 2 for £7

borrow - sometimes trade - from/with friends - as I have limited storage I'm always lookinf for homes for books I have finished with.

a real book shop - although it's got to be a big one so that it has all the sorts of thing I like to read in it - is also likely to do the most damage to my budget.

good Second hand book shops are hard to come buy and rarely have the variety of stock to appeal to me - I do tend to pop into every one that I encounter - an occasionaly get great finds - like in a dingy little shop in Sydney where I found several Asimov books for only a couple of dollars each!!

Dreadful Scathe
3rd-August-2009, 01:43 PM
yes, Amazon for me too :)

Kazibaby
3rd-August-2009, 01:55 PM
yes, Amazon for me too :)
:yeah:..and u can buy second-hand too.......

HelenB
3rd-August-2009, 02:01 PM
Charity shops & the library mainly. I also get hand me downs (and swap books with friends)

It's not often that I buy brand new books though when I do it's a nice spoil :D

Lynn
3rd-August-2009, 02:08 PM
Charity shops & the library mainly. I also get hand me downs (and swap books with friends)

It's not often that I buy brand new books though when I do it's a nice spoil :DCharity shops for me too. I reread books a lot which helps keep costs down too.

I don't usually buy new when it comes to novels - but it used to be a holiday treat to buy a Pratchett at the airport - no longer the case as they rarely have any I haven't already got.

philsmove
3rd-August-2009, 02:42 PM
i mainly use amazon for both new and secondhand books
but I also buy at fetes and markets, not had much luck with charity shops

have you tried http://www.bookbarninternational.co.uk/default.html

(Derek, the founder sadly died last year )

batnurse
3rd-August-2009, 03:52 PM
Charity shops & the library mainly. I also get hand me downs (and swap books with friends)

It's not often that I buy brand new books though when I do it's a nice spoil :D

:yeah:

Sugarfoot
3rd-August-2009, 04:31 PM
I am a heavy reader too; mostly factual stuff.
I would love to support my local book shops even the biggies like Borders, but the price savings on line are too great. I ordered 5 books this week (Amazon) saving £38 on local prices.
One book alone: £14.99 in Borders and £8.45 on Amazon. Even greater savings buying second hand on Amazon.

Feelingpink
3rd-August-2009, 06:02 PM
Usually I use BookBrain, which checks the cheapest way of buying the book including delivery. Also, you could join the British Library, which is free, has pretty much every book under the sun and you can order your books online (just need a fair bit of ID to get a library card).

David Franklin
3rd-August-2009, 06:14 PM
My problem is that I like to keep the books I enjoy and reread them. There's only so many bookshelves you can have...

philsmove
3rd-August-2009, 06:46 PM
There's only so many bookshelves you can have...

not at all

David Franklin
3rd-August-2009, 07:02 PM
not at allOK, "there's only so many bookshelves you can have and remain married". Happy now?

Besides, the person with those bookshelves is only prolonging the inevitable. (And it didn't look like there's actually that many linear feet of shelf space there).

Yliander
3rd-August-2009, 10:14 PM
not at all

oooo I like!!!!

I feel very sad for my books that are all boxed up in Aus - they are used to having a room of their own

Tessalicious
3rd-August-2009, 10:27 PM
Hey Beo,

You could do a lot worse than popping up the road to Kentish Town in your lunch hour. Not only is there an excellent local bookshop (http://www.londontown.com/LondonInformation/Shops/Owl_Bookshop/a3be/) there, but if it's second hand books you're after, there's also a book-specific Oxfam which always has some really interesting stuff in it (see the first entry on this page (http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shops/content/shopfinder.php?postcode=NW5&image.x=0&image.y=0&image=submit&category=books#)).

Can't help you for closer to home though, I don't know that part of town.

HTH
Tess

Moondancer
3rd-August-2009, 11:25 PM
I love books...Bibliophile sends me a catalogue (like a broadsheet newspaper) at frequent intervals. Some really good books at good prices. I don't do them online, but their web address is bibliophilebooks.com. Haven't bought a turkey from them yet.

Other than that, I usually get my books at charity shops. Black Cat bookshop in Leicester used to be pretty good (haven't been for a while, admittedly). There are some towns which are book hotspots which I try to find when I'm on holiday...e.g Hay-on-Wye (30-odd bookshops) plus there is a village in SW Scotland where every other cottage is a treasure trove bookshop - and I can't remember where it is!

Enjoy :nice:

Gadget
4th-August-2009, 12:49 AM
plus there is a village in SW Scotland where every other cottage is a treasure trove bookshop - and I can't remember where it is!:rofl: where do you think Beo heralds from? :rofl: (Wigtown (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigtown))

Moondancer
4th-August-2009, 01:12 AM
:rofl: where do you think Beo heralds from? :rofl: (Wigtown (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigtown))

YESSSSS!!!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!! :worthy:

Maxine
4th-August-2009, 08:41 AM
Mainly bookshops because I love the smell bookshops (I know I am weird). Years ago I always used to go to Foyles.

Sometimes I buy on line at Amazon.

I never buy at supermarkets it’s my own private war against supermarket domination and them destroying specialist shops.

Sadly I do not read anything like the amount I used to due to spending too much time on the forum. Facebook and driving to work.

I am reading we danced all night by Martin Pugh, a social history book about the between war years. I haven’t read enough to say whether it is any good yet but bought it from W H Smiths

Stuart M
4th-August-2009, 09:39 AM
Other than that, I usually get my books at charity shops.
We have an Oxfam book and music shop nearby. It's a bit like a charity library - I've seen stuff which I've bought, read (or burned for the iPod :D ), and subsequently given back on the shelves!

Beowulf
4th-August-2009, 09:44 AM
there is a village in SW Scotland where every other cottage is a treasure trove bookshop - and I can't remember where it is!


:rofl: where do you think Beo heralds from? :rofl: (Wigtown (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigtown))


YESSSSS!!!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!! :worthy:

Lol.. never seen someone so excited over my home town !

(going home to Wigtown in September for a wedding.. will be stocking up on books when I'm there :clap:)

My old School mate owns the biggest bookstore in Wigtown (opposite the bowling green) .. That's a real goldmine shop ! then there's numerous "speciality" shops.. kids books, art books, Cooking books etc .. the book shop on the corner (think it's called "the corner bookshop".. we locals know it as "the old bakery!") is pretty good too..

there are also book shops off the beaten path a little.. Wigtown's not a big place and we've hidden some bookshops just to give tourists a bit of a challenge trying to find them ! ;)

emmylou25
4th-August-2009, 09:55 AM
As I buy a lot of the same authors when they come out (in hardback as I'm a sucker for a nice book) I shop by price - so either Tesco, Asda, or Play, CDWow or Amazon depending on who's got the best deal.

If WHSmith have a good deal on then I'll buy paperbacks there, and if I'm really stuck for a read/have finished a book that I have with me and need another one immediately then I'll go to Borders or Waterstones (Waterstones card is handy if you shop there regularly to build up points).

I don't tend to find much anymore in charity shops - what is there in a decent state doesn't tend to be any I either want to read/haven't read, or is really expensive. I also used to buy/sell my unwanted books to a local market stall but he's no longer there unfortunately.

I don't really reread books but do like to keep most of them. The rest I get rid of via our work 'library/swap shop', give to friends/charity shops, or sell on greenmetropolis.com.

Poi Boi
4th-August-2009, 10:20 AM
I usually get my books from the numerous Charity shops in my hometown, it's quite easy to spend a long time looking through all the shelves.

Other than that, if it's a particular author I like, then I will buy them new from whatever website is selling them cheapest at the time.

If it's just book to read, then I will often buy them from the new and used section of Amazon because you can get some incredibly good deals on books especially if they have been out for a while.

I do have a few books in my collection though that had to be ordered from the publisher, mostly cos no where else stocked them!

Twirly
4th-August-2009, 10:25 AM
Trouble is, we have really limited storage space as the flat is fine for one person but cosy with two... and then you have the books...

I have various sources. Sometimes the library, Amazon if it's something specific, or 3 for 2 deals at major bookshops and sometimes secondhand shops, but there aren't any I'm aware of in my part of town.

When we get a chance we'll go to Rochester which has a fab and huge 2nd hand bookshop!

Moondancer
4th-August-2009, 12:01 PM
We have an Oxfam book and music shop nearby. It's a bit like a charity library - I've seen stuff which I've bought, read (or burned for the iPod :D ), and subsequently given back on the shelves!

Sounds about right. Some charity shops seem to get really good stocks of books - obviously frequented by the right people - so some are worth visiting and some just aren't. I love the random variety of good second-hand bookplaces, and the joy of finding books which simply aren't available at new bookshops. Not to mention that I can spend the same amount of money for more treasures (plus I'm re-cycling an existing item and if it's a charity shop then I'm supporting them too, especially if I return the books later).

I don't like it when any book which is old and/or tatty automatically becomes 'a collector's item' and the price increases tenfold. That is not how the book market works! It might be a collector's item, but it won't be one just because it isn't new and has got a bit battered. I'm prepared to pay a fair price for a collectable book, but only when I can recognise that the price has been set with sensible knowledge of why it is sufficiently desirable and therefore more expensive. I hate being ripped off!

If interesting secondhand books are decently priced then I am happy to spend a fair bit of money and time, and will invariably leave with armsful, but if the first few items I look at are pricey then I stop looking in case I find too many things I want.

Battlecat
4th-August-2009, 12:58 PM
At work we have a charity book cupboard, we all bring in books we are finished with and then sell them on and the money made goes to a local hospice, we have found that people also tend to return the books so they can be sold again.

Apart form that I tend to buy from supermarkets and have various friends who swap books with me, so I am rarely without a pile of books to read.

whitetiger1518
6th-August-2009, 11:46 AM
I so agree with all this - I usually bring back at least 6 books from the library, and have a pile of books to read and reread for my commute on the bus.

For the West end of Glasgow there is a lovely little cafe called Bibliocafe in Woodlands road, just down from Glasgow Uni. You can just go in as a cafe customer. Practically all walls are covered in second hand books. You can just buy the books straight, or you can take books to them, get credit for them, and use that credit to select your new choices..

[end of credit]...

Whitetiger

Miss Flicts
29th-August-2009, 11:50 AM
What I want is a really good , well stocked, friendly, yet cheap, second hand book store, but I've not found one nearby. I know there's the book market on the Southbank at weekends.. but I'm rarely in that part of town ..

so, pray tell fellow addicts... where do you get your fix?

Do you need to actually own the books?... because you've just described the library. (Except it's better than cheap - it's free!)

If you haven't used the library for years you might be very pleasantly surprised. My local library is fantastic -it's open till 7.30pm each weekday, is really well-stocked with dozens of copies of all the latest titles, and the staff are great.

It's all online too - you can do author/title/genre searches of the catalogue and reserve books online (even books from other libraries). I browse online and reserve what I want. They email me to let me know when the books are ready to pick up, so I just pop in, go straight to the counter and swap last week's pile for this week's pile.

If you want a book they don't currently have, you just fill in a slip and they buy it and let you know when it's there for you to borrow. It's fantastic! I know obviously not all libraries are so great but it's worth checking, if you haven't already.

Genie
30th-August-2009, 12:55 AM
I browse book shops with a notepad and pen, decide what catches my eye, then I go online and look for the best deal. Play.com, dvd.co.uk, borders or amazon are my usual haunts. It means I can browse as much as I like in a bookshop and still get a good deal online.

Moondancer
30th-August-2009, 11:24 AM
Sounds like a good library - my local library isn't particularly good. I usually have a better selection of books on any given topic of personal interest than they have - for the space they have they don't seem to actually have all that many books. They do have some DVDs and videos and computer access and plenty of room to walk around (very useful, no doubt).

Compared with the libraries of my childhood which were shelved floor to ceiling with books old and new, a mere two rows of books on half a dozen shelves in a space the size of a sports hall, with no book more than a couple of years old....it just doesn't cut the mustard for me! And if you try to order stuff then all the good books turn out to be in the county stock and they can't access from there even if they have what you want.

Little Monkey
31st-August-2009, 09:51 PM
I must admit that

A) I'm a complete book-worm
B) I don't have a local library any more at all, and when I did, it wasn't very good...
C) I love owning books, and find it extremely hard to part with them!

Conclusion - books are frequently the reason why I spend money I really can't afford to spend....

I buy books online (used and new through Amazon), from tesco when they have anything readable on offer, from WHSmith (always the buy one get one hald price), from Waterstones (again the multi-book offers, like 3 for 2, which has caused accidents such as buying 6 books in one go.....:what:), second hand bookshops and from the shelves of second hand books that are for sale in my studio building. Oh, and I borrow from friends when I'm desperate!

I need a new book......

Baruch
31st-August-2009, 11:31 PM
I buy a lot of books via Amazon (used & new). I also look in charity shops, though I've not found much in them lately.

Every so often I like to take a trip to Hay on Wye with a large, empty bag to stock up on more books. When I die, some charity shop is going to inherit a heck of a lot of books, as I very rarely get rid of books that I've read unless they're not very good. I'm a hopeless book addict! :clap:

whitetiger1518
4th-September-2009, 03:32 PM
I buy a lot of books via Amazon (used & new). I also look in charity shops, though I've not found much in them lately.

Every so often I like to take a trip to Hay on Wye with a large, empty bag to stock up on more books. When I die, some charity shop is going to inherit a heck of a lot of books, as I very rarely get rid of books that I've read unless they're not very good. I'm a hopeless book addict! :clap:


And here I was thinking that I had it bad! I've only been to Hay on Wye twice (Drat - about time for another visit :doh:)

Should we start a Bookworms anonymous thread?... Sounds like you should become a buyer for Waterstones or another bookseller - that way you can get the hit of the book buy and get to read the book for review, and best buzz of all the company pays!

Or thinking about it a little more:

My crime fiction bookclub is run from a local Waterstones, and the staff member who runs it has just as many crime fiction books in his house as there are in the store - despite being a buyer for the crime section!

WT

Mind you - I can talk - I must have a couple of thousand books on my shelves - despite using the Glasgow library system so often I know some of the staff in 3 libraries by name :eek:

Baruch
10th-September-2009, 11:28 PM
Should we start a Bookworms anonymous thread?
I might agree, but I've already "outed" myself - I'm a bookworm and I'm proud! :grin:

Barry Shnikov
7th-December-2009, 05:57 PM
Not buying books currently.

Trying to use up the ones I already have.

Also, have lots of ebooks so saving up for an ebook reader - maybe there will be some decent ones available by the time I have the cash...

Dreadful Scathe
8th-December-2009, 07:55 AM
Not buying books currently.

Trying to use up the ones I already have.

Also, have lots of ebooks so saving up for an ebook reader - maybe there will be some decent ones available by the time I have the cash...
personally i think e-books are overpriced and overrated - sure e-ink screens are nice but a second hand 16 colour sony clie recently set me back only £15 from ebay - as a fully fledged pda, it can do lots of things, but it can store hundreds of ebooks and has a battery that lasts for up to 2 weeks of constant use.

cons: poorer screen quality than an new ebook and it is shiny, so not great in direct sunlight.

pros: has on/off for backlight. instant on/off. longer battery life than some e-books. truly pocket sized. lots of software.

Baruch
13th-December-2009, 12:36 AM
I'll stick with old-fashioned print on paper. A real book isn't dependent on batteries and doesn't have a shiny screen. It can be taken anywhere. Oh, and it isn't dependent on software or file types that will rapidly become obsolete.

gamebird
30th-December-2009, 09:12 PM
personally i think e-books are overpriced and overrated - sure e-ink screens are nice but a second hand 16 colour sony clie recently set me back only £15 from ebay - as a fully fledged pda, it can do lots of things, but it can store hundreds of ebooks and has a battery that lasts for up to 2 weeks of constant use.

cons: poorer screen quality than an new ebook and it is shiny, so not great in direct sunlight.

pros: has on/off for backlight. instant on/off. longer battery life than some e-books. truly pocket sized. lots of software.


I'll stick with old-fashioned print on paper. A real book isn't dependent on batteries and doesn't have a shiny screen. It can be taken anywhere. Oh, and it isn't dependent on software or file types that will rapidly become obsolete.

Not my choice but I got a Sony Reader for Christmas - now I'm looking for e-book recommendations.

I got a Waterstones card with it so it'd be handy if they were available from there - or from one of the free sites for now :wink:

Generally I likeSci-fi/fantasy stuff. Not really into historical novels though I did enjoy the Alexander and Attila (Lord of the Silver Bow) trilogies.

So far I've found the site (Waterstones) quite annoying - some of the ebooks say they're short stories but there's no way of telling how many pages you're getting for your money and the synopsis' (?) mainly seem to be quotes from the book rather than the usual back page summary :angry:

Anyway - recommendations would be welcome.

Cheers

Jay Jay
30th-December-2009, 09:47 PM
I got an eReader but I do find it annoying when not having looked at it for a while and decide to sit down and have a good read the battery is flat :banghead:

With regard to your normal books why not start a forum book swop, I have accumulated so many books over the years and never throw them away. We could list them on here and have swop fest :sick: