Guest Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Borders, Waterstone's and Asda are my top three places. In the past I've also bought books off eBay, various second hand shops which have since closed, even a sale in the dermatology department of my local hospital; all profits went to buying another piece of equipment, so I had to do my civic duty! Anywhere, really. But it's sad there are less second hand book shops these days. A sign that less people are reading. Or maybe they are, and they're just not giving their books away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~V~ Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Anywhere, really. But it's sad there are less second hand book shops these days. A sign that less people are reading. Or maybe they are, and they're just not giving their books away! The one here closed down years ago. It was a great shop but the fiction shelves were only one and a half full bookshelves. Strange as he bought anything off me. The market has a few blokes who sell second-hand books but I won't use them as they are fussy about what they buy. I took a suitcase full of books down to one once and he only wanted three!!!! So I put them all back in the case and gave them all to Oxfam instead. I buy my books from; Tesco (when it's a 2 for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~V~ Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Yeah i've bought a few books off ebay too, but it really annoys me when people try to overcharge for postage, like putting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Jenkins Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Oxfam book shops (nothing I love more than looking in them!). Also buy from Amazon. There used to be a fantastic shop in Camden called Compendium...it had a good attitude and, I suppose, shared my view of literature. The guy that worked in there had similar taste to me so he would always tip me off about what was worth reading. Who has a relationship with their bookseller anymore? Just people selling us books...and shops pushing stuff at me that, usually, I have no interest in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~V~ Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 You can get Oxfam books online too http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/Browse.aspx?catalog=HighStDonated&category=Books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inver Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Amazon if can't find a book (recently got one for f-i-l that he wanted and was the only place I could find it, used but ideal condition) Play.com (for the free p&p) Waterstones, in Aberdeen cause they have a coffee shop and also Books and Beans (good quality second hand books and yummy things to eat) Borders (in Dundee, which I use as my half way stop more and more when on route to Fife, you just can't go in there and NOT by a book....too many half price/buy one get one free etc) And any charity shops that I happen to browse in too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~V~ Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I'm envious of all these people mentioning Borders. They sound great and I've never been in one as far as I know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I'm envious of all these people mentioning Borders. They sound great and I've never been in one as far as I know It's very American, though - you know what I mean. Muzak on the speakers, a Starbucks upstairs. Once I took my Neo in, thinking I could sit at a table typing away. Then I saw the prices they charged for sitting in - how on Earth a slice of pie and a mug of overpriced coffee could increase in price just because you sit down rather than walk out I don't know. And they don't even sell tea, which is what I drink. So I thought, "Sod that," and went to a local greasy spoon, got my entire lunch for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~V~ Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Ah. So I'm not missing anything then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Unless there's a book you desperately want that you can't find anywhere else, then probably not. Except...they have a Paperchase section. Lots of pretty notebooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 The market has a few blokes who sell second-hand books but I won't use them as they are fussy about what they buy. I took a suitcase full of books down to one once and he only wanted three!!!! So I put them all back in the case and gave them all to Oxfam instead. We used to have a second hand bookshop like that.. I would lug loads of books down there, have to leave them for him to look at, then he'd give most back! So, as you did, I took them straight to the charity shop. He also had a shop bursting with books, but he charged Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Unless there's a book you desperately want that you can't find anywhere else, then probably not. Except...they have a Paperchase section. Lots of pretty notebooks. I love going Borders - but mainly just to browse. I don't often go there because it's in Bristol near the university which, although it's a lovely part of the city, I don't often go to. I love the fact it's got Starbucks and Paperchase in there! I used to go to a great second-hand bookshop in Gravesend when I lived in Kent called Regal Books. I'm not sure if it's still there now though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 If it was any good, I may have to go investigate for you, Janet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Jenkins Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 The market has a few blokes who sell second-hand books but I won't use them as they are fussy about what they buy. I took a suitcase full of books down to one once and he only wanted three!!!! So I put them all back in the case and gave them all to Oxfam instead. You mean they turned down all those Mills & Boons? I've experienced the same thing a few times....offered what I considered to be quality books in good condition and they take five out of twenty. Now the local community shop gets them. In my experience s/h booksellers are a miserable breed. Perhaps they're all frustrated writers...surrounded by rows of reminders of what they failed to do. I used to sell s/h books on Camden market. A woman once complained that I was selling a paperback for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I love Border's! They don't charge anything to sit in their cafes, though. There are always a lot of people just sitting there with their laptops or just reading the paper. They also have a great rewards program, and I'm always able to earn free books and stuff. Also, their staff (at least at the ones to which I've been) are super-friendly and helpful, much more so than at Barnes & Noble. They also don't bug you while you're looking, so you're free to browse as long as you want. And their selection is great. Sorry, I felt the need to defend my favorite book store! I still love Half Price Books, though, and I'm known to hit the various library sale, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Jenkins Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I go in Borders sometimes but never like the (lack of) atmosphere...much prefer dusty little shops manned by a grumpy b*stard wherein s/h gems can be rescued from the shelves...those special books you never knew existed...or ones you saw many years ago and didn't buy...the historic treaures that you know you may never find again...it's close to religious experience, collecting these 'documents'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~V~ Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 You mean they turned down all those Mills & Boons? I officially am not a fan of yours for that comment Thanks for the Oxfam link. Didn't know it existed. You can't beat rummaging in a shop though, can you? Try telling that to Amazon I ordered four books yesterday, you pay the same amount of P&P however much you order so I expected it all to be packaged together. Today I got three of the books, all in fantastic condition, and all posted seperately Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Jenkins Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I use Amazon too...you can't argue with a selection that big...buy lots from the s/h private sellers. Likewise with music. You go in a shop and their selection pales compared to online...natural evolution! And who doesn't enjoy those packages coming through the door? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~V~ Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 Thanks for the Oxfam link. Didn't know it existed. You can't beat rummaging in a shop though, can you? I use Amazon too...you can't argue with a selection that big...buy lots from the s/h private sellers. Likewise with music. You go in a shop and their selection pales compared to online...natural evolution! And who doesn't enjoy those packages coming through the door? I feel like I've stepped into 'Primeval' with all these anomalies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I like Borders, been going there a lot recently x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 In book shops mostly e.g Waterstones/ Borders. I also get them as presents and from my parents book shelfs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Jenkins Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 I feel like I've stepped into 'Primeval' with all these anomalies Life's full of 'em! I love football...hate aspects of it...use the local butcher and the supermarket...love jazz...hate Jamie Cullum...you're thinking in the outmoded either/or pattern! Contrariness is all the rage these days. Not that I think I'm being contrary...it's the way the world is these days...possibly longing for a chat over the fence...making do with the online community...:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyanddandy Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 My local second hand book shop is a gem - I have been going there so long the husband of the couple that own it has died. The remaining wife has got grandchildren now and she has watched my children grow up! The shop is completely higgledy piggledy - you have to turn sideways to get through the piles of books which look as though they are going to fall over but amazingly that woman knows exactly where everything is. She is so well read! If you ask her for something really obscure she will find it for you. The shop is freezing too. It's called 'Two Jays' in Edgware and a few years ago was top of the list in the Independent second hand bookshops list. She also buys books off you. So now I am selling back to her some of the books I bought there originally for the children Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted April 4, 2008 Author Share Posted April 4, 2008 That does sound like a gem HandD. I would love to know of a shop like that. Although my TBR is already out of control. Being able to sell books back is a bonus though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danscottgraham Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Next to my college there is a small bookshop called P&G Wells, I can buy anything from their and not in cash, a monthly bill is sent to my parents so they pick up the tabs, it's great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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