Any second hand bookshop addicts here?

Any second hand bookshop addicts here?

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Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,512 posts

189 months

Friday 16th October 2015
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cherie171 said:
I might have to pop in there the next time we're in London. It's less than a mile away from the Folio Society shop, and I [u]have[/u] to go there at some point!
There are quite a few in the area, I had failed to realise. Charing Cross Road has 3 plus a few more down 1 of the back streets (which are rather more "exclusive" I understand).

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

197 months

Friday 16th October 2015
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I do IMHO read / buy a lot of books some brand new but I will very frequently pick some up at the many charity shops or even doctors surgery.



Best bit of all they are really good condition so once I've read it I simply give it back to the charity so they can sell it again + the ones I've bought brand new elsewhere.


Yet another reason why physical books are hands down superior to these e books. I've never had one nor would I ever consider one.

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,512 posts

189 months

Saturday 17th October 2015
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Welshbeef said:
I do IMHO read / buy a lot of books some brand new but I will very frequently pick some up at the many charity shops or even doctors surgery.



Best bit of all they are really good condition so once I've read it I simply give it back to the charity so they can sell it again + the ones I've bought brand new elsewhere.


Yet another reason why physical books are hands down superior to these e books. I've never had one nor would I ever consider one.
Must admit mine rarely go back to the shops - only if I'm sure I'll never read it again/bought a duplicate will it go back. E-books I'm ambivalent about - I have a Sony one with out of copyright books on, so its good for that - and for holidays and saving room in the luggage. But I love the physicality and age of books and the e-book reader is not a replacement for books (for me, anyway). I can see why some who just love reading and don't have much room like them.

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

197 months

Saturday 17th October 2015
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Flip Martian said:
Must admit mine rarely go back to the shops - only if I'm sure I'll never read it again/bought a duplicate will it go back. E-books I'm ambivalent about - I have a Sony one with out of copyright books on, so its good for that - and for holidays and saving room in the luggage. But I love the physicality and age of books and the e-book reader is not a replacement for books (for me, anyway). I can see why some who just love reading and don't have much room like them.
I'd guess I've a "stock" if 100 books at least on the book shelves. But with more plans more kids books coming in they are taking up more room so I donate them back. Plus for me I've never read a book more than once probably because I've so many more books to read is simply never get round to it.

droopsnoot

11,817 posts

241 months

Thursday 22nd October 2015
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I try to recycle some of mine back to charity shops as well - if I kept them all there would be no visible floor. I tend to find that I keep them so long before finally getting around to packing a batch up to go that I can't remember reading some, so inevitably they get pushed to the 'new' pile and round they go again.

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,512 posts

189 months

Thursday 22nd October 2015
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Well I did my best and found a dozen or so books that I knew I wouldn't read again - as I didn't enjoy them the last time or had simply grown out of them (a couple of Liverpool FC annuals my well meaning Mum had bought me in the early 90s as a xmas stocking filler, for example!). There's a Help The Aged shop not far away who never take the mickey on book prices and are always pleasant, if not grateful for you actually going in there - so they got them (and they seemed more than happy, too).

Perseverant

439 posts

110 months

Sunday 8th November 2015
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I remember holidays in the Lake District in the sixties and discovering the joys of secondhand books. For threepence or sixpence(old money!) I could buy a "Biggles" or "William" book, or a vintage comic annual. Annoyingly, when I left home a few years later, my mother gave the lot to a church jumble sale. Since then, I've replaced some of the "William" collection, albeit at rather greater expense. Both my long suffering wife and I are avid readers and the perishing house is stuffed with books. As an aside, on those holidays, I also bought a stack of early fifties "Meccano Magazines" which oddly survived the jumble holocaust - I still have them as well as a bunch of "Practical Motorist" found in a box after my father died, and it's interesting to have these glimpses of a vanished world.

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,512 posts

189 months

Sunday 8th November 2015
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I think that's partly my attraction to old first hand accounts and biogs...a glimpse into a world long gone.

droopsnoot

11,817 posts

241 months

Tuesday 15th December 2015
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Just when I thought I was working nicely down my stock of unread books, I walked past Chester Library on Saturday only to find their sale table was (a) massive, and (b) all half-price. Fiction 12p each (as that's somehow half of 75p), got 11 books for £1.20, some by authors I'd heard of, some I hadn't. Biggest problem was that they had no bags, and I only carry one carrier bag. I now have circulation back in most of my fingers.

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,512 posts

189 months

Tuesday 15th December 2015
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Can't really lose at that price...

I found another great bookshop in Northamptonshire this weekend. In a small village called Finedon - its called Harrowden Books (they do have a website too). Run by a very nice chap who offered me a coffee. If history and military history is your thing, he's well worth a look. Lots of other areas covered but he does seem to have a good stock of those, especially. And very keenly priced. I came away with 7 books (incl 4 HBs) for £22.50.

Edit: Just realised on reading back that Cherie171 did mention this shop when the thread was first up. Doh...

Edited by Flip Martian on Tuesday 15th December 18:55

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,512 posts

189 months

Friday 22nd January 2016
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Came across a jewel of a shop last week. The Book Farm. Its in Warwickshire, not far from Nuneaton. http://www.astleybookfarm.com/

Reasonable prices and a huge (70000 books) stock. One of those places that's deceptively large that its easy to get lost in. Great cafe too. Well worth a drive if you're into used books and within a couple of hours drive.

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,512 posts

189 months

Friday 29th January 2016
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The Tombland Bookshop in Norwich is well worth a visit - opposite the Anglican Cathedral. Lots of antiquarian but more recent stuff too.

cherie171

367 posts

116 months

Friday 29th January 2016
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I've been availing myself of the Folio Society January sale too much to have spare funds for 2nd hand trawls. So much so that I've run out of shelf space! rolleyes

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,512 posts

189 months

Friday 29th January 2016
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I came across that problem twice in the last 18 months. I found a couple of vintage bookcases online (and somewhere to put them!). Since then, I've had a sort out and donated about 30 books to a charity shop. Not quite sure what I'll do when the shelves are full again...

Gojira

899 posts

122 months

Sunday 20th March 2016
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Flip Martian said:
Came across a jewel of a shop last week. The Book Farm. Its in Warwickshire, not far from Nuneaton. http://www.astleybookfarm.com/

Reasonable prices and a huge (70000 books) stock. One of those places that's deceptively large that its easy to get lost in. Great cafe too. Well worth a drive if you're into used books and within a couple of hours drive.
Ta for the heads up - only spent 20 beer tokens this time but I can see me going again soon smile

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Hay-on-Wye (unless they have and I've missed it...)
More second-hand bookshops than you can shake a stick at, and some really nice roads to get there!


Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,512 posts

189 months

Sunday 20th March 2016
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Gojira said:
Ta for the heads up - only spent 20 beer tokens this time but I can see me going again soon smile

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Hay-on-Wye (unless they have and I've missed it...)
More second-hand bookshops than you can shake a stick at, and some really nice roads to get there!
I did actually get to Hay on Wye last weekend. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed. I'd shortlisted 3 shops to check out; 1 was shut until midday due to "winter opening times" (!), 1 was ok (the old cinema) and the 3rd was really snotty and overpriced. There are lots of bookshops though - I just shortlisted 3 based on reviews, knowing my wife would only manage a couple of shops before killing me... hehe However, lovely shop in Ross on Wye (the only used bookshop there) and I bought a few things there - they had many many antiquarian books for a flat price of 10 quid each, and plenty of other stuff that was cheaper.

Lovely part of the world though, around there.

Edited to add - I've been 3 times to the Book Farm now since the start of the year - and I end up spending longer, and more, each time. So try and restrict yourself! laugh


Edited by Flip Martian on Sunday 20th March 15:11

Gojira

899 posts

122 months

Sunday 20th March 2016
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Flip Martian said:
I did actually get to Hay on Wye last weekend. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed. I'd shortlisted 3 shops to check out; 1 was shut until midday due to "winter opening times" (!), 1 was ok (the old cinema) and the 3rd was really snotty and overpriced. There are lots of bookshops though - I just shortlisted 3 based on reviews, knowing my wife would only manage a couple of shops before killing me... hehe However, lovely shop in Ross on Wye (the only used bookshop there) and I bought a few things there - they had many many antiquarian books for a flat price of 10 quid each, and plenty of other stuff that was cheaper.

Lovely part of the world though, around there.

Edited to add - I've been 3 times to the Book Farm now since the start of the year - and I end up spending longer, and more, each time. So try and restrict yourself! laugh


Edited by Flip Martian on Sunday 20th March 15:11
I can see your point with Hay, the shops do vary rather a lot.

Fortunately, She Who Must Be Obeyed is also a book addict - we went to Hay for a long weekend with friends once.

Bookshop, Bookshop, Pub, Bookshop, Bookshop, Pub, repeat till bookshops shut, then stay in Pub...wobble

I'd rather not try and think how many books we bought between us yikes

But yeah, the Book Farm could be dangerous, it's only a 40 minute drive away, unless someone does something sillier than usual on the M6.


Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,512 posts

189 months

Sunday 20th March 2016
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I got the impression that at least 1 shop in Hay relied on the fact that they were a big smart bookshop in Hay, capital of books. Certainly wasn't their prices or staff. I suppose I've been to quite a few now so can't tolerate shops taking the mickey on prices. Who on EARTH would pay 8 quid for a used recent Arnold Schwarzenegger autobiography? Seriously deluded.

Gojira

899 posts

122 months

Sunday 20th March 2016
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I can think of a couple that fit that description.

It's like any other sort of shop, really.

There are good ones, and ones that specialise in extracting the liquid bodily waste...

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,512 posts

189 months

Sunday 20th March 2016
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Very true. I know which I prefer (and they get me visiting more than once). The inprint website guide to shops I linked to on this thread somewhere is invaluable. I started writing a few reviews for it as I've found a few good places through it (including the book farm).