Any second hand bookshop addicts here?
Discussion
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).
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...
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
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.
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.
Gojira said:
Ta for the heads up - only spent 20 beer tokens this time but I can see me going again soon 
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... 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!
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!
Edited by Flip Martian on Sunday 20th March 15:11
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.
droopsnoot said:
I keep meaning to find a day to pop to Hay, interesting to hear there's still a lot of bookshops though I'm not sure they're really the kind of thing I'm after.
Prices are always interesting - there's a local bookshop on a small craft / antiques outlet who seems very expensive on his fiction - used fiction hardbacks for about £8 each, which to me is on the heavy side, quite aside from the fact you can usually get them around that point brand new from Waterstones when they're first released. And yet on the same outlet there are "general" stalls where fiction tends to be £1, sometimes less, and these are the ones that tend to move. Main bookshop must be doing something right, though, to pay the rent.
I can't remember whether I've mentioned the Bookstore at Brierlow Bar, a couple of miles outside Buxton. That's what I'd describe as a publishers outlet (though I don't know if that's how they work) - all new books, but at pretty good discount. Not buy-it-as-its-so-cheap fiction prices, but a lot of non-fiction at big discounts off list price.
You might want to do a bit of research on the shops before visiting Hay - they do have quite a range and some specialise in different areas, so you might get lucky.Prices are always interesting - there's a local bookshop on a small craft / antiques outlet who seems very expensive on his fiction - used fiction hardbacks for about £8 each, which to me is on the heavy side, quite aside from the fact you can usually get them around that point brand new from Waterstones when they're first released. And yet on the same outlet there are "general" stalls where fiction tends to be £1, sometimes less, and these are the ones that tend to move. Main bookshop must be doing something right, though, to pay the rent.
I can't remember whether I've mentioned the Bookstore at Brierlow Bar, a couple of miles outside Buxton. That's what I'd describe as a publishers outlet (though I don't know if that's how they work) - all new books, but at pretty good discount. Not buy-it-as-its-so-cheap fiction prices, but a lot of non-fiction at big discounts off list price.
There seems to be so much fiction around, used as well, that I'm amazed any would sell at 8 quid a pop. My local Age UK bookshop sells most things at a pound each - and talking to 1 of the guys running it recently, they have a turnover of thousands of books a month. So I guess being so cheap will mean you shift stock. By contrast, I visit a local collectibles/antiques place where the owner rents cabinets to people with things to sell - and some people charge stupid amounts for raddled old books and consequently they're there for well over a year in some cases.
In fact 1 seller of pristine but expensive hardbacks had left the charity shop price on the back of something he was charging 12 quid for - he'd evidently got it for £2 and thought he was on to a winner. That stayed there too.
Productive trip then At least I can point my good lady to this thread and say "see? I've never spent that much in 1 go!"
I work around the corner in Bloomsbury - was at the Oxfam shop half an hour ago! Nothing for me this time - their prices range from reasonable to "hahaha, give over..." - but always worth popping in. Skoob's about 20 minutes walk north of there is well worth a look if you're ever in the area. Much bigger than the Oxfam shop, and most of the charing x ones too.
At least I can point my good lady to this thread and say "see? I've never spent that much in 1 go!" I work around the corner in Bloomsbury - was at the Oxfam shop half an hour ago! Nothing for me this time - their prices range from reasonable to "hahaha, give over..." - but always worth popping in. Skoob's about 20 minutes walk north of there is well worth a look if you're ever in the area. Much bigger than the Oxfam shop, and most of the charing x ones too.
cherie171 said:
That's not the most I've spent in one go... about 5/6 years ago I paid £550 for the first three books in a series. I could probably sell the first one for more than that, so I have no regrets. 
I think half the problem with 2nd hand bookshops is finding which ones have a good selection to your own particular tastes. One off unexpected finds are great, but for frequent visits, you need something that draws you back.
Interesting. I guess it helps if you know what you're looking for - I rarely do! I do have 1 or 2 things on my list but in the main I just browse and more often than not come across something I like. I picked up a first edition of Mark Twain's first book for 6 pounds - I only bought it as it was quaint and old (and in good condition), not thinking "wow, they have no idea what this is worth". 1 book seller later pronounced it in genuine original condition and reckoned it should be worth 3 figures. Not that I want to sell but I have no real intent to collect any one thing until something takes my eye. Which makes for a relaxing shop for me - but it drives my wife mad. I suspect trips to the Book Farm, Brackley and Fineden will be on my own in future I think half the problem with 2nd hand bookshops is finding which ones have a good selection to your own particular tastes. One off unexpected finds are great, but for frequent visits, you need something that draws you back.
RizzoTheRat said:
The Mrs has got me started on it now. We already got the entire Mark Billingham DI Thorne series from charity shops, and now we keep browsing them for more Jack Reacher novels. the problem with looking for books in a series though if we've got several that are ahead of where we've read to, and we've got a missing one to find before we carry on
If you get really stuck, check out www.abebooks.co.uk
cherie171 said:
We (or more accurately I) finally got around to visiting the Astley Book Barn today... whoops! 3 Folio books, another 1st ed hardback that I've been meaning to pick up, 2 newish paperbacks, and 2 1970's Andre Norton books with cover illustrations by Rodney Matthews. I love his artwork, so couldn't walk away from the them once I'd found them. A productive, if slightly expensive trip.
Plus tea and a panini each in the café.
Glad you enjoyed. That sounds quite restrained! I generally come away with an armful from there. My wife now stays home while I go alone...which generally means I stay longer and buy more. Tough life. Plus tea and a panini each in the café.
The cafe is the best book shop cafe I've come across.I'm on holiday in Dorset so have been to a few down here (in between beach hopping).
Chapter House Books in Sherborne today was worth a trip with a decent history/military/children's/topography selection plus much more (I don't really do fiction but they had plenty). A bit of a messy shop though - stuff in boxes and piles.
Bridport Old Books in Bridport (surprise...) is small but worth a visit (as is Bridport, actually). Well organised stock and not pricey. Wild and Homeless Books across the road from there is the worst I've been in - totally disorganised, 2 floors of unordered chaos. I gave up after 10 minutes of getting increasingly irritated at the lack of care and order.
On a beautiful sunny day in Lyme Regis the other day, I called in to The Sanctuary bookshop on the way back to the car park. Piled high with books everywhere, along with some antique curios also for sale. A bit eccentric but if you have some time, worth a mooch. For anyone collecting old kid's annuals, they had loads of children's books which were far cheaper than ebay.
Another decent place to add. Somewhere in this thread I mentioned the Old Hall bookshop in Brackley - well 5 mins walk from there is a large antiques place called the Brackley Antiques Cellar (they have a website). The kind of place where multiple dealers sell antiques and collectibles. Its very large and there are several places in there selling old books at reasonable prices amongst other stock. If you're in the area its definitely worth checking out. I think they're open 7 days a week. They do have a cheap and cheerful cafe too (although not as extensive a selection as the Book Barn's).
Some lovely antiques and old furniture in there too, often priced quite reasonably. I picked up a small 1930s bookcase quite cheaply the other week.
Some lovely antiques and old furniture in there too, often priced quite reasonably. I picked up a small 1930s bookcase quite cheaply the other week.
cherie171 said:
If you're ever in Market Harborough, don't forget to nip in to the Oxfam bookshop. As with any Oxfam, their selection can be hit and miss, but I picked up a Stephen King Dark Tower hardback for 99p, and the Folio Society book chronicling the deciphering the Enimga code. They also had a stack of Folio Society Dickens' books ranging from about £11 to £60. Definitely one I'll be revisiting now and then.
Thanks for that (and resurrecting my thread! haha). I've not been to MH for a while but its a nice drive from here through Northants so I'll give that a go. Someone recently recommended The Eagle Bookshop in Bedford to me, if you're ever along that way. Website only has very expensive bits on it which had put me off but apparently they cater to most budgets.cherie171 said:
I've not been into Bedford in a couple of years, not since before we moved. I never even knew that bookshop was there. I'll have to make a point of finding if we ever go to Bedford for anything ever again.
Another one that I'd recommend, I'm not sure if it's been mentioned before is the Big Comfy Bookshop in Coventry. I spent a good half an hour or so in there browsing and enjoying a cuppa before relieving them of some nice 1st editions. The same day we trekked over to Astley Book Farm... that was expensive day!
I've not come across that one in Coventry; thanks I'll look it up. I rarely spend less than 2 hours at Astley (but then I usually have lunch too). I came away from there with an armful of 12 books only a few weeks ago. I'm going to try and stay away until 2017. Another one that I'd recommend, I'm not sure if it's been mentioned before is the Big Comfy Bookshop in Coventry. I spent a good half an hour or so in there browsing and enjoying a cuppa before relieving them of some nice 1st editions. The same day we trekked over to Astley Book Farm... that was expensive day!
cherie171 said:
7 and a bit weeks, I'm sure you'll manage!
On the other hand, I'll be heading to a bookfair near Peterborough this Sunday, so hopefully I can find some gems there.
7 and a bit weeks is probably the longest I've been away from there all year actually haha. If I manage to stay away from every bookshop until then I'll be doing even better! Enjoy the book fair. On the other hand, I'll be heading to a bookfair near Peterborough this Sunday, so hopefully I can find some gems there.
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