Any second hand bookshop addicts here?
Discussion
I can't seem to pass a charity shop without going in to check out their bookshelves, even if its just a couple of shelves. Point me at a second hand bookshop and I'll happily be there for ages, just leafing through old volumes (and invariably buying a few). Sometimes I think acquiring these books is more important than reading them; my "not yet read" pile gets ever higher.
Is it just me?
Is it just me?
I love any sort of bookshop, had a great nose around the Speaking Tree in Gloastonbury village when we were visiting last weekend (selling a lot of discount/remainders), and then someone told me to go and pay a visit to http://www.bookbarninternational.com/ just north of Wells. Oh my gosh what a place!
prand said:
I love any sort of bookshop, had a great nose around the Speaking Tree in Gloastonbury village when we were visiting last weekend (selling a lot of discount/remainders), and then someone told me to go and pay a visit to http://www.bookbarninternational.com/ just north of Wells. Oh my gosh what a place!
Oh my, that looks rather fine... Quite a way from me unfortunately.Locally, we have a rather superior* OXFAM bookshop with some absolute bargains, hardly ever above £4 each. My military / history and watercolour shelves are growing rapidly, and it seems many of the books are like new. They even have a few rather expensive volumes in glass cases which I assume are first editions or rare books.
Recent purchases :
COAST - the book of the series
THE ULTIMATE TIME TEAM COMPANION
UXB - Companion to the Channel 4 programme
WARTIME FARM - Companion to the TV series
WORK SMALL - An American watercolour technique book
(* a complete shop-fit with new shelves, flooring, lighting and decoration - its better than the local Library )
Upstairs incidentally, its DVDs, CDs and vinyl.
I generally pop in every 2 weeks or so to see whats on the shelves and inevitably end up with a book or two to take home.
Recent purchases :
COAST - the book of the series
THE ULTIMATE TIME TEAM COMPANION
UXB - Companion to the Channel 4 programme
WARTIME FARM - Companion to the TV series
WORK SMALL - An American watercolour technique book
(* a complete shop-fit with new shelves, flooring, lighting and decoration - its better than the local Library )
Upstairs incidentally, its DVDs, CDs and vinyl.
I generally pop in every 2 weeks or so to see whats on the shelves and inevitably end up with a book or two to take home.
Charity shops like that are a real bonus. We have a couple - 1 is definitely an Oxfam one - which are usually decent prices but not quite that cheap! I try and get there every few weeks too. National Trust places often have used books now but they seem to vary at each property on prices - some can be 50p or a quid, others 3 or 4 times as much. I often come back with military biogs/first hand accounts.
I bought a book via Abe Books online recently and it was actually sold by Old Hall Books (http://oldhallbooks.com/) which is only half an hour from me - so I went over there this morning. I did write a blog at the weekend about that particular purchase - I won't link to it here as its probably against the rules but anyone googling my user name and "blog" will find it.
Anyway - this shop. Some of the wall shelving was given over to some lovely rare books - the kind you find in NT libraries - real antiquarian stuff, with prices to match - some of them in the thousands. But they do cover all budgets - I got 3 hardbacks in their dust jackets for a fiver each:
Heroes of Greece and Troy from 1973
The Diary of a Victorian Squire from 1983
The Gilded Lily - a biog of Lillie Langtry from 1958
I could have got a lot more really, especially with an unlimited budget. I tend to go for non fiction mainly, especially biogs and first hand accounts.
I was also tempted by a copy of Pepys' Diaries, dating from the 1920s and The Life and Times of Sir Walter Raleigh from about 1887 - each were about 12 quid I think. I got away with the 3 anyway - my wife thought she'd like 2 of them too, so I didn't get a lecture.
I have, however, been told to find some room and sort out another bookcase - our existing ones are all overflowing.
Will definitely be going there again (when I get the new bookcase and make some room for it).
I bought a book via Abe Books online recently and it was actually sold by Old Hall Books (http://oldhallbooks.com/) which is only half an hour from me - so I went over there this morning. I did write a blog at the weekend about that particular purchase - I won't link to it here as its probably against the rules but anyone googling my user name and "blog" will find it.
Anyway - this shop. Some of the wall shelving was given over to some lovely rare books - the kind you find in NT libraries - real antiquarian stuff, with prices to match - some of them in the thousands. But they do cover all budgets - I got 3 hardbacks in their dust jackets for a fiver each:
Heroes of Greece and Troy from 1973
The Diary of a Victorian Squire from 1983
The Gilded Lily - a biog of Lillie Langtry from 1958
I could have got a lot more really, especially with an unlimited budget. I tend to go for non fiction mainly, especially biogs and first hand accounts.
I was also tempted by a copy of Pepys' Diaries, dating from the 1920s and The Life and Times of Sir Walter Raleigh from about 1887 - each were about 12 quid I think. I got away with the 3 anyway - my wife thought she'd like 2 of them too, so I didn't get a lecture.
I have, however, been told to find some room and sort out another bookcase - our existing ones are all overflowing. Will definitely be going there again (when I get the new bookcase and make some room for it).
I generally have a browse - as well as charity shops we've got an "antiques and craft market" here which is basically a load of sheds divided into "units" that are 8'x4' upwards, selling all kinds of tat including second hand books, as well as a "proper" second hand book shop. I also trawl the sale shelf at the local library.
My "to read" pile is currently two large plastic boxes. As well as the above, my local "The Works" outlet had what I'd call a real sale a couple of years ago, with new hardbacks for 50p with 25% off, raising to 75% off in the last week. Predictably I bought many, many books with the thought that I don't need to buy any more for ages, but it hasn't stopped me browsing.
The trouble with so many is that I often buy a book then find it's already in the "to read" boxes.
My "to read" pile is currently two large plastic boxes. As well as the above, my local "The Works" outlet had what I'd call a real sale a couple of years ago, with new hardbacks for 50p with 25% off, raising to 75% off in the last week. Predictably I bought many, many books with the thought that I don't need to buy any more for ages, but it hasn't stopped me browsing.
The trouble with so many is that I often buy a book then find it's already in the "to read" boxes.
No visit to my folks in rural Northumberland is complete without a visit to Batter books in Alnwick http://www.barterbooks.co.uk/html/About%20Us/The%2... - my only complaint is that they're not as cheap as they could be!
had ham said:
No visit to my folks in rural Northumberland is complete without a visit to Batter books in Alnwick http://www.barterbooks.co.uk/html/About%20Us/The%2... - my only complaint is that they're not as cheap as they could be!
Hoping to get up to Northumberland next year so I've bookmarked this, thanks. Looks a fantastic place.If you're up that way, I'd recommend the Ship Inn for some lunch in a stunning setting http://www.shipinnnewton.co.uk/ - a bit further North, but worth the effort, I promise!
had ham said:
If you're up that way, I'd recommend the Ship Inn for some lunch in a stunning setting http://www.shipinnnewton.co.uk/ - a bit further North, but worth the effort, I promise!
Always good to have recommendations - in my bookmarks now, ta. I always get congratulated if I manage to walk past [u]any[/u] bookshop without drifting towards it. My weakness at the moment is Folio Society editions (I need to find room in my budget for the HG Wells set). There's a local 2nd bookshop near to where I work (Harrowden Books, Finedon) that I've only been in once so far, but I need to get over there sometime, as they've always got Folio editions in stock.
I wish I hadn't followed to trail to The Old Hall Bookshop. I can see me dropping in there when I take my car to APS for a service!
I wish I hadn't followed to trail to The Old Hall Bookshop. I can see me dropping in there when I take my car to APS for a service!
cherie171 said:
I always get congratulated if I manage to walk past [u]any[/u] bookshop without drifting towards it. My weakness at the moment is Folio Society editions (I need to find room in my budget for the HG Wells set). There's a local 2nd bookshop near to where I work (Harrowden Books, Finedon) that I've only been in once so far, but I need to get over there sometime, as they've always got Folio editions in stock.
I wish I hadn't followed to trail to The Old Hall Bookshop. I can see me dropping in there when I take my car to APS for a service!
You've actually reminded me that last time I was at my dad's cottage in Dorset, I was admiring a couple of Folio Society books and I did think I'd investigate further. I'm just over the border in Bucks, so it looks like I may well be taking a trip to Finedon as well, thanks for that. I wish I hadn't followed to trail to The Old Hall Bookshop. I can see me dropping in there when I take my car to APS for a service!
Edited by Flip Martian on Wednesday 16th September 21:39
I nearly always pop in our local charity shop as I pass, although I've tried to wean myself off it a bit recently as it's much easier to buy a few books than read them!
We have quite a few books around the house, but short of putting up more shelves, we've run out of space (the idea of recycling books through the charity shop doesn't seem to work that well...).
M.
We have quite a few books around the house, but short of putting up more shelves, we've run out of space (the idea of recycling books through the charity shop doesn't seem to work that well...).
M.
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