Books - where do you get them from?

[ManOnTheWave]

Towards the beginning of the year, I got a Kindle. So most of what I read comes from their store. However, B&W e ink isn't very good for books on art, so I usually get physical copies of those at a local Barnes&Noble, Borders or Half Price. (Most of the smaller book shops have closed up.) I make occasional purchases from Amazon.com.

I like the e-reader thing. I can carry gobs of stuff in one little space. However, i grew up in a house full of books, and I have to say I'd feel weird without at least a few bookcases in the house.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Just wondering if any of the authors that post on this board are cringing at all of us buying our books used...

Those who buy my books would never sell them.


They're both good friends of mine.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

The public library or a bricks-and-mortar bookstore (Borders or independent or used). On-line only as a last resort. Bookstores are such wonderful places; I really don't want to see them go out of business.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Ever since I got my iPad, I resolved to buy all my books in e-form, from the iBooks application (if they're available there). Before, I used to get books from Barnes & Noble or Borders.

So how do you like the iPad? I want one, but I'm thinking of waiting patiently until the next version comes out.

 

[Miss Chicken]

The public library or a bricks-and-mortar bookstore (Borders or independent or used). On-line only as a last resort. Bookstores are such wonderful places; I really don't want to see them go out of business.

Would you feel that way if books at your bricks-and-mortar bookstore were 150% dearer than you can buy them of the the net? This is the way it is for me. Unlike all other Australian states we don't have Borders in Tasmania.

I did a check to see the price of the book I previous mentioned (Paperback version of Black Seconds by Karin Fossum) at an Borders in Australia. It is listed $AUD18.85 on their website (which is the cheapest I can find it new in Australia). Yet I buy it and have it sent post free from Britain for $AUD10.92.

I would appreciate if someone from Britain could look this book up at Book Depository and see what the price is for British people buying from BD because I have read that BD lists books at a higher price if the person IP shows that they are from Australia. I am not complaining about this as I just appreciate getting books cheaper than I would here but I would like to know how the price of books compare between Britain and Australia.

Australian bookstores like to moan that the internet is putting them out of business. They say they have to charge more for books because Australians have to pay a 10% tax (GST) on books. However a 10% tax doesn't explain why a book that costs $10.92 is $18.95+ in Australia.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I'm in the United States, and it's showing me three paperback editions at $9.41, $12.36 and $16.15. I have no idea what that is in Australian dollars, though.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I'm in the United States, and it's showing me three paperback editions at $9.41, $12.36 and $16.15. I have no idea what that is in Australian dollars, though.

Going on the cheapest paperback (which is the one I have bought), I used a currency conversion program to change my price into US dollars.

My price was $AUD10.92 which works about at about $US9.54 which is close in price to what Americans are paying for it. Now we just need a Brit's help to see if some of the 'free postage' is actually being added to the price of books being sold to Americans and Australians.

 

[Lookingglassman]

I love military books especially concerning ground combat. There is a bookstore near FT Knox that has a whole section of warfare books, but they are expensive so I go there and write down the titles I want and then come home and search the internet until I can find it cheaper.

I usually buy most of my books from ebay or Amazon used books. Rarely will I buy a book new if I dont have to.

I did score a major coup over Christmas with a book I have been searching for. The book is entitled "Chieftains" by Bob Forrest Webb. It is a fictional account of a British tank crew fighting the Russians in WW III. Well anyway copies of this book run as high as $500.00. Everywhere I looked copies of the book was expensive as heck. The cheapest copy I found was going for $70 bucks, but somebody snagged it before I could get it, but I am glad they did.

I located one on ebay that was going for $3.00 and I won it for $4.67! I nearly fainted when I saw I won it for that little amount. It is a pretty good book, but I am glad I didnt pay alot for it.

 

[Brandonv]

Lately I have been buying a lot of used books from the Amazon.com marketplace. I get some really good deals there. Otherwise, I just buy them new from Amazon, or a local store such as Borders.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

The public library or a bricks-and-mortar bookstore (Borders or independent or used). On-line only as a last resort. Bookstores are such wonderful places; I really don't want to see them go out of business.

Would you feel that way if books at your bricks-and-mortar bookstore were 150% dearer than you can buy them of the the net?

I'd probably act differently -- I'd buy more on-line, and/or borrow more from the library. But, yes, I'd FEEL the same way. I love prowling around a real bookstore.

 

[Lunarflower]

The public library or a bricks-and-mortar bookstore (Borders or independent or used). On-line only as a last resort. Bookstores are such wonderful places; I really don't want to see them go out of business.

Would you feel that way if books at your bricks-and-mortar bookstore were 150% dearer than you can buy them of the the net?

I'd probably act differently -- I'd buy more on-line, and/or borrow more from the library. But, yes, I'd FEEL the same way. I love prowling around a real bookstore.

Same here. Online just isn't the same as sitting down on the floor, pulling books off shelf within reach and flipping through the pages.

Also at used bookstores, you never know what you might find. Last time I got two of the three James Blish Star Trek TV adaptation books that I am missing from my collection, as well as two odd little Sci-fi books (Tom Corbett Space Cadet novels).

Online doesn't have any of that.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I don't think I have ever seen anyone sitting on the floor of any bookstore I have ever been in. Some bookstores here do have seats that people can sit down on but not all of them.

 

[Lunarflower]

I don't think I have ever seen anyone sitting on the floor of any bookstore I have ever been in. Some bookstores here do have seat that people can sit down on but not all of them.

Well there are some scattered around the store, but never in the sections I am interested in.

But I have seen other people sitting on the floor as well.

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

Over the last year or so I've gotta books from the library, as i find with most novels i read them once. When I was living in Sydney I use to buy books from Galaxy Bookshop, as they specialised in science fiction. Sometimes i go into the Borders in Newcastle to look at some books.

 

[galleywest]

The library, almost exclusively. I got rid of a lot of books this past year and decided that this act would be a sign of my commitment to my community library. I don't normally read books more than once, and even if I do, I can usually find what I want or order it at my local library. My workplace is actually a drop-off location for Ohiolink as well, so I get books that way too.

I don't like buying books...I know this is weird, but I'm not a big fan of bookstores in general. I see so many people with sooooooo many books in their houses that they just never read, and that makes me sad. Libraries make me happy because I feel like all the books and other media there are an active, dynamic part of the community. And I really like not having to find space for or maintain the books I read after I'm done with them!!

 

[pookha]

if i buy a used book online it is probably going to be thriftbooks.
though will use amazon for some stuff.

our local bookseller really went down hill for awhile after it was sold to another out of state independent store.
but they seem to have gotten back away from junk and keeping more actually books.including putting sf back into his prime spot it used to have.

though i do look in borders and especially books a million for sale stuff.
our books a million even has used library copies for sale.

and then i hit the local used book stores including this one hyper big place called mckays.

 

[Miss Chicken]

There are many books in my house that I have read and reread.

For example

Alive (about the Andes survivors) - I have read at least four times.
Fellowship of the Ring - twice
War of the Worlds - about 3 times.
Mythago Wood - twice
Little Big Man - twice
Bury My Heart at wounded Knee - at least three times.
Earth Abides - at least 4 times.

Many of my books are for reference. For example I have a copy "The New Encyclopedia of Mammals". It is a huge book which I have not read from cover to cover. However it is there whenever I want to look up about a particular animal.

I also have quite a few books that I haven't read but hopefully will get around to reading. It is nice to know that when I have finished a book I have several others to choose from on my shelves.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I buy them from ebay, often from Britain where despite the exchange rate they end up costing me up to 10.00 less than buying them new in Australia. That's with postage.

I used to buy all my Trek books from Dymocks because with a card your spending accrues points and you can delude yourself that those free books make the price worth it. I also bought them there because the lady in charge of Sci Fi was very nice and helpful and had actually read a lot of the books. But now they take 6 months or more to get some titles in.. and no one knows why.. and I can't be stuffed waiting. So, ebay.

I haven't used the library since I got an 84.00 fine some 20 years ago. I just find it too stressful not to lose stuff and to remember dates.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I stopped using the library after I had a disagreement with them over some books that were issued to my eldest son. He had left home but was not yet 18 years old. I had possession of his library card so I was very surprised when I was received a large bill for some books that had been borrowed on his card. It seems that he had reported his card lost and had managed to persuade them to issue him a new card and to change his address. They should not have done this for a 17 year old.