Do you buy books (1 Viewer)

[JohnRice]

I love classic literature and really don't have much interest in new stuff. I figure there is enough great literature to keep me occupied my entire life. There is a very large set from Knopf I am particularly fond of called "Everyman's Library." They are very nice, hardback books of many classic novels, are nicely set and very well made, but pretty reasonably priced. Some bookstores put them together, but a lot put them under the author. If you want to get a look at them, they have a bunch of Jane Austin and various Brontes. I have about a hundred of them.

 

[Zane Charron]

Although I love browsing in bookstores and generally hanging out in them, but I buy mostly online since I read primarily special-interest non-fiction, which can't really be had in typical bookstores. Honestly, I've found so many books online that I never would have even heard of had it not been for Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

 

[Jonathan Burk]

I've always been a library-aholic, although I've amassed a pretty good collection over the years from buying.

The Los Angeles public library lets you search and hold books over the internet, so I read up on Amazon, get recommendations, reserve and borrow from the library, and buy it if I really like it (I usually buy used at Amazon).

 

[andrew markworthy]

I buy at least a couple of hundred books a year, I guess. On top of this, I generally get key textbooks in my field either as complementary copies or to review, which cuts down on the bills a little bit. At home, there are several automatic purchases in hardback(anything by JK Rowling, Terry Pratchett, etc). Plenty of history books (I generally wait for these to come out in paperback becaue of the large price differential on non-fiction books over here in the UK). Then masses of secondhand books (I collect stuff from the Folio Society in particular, but also old psychology texts). I also tend to branch out into new areas of interest through secondhand books (basically to see if I like it at a cheap price). Generally I don't read fiction except for light relief. I'd read through the classics (Dickens,Defoe, Austen, etc, etc - i.e. all the dead white middle class people) in my teens. I'll occasionally go back to them, but I generally find fiction unappealing.

 

[Mike Voigt]

Holadem, my wife and I share that dream. We're at 13 bookcases (6 tall, 7 half height) and counting. I feel for the movers...
Most of the time, we get books at Barnes & Noble, where we have a discount card. We prefer hardbacks, but if it is some piece of fun fluff - like, say the Janet Evanovich series - its usually in paperback. Unless, of course, we just can't stand it!
Other sources are the Folio Society (beautifully bound books, and some really interesting and unusual content there, especially if you're interested in history), Borders, Amazon, and once we're back in Texas, probably the Half-Price & Bookstop.
So both new and used. New, if we can get it - on acid free paper if possible - used, if we can't or the new one is just too exorbitant.
OTOH, we need to go back and read some of them. I sadly have to admit I haven't read about 40% of the books we have... though between my wife and I, we have read about 95% of them.
Happy collecting!
Mike

 

[Rob Lutter]

I buy lots of books... mostly I prefer to buy used hardback books because A) They are cheap B) they are sturdier than their paperback versions and C) You can collect first-run books from YEARS ago (and not be that old )
For new books that I HAVE to read RIGHT NOW, I got to Barnes and Noble. They usually have a good price the first couple of weeks a book is out or if it is on the bestseller list.

 

[Brian Lawrence]

I buy most of my books in paperback, I just don't care for hardcovers as I find them a little too cumbersome and expensive. What I really hate though, are those damn trade paperbacks!, they are almost as big as a hardcover book and normaly go between $12-17. They are not sturdy like hardcover books and they are not very compact like standard paperbacks. And It drives me nuts because some of my favorite authors (Joyce Carol Oates, Russell Banks etc.....) seem to never have their books released in the smaller paperback format.
In the last few years I have found myself using the local Library more and more, as I am simply running out of room to put stuff
When I do buy a hardcover, I will usualy go to e-Bay as I can often find a signed copy costing only a little more than what I would pay at the bookstore without the author's sig.

 

[Darren Lewis]

I buy nearly all my books (or sometimes borrow off a friend). If it's an author I like I'll tend to get the hardback, especially as that is often released before the paperback anyway. If it's something I'm not sure about I'll pick up the paperback.

If I know what I want I'll buy online, but I often call in at the local bookshop when I'm in town to have a browse. Over in England shops such as "The Works" are always selling books cheap, and "WH Smith" often has books with a few £ off the jacket price. My local supermarket often sells hardbacks at half price, often a few months after the release.

 

[Mathew Shelby]

Each semester at school, I make a list of all my books and then I compare prices at the school bookstore, half.com and amazon.com. Many people do not know that Amazon sells used books (they do) and the prices can sometimes be even better than half.com. Has anyone ever used half.com to purchase DVDs? I have had extremely good luck with purchases there so far (almost 50 now). I find it is an easy way to add "fillers" to my collection. When I say "filler" I mean DVDs that I would not generally buy in a store new.

 

[Christopher P]

I almost stricly buy paperback, as is my preference, and can usually wait till a new book comes out in that form. Also stick with Half-Priced books. I love that place. Can't remember the last time I bought a book anywhere else.

Chris

 

[Michael Warner]

I work part-time in a bookstore as I was in the business for about ten years and missed being around books after I went the freelancer route. That being said, I rarely buy new books anymore as they're grossly overpriced even after an employee discount. Of course I have the advantage of being able to borrow any new releases I want to read but I just can't bring myself to plunk down that much cash for books anymore.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

I much prefer hardcovers since they are my permanent library. Except for very new material, one can often find pristine copies of books for 2 or 3 dollars on half.com even if the book has been OOP for a while. Otherwise ABE Books is an essential. I found some lovely Jack London first editions on there for a song.

 

[Darren Lewis]

I much prefer hardcovers since they are my permanent library.

They do look much nicer on the sheves. I hate the way paperbacks get those creases down the spines no matter how carefull you are with them.

 

[SteveK]

I read a lot of books in high school and college, then went through a few years where I wasn't doing much reading. Now my love of reading has been rekindled, and I have a large stacks of books in the bottom of my closet to prove it! I purchased some paperbacks at the local used bookstore, but didn't think that paying 60% of the cover price was a great deal. I found a couple used paperback places on the internet, so I bought some from them too. But then I discovered "Friends of the Library" at my local library, so I've been doing all my buying there lately. I figure I have at least 2 years of reading waiting for me on the floor of my closet. I've purchased both hardbacks and paperbacks there, usually for about a dollar each.

But as much as I enjoy reading, I don't consider myself a book "collector". I used to be one, but it just got too difficult to keep moving them around, particularly when I was in college. Plus, I can remember only a very small number of books that I've ever wanted to read a second time. So now I just donate the books I've finished reading back to the Friends of the Library for them to sell. Thus, I don't pay much attention to whether it's hardback or paperback. I do like the larger print of hardbacks, but I also like the smaller size of paperbacks. But once I'm finished reading them, they're gone (although I do have the Harry Potter books and a few select others).

Steve K.

 

[Max Knight]

I usually buy used, often off of Half.com (though when I have the time the Strand is great). I love to read, and have a voracious appetite for books!

I often buy softcover because I read on the subway a lot. For some books that I really love I'll go back and buy a hardcover.

 

[Holadem]

Well, the first book I bought online (half.com) got here yesterday. It was a test case for me, I wanted to see what a book whose condition was described as "acceptable" would look like...
For $4 + $3 shipping, I am happy. It is nowhere close to being new, pages are a little yellow, the dust jacked is fairly crappy, but it's a solid well bound hard cover. The Second World War by John Keegan.
I realise that descriptions differ from seller to seller, and that what is acceptable for some may be really trash for others, but I am easy to please.
A History of Warfare by the same author is due next week, for a similar price. I am hooked
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H