Monday, August 11, 2008
Tuesday Thingers: Book Buying Habits
Today's question: Favorite bookstores. What's your favorite bookstore? Is it an online store or a bricks-and-mortar store? How often do you go book shopping? Is your favorite bookstore (or bookstores) listed as a favorite in LT? Do you attend events at local bookstores? Do you use LT to find events?
I do most of my book shopping online, especially since I joined Paperback Swap last week. I've mailed out over fifty books, and have gotten about 10 so far, with more coming. Before I made the PBS plunge, most of the online books I purchased were from Alibris and Book Depository. Many of the books I enjoy are by UK authors, and Book Depository is an excellent resource--free worldwide shipping, and I usually have my book(s) within a week and in pristine condition!
I've gotten so turned off on brick-and-mortar book shops because there are so few independents, and when I walk into most chains, I can't find the books I want to read. (I didn't think I was that weird when it came to reading! LOL) The one brick-and-mortar exception that I make is the Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale. It's one of the top independent mystery book shops in the US, and I have to ration my visits there because I usually need a forklift and a bank loan in order to leave. It's a marvelous place, crammed full of gems and has one of the most knowledgeable and friendly staffs that I've ever run across.
As far as how often I shop...I try to ration the Poisoned Pen to two visits per year. It doesn't sound like much, but I usually walk out of there with at least twenty books. I would imagine that, with PBS, my book buying is going to be cut way down, and that's something I need to do, since my husband and I need to put more money away for our next trip to the UK.
The last time I looked, the Poisoned Pen wasn't listed as a favorite in LT, and I seldom attend events because they're usually held on days that I work. Events at the Poisoned Pen are well attended and usually in a rather small venue. Since I don't do well in crowds, I tend to avoid that sort of thing.
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Hope you have a terrific Tuesday! You sound like my kind of book shopper:)
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain on the html thing. I thought I had it down pat and had to give it 2 tries to work. This helps me - http://www.echoecho.com/htmllinks01.htm I hope that worked.
ReplyDeleteYou've had that much activity in a week at PBS? :-o Wow...
ReplyDeleteI've not heard of Book Depository, I'll have to check it out.
I know what you mean about not finding what your looking for in the "Bricks and Mortar" store. I often have to order what I'm wanting. They didn't have Kafka on the Shore (which I haven't even read yet, but couldn't live without), Middlemarch (ditto), and a lot of other books I've wanted. But I love shopping there for the people, not so much the inventory :-D
PBS is a great site! It does cut down on your book buying, until you find out that you can purchase credits - then watch out! =)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great bookstore. Here in LA we have lost a lot of our independent stores.
ReplyDeleteAt one time I did the swapping...got too many books back. :) My Tuesday Thingers is here.
ReplyDeleteWow, you've been busy this week! I'd hasten to bet that your reading tastes aren't so much weird as just unusual for your area...I work in a bookstore, and we get requests all the time (or I go looking for something I want) for things I think we should have in stock...but there's only so much room on the shelves, so we only keep in stock those things that sell regularly...thank goodness for special orders!
ReplyDeleteMs. Onion, you know...I have that URL bookmarked, but I'd just spent about four hours (and me being a newbie) working on bad HTML code, and I just wanted to post mine and run! LOL
ReplyDeleteKoolaid: You're very fortunate with your brick-and-mortar book shop. Almost every time I walk into a chain here, I wind up helping the other customers with their book questions. Of course, it doesn't hurt that I grew up working in a library! I also would've had more activity at PBS if I'd kept listing books. I probably have hundreds, if not at least a thousand, that I intend to list, and I guess my reading isn't all that mainstream so others like me are snapping up the books I list. As for Book Depository, I found it after becoming fed up with Amazon UK taking forever to send books and having them arrive "all beat up" when they did.
Elizabeth: I can see where that would be a danger, but I haven't had time to do much roaming around at PBS, so perhaps I'll stay out of danger a while longer. ;-)
J. Kaye: So far I've listed a lot more books than I've requested. I hope it stays that way! LOL
Readerville: You may've hit the nail on the head. My tastes may just be "different" for this area. I'm a member of Netflix, and when I look at the section labeled "What's Hot in Phoenix", I just crinkle my nose and think, "Yuck!" I think that's why I resort to online book shopping so much. Yes, I miss actually touching and looking at the books, but it's much easier online to find folks of similar mind who have the books I want to read. Sad, really. I feel personally responsible for the deaths of so many independent book shops! :-(
ReplyDeleteI'm becoming annoyed at the chain store here also, there are at least 6 Chapters stores within a half hour of me, but once inside you can't tell one from the other. Which is why I enjoy used bookshops so much.
ReplyDeleteSounds as if you've been super busy with PBS, I cannot wait until it's open for Canadians!
Wow 20 books at a time, no wonder you only go twice a year. Sounds like a great store though :)
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