Bookstores
In my Interview Meme post of May 14th, Sonja asked what I missed about living in a big city. I replied that I used to miss the shopping until I discovered internet shopping. I'd like to revise that answer. I miss BOOKSTORES!
We haven't been in a bookstore since our last trip to Edmonton, 3 years ago. We've bought a LOT of books online since then, but we haven't physically entered a bookstore. Our little town has an AMAZING public library, but no bookstores.
I didn't realize how much I missed bookstore shopping until our trip to the Twin Cities on Memorial Day weekend. There is a huge Barnes and Noble near my in-laws house......we couldn't resist the temptation.
The first thing that struck me, upon entering the store, was the new book smell. That's the main thing I miss with online book shopping.... the smell and feel of the books. Ahhhhh, I was in heaven!
I found this book displayed right inside the front door. We have needed a new bird book for a long time! We inherited my parents' bird book(pictured below) when we bought them a hardcover edition of the same book. This book has been in our family since I was 13. The $2.95 price tag will tell you how long it's been since I was 13! It's still a good reference guide, IF you can keep the pages from falling out.Our NEW bird book has EXCELLENT photographs, rather than drawings, of the birds of North America. As a lifelong "birder", I highly recommend both of these field guides!
The next stop in my bookstore adventure was my favorite area....the BARGAIN TABLES!! I found 2 books that I've wanted to read for $4/each....hardcover! My next stop was the classics bargain table. Here, I found 7 of Robert Lewis Stevenson's novels, in one hardcover volume, for $12. I CAN'T WAIT to re-read The Black Arrow and Kidnapped!Right around the corner was the reference bargain table. That was where I found my most impressive acquisition of the day....
This book is THE most impressive overview of World History I've EVER seen!!
L and Z were equally impressed with the information in this volume. As homeschoolers, it will be invaluable in ANY study of World History! Z and I found several maps that concisely showed what we had painstakingly mapped out for ourselves. The book's maps were a lot more legible than ours too.
The publishers list this book at $148.99. Amazon sells it for $86. I purchased it for......$19.97!! Oh, how I LOVE a good bargain!
Z is studying psychology right now, and was THRILLED to find a comprehensive book on Freud. He also found a book(Prank the Monkey) by his "web hero", John Hargrave.
Untrue to form, L only found 1 book that he wanted. However, he has been thoroughly enjoying Z's and my finds.
After spending $120 at Barnes and Noble, I guess it might be a good thing we don't have a bookstore in our town.
posted by tshsmom @ 6:02 PM
21 comments
21 Comments:
Oh Tshsmom, I can sympathize! None of the Chapters coupons get used by me for their original value. They're just a path for more spending..but isn't it heaven?
Bridg, heehee, I wonder if they have a Bookbuyers Anonymous for us book junkies?
You would have a hard time here then. We have a B&N and then we have a Waldens Books in the mall yet. But I love books myself. I dont know about that books annyomous. You might have to look that one up. LOL... Ooops that was bookbuyers Annonomous. LOL.. They might have one some where. Well glad you found some good buys though when you went to Minneapolis.
Oh I do love a good bargain, too!! You got a LOT for your money. Good for you and I will most definitely check the history book out. I wonder if they have it in my library? I'll be checking this week.
I adore bookstores AND libraries. Borders has been our fave for a few years mostly because we're closer to it. The girls' favorite gift is a Borders gift card. (well - one of their favorite gifts.)
Happy reading!
I think we had that same bird book when I was a teen! Or at least some edition.
I wish you'd bought 2 of the world history books to send me one! I've wanted one for some time but didn't know it actually existed - not that I've looked.
Makes me think that I should go through bookstores more often.
I'm tempted to buy online when I can't find stuff in town and don't feel like ordering it, but now that you mention it...the smell, and the look and feel of thousands of books waiting patiently to be read is pretty awesome. My big temptation is used bookstores, where you can find funky out-of-print stuff for $2.
There is something totally different about really 'browsing'. Sure, you can find it on Amazon, but it's not the same. There's a great independent bookstore near us that's running month to month right now, slowly being put out of business by Borders and Amazon. It's really a shame.
Hey - you could open a used bookstore - like a yard sale swap meet type thing. (as if you didn't have enough to do)...
Bridg: Those Crapters coupons are a TRAP! Resist!
I don't miss bookstores that much, though we have a few around here that are quite small but offer a decent selection. I'm still a big fan of Amazon.
Doesn't it feel just awesome to get a great bargain? I love it!
I love the bargain table!
I got a winchester coffee table book for $14 It lists for $119 everywhere else.
You can't beat the new boox smell :)
Tweets, we had a good time all the way around!
Monica, I'm rather proud of all the homeschool fodder I got for the money!
When I looked the book up on Amazon, I found that it's been around for 24 yrs. Amazon was selling the 5th edition, and we bought the 6th edition. The library probably does have it, but it's such a great reference source that I'm glad we own it!
Jeannie, I felt rather old when I noticed the price on that book. I'm hoping the $20 we paid for the new bird book will last us another 38 yrs. ;)
You should check your bookstore bargain tables for the history book...you won't regret it.
SME, I liked that discount bookstore you showed me at the West Ed! Old books have a great smell too.
Laura, EXACTLY!
Several people in town have tried running swap meet type bookstores..they all failed. :(
WC, bargains are incredible!!
Hammer, I didn't look at any other books; I just cruised the bargain sections, and came out a very happy shopper! ;)
I once got my Dad a Frederick Remington coffee table book for $14.99...he still loves that book.
Fred rem
i am a bookie too. i LOVE that new book smell ! here we have giant Chapters bookstores... me and my love enjoy wandering around in there for hours, admittedly he always ends up in the magazine section hahaha... but i have always wanted a library in my house. nothing beats a good book. but yes, they can be expensive... i am fond of old books too, nothing cooler than a used book store full of kooky old sci-fi out of print stories.
There is this store in Milwaukee we go to every so often down town. Its pretty neat there. He has three floors of books. Old books on top of that. He also owns a small shop in the airport in Milwaukee that he brings books into once in a while from the big store down town.
When I finally get back to posting after the sisters leave, I'm going to post pictures of the Barnes & Noble at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. It's housed in a former power plant and is an amazing building with character overflowing. You would think you'd died and gone to bookstore heaven!
Bookstores are aromatic, tempting, eye candy stores, that's for sure. We have a lot of bookstores and I guess I take them for granted. I do the Amazon thing most of the time, but for gifts, I go and browse, hitting the bargain table, too, and keeping myself on a tight leash - because I LOVE books. They are a weakness - for the whole family.
I prefer real bookstores to online ones. I think there is a greater chance of finding things you never expected in a real bookstore. Plus, I love the remainder tables.
I love bookstores, there is nothing like instant grat. It looks like you got some great deals.
One of the birds on your covers looked like a bird I nursed to health and released. I believe he was a painted bunting and his name was Fluffbutt. He was a good bird but I have never seen a bird happier to leave us.
We have a Barnes & Noble nearby and it has a Starbucks inside, as most of them seem to have now... Two of my favorite things in one location -- heaven! There also is a Half Price Books an easy distance away but I try to just forget it exists, for the good of the family budget. It must have been fun to wander around the bookstore after all that time... I would definitely appreciate it more if it wasn't readily available to us!
I love bookstores. Mrs. Z and I go once a week and read a book each without buying anything. Yeah, we're sinners. Sorry Barnes and Noodle. But she occasionally buys something so I guess they get their money's worth.
The thing I really love are magazines. Each magazine usually has only one good article anyways, so it's worth reading it in Barnes and Noodle without buying.
Birdwatching is cool. The last place we lived was more rural, and we actually had lots of birds. I actually bought a pair of binoculars just for bird watching. The problem with cities is that they're full of cats, which are evil creatures. They'll kill every last bird around, unless there are high trees that are too high for cats to climb. We do have some redwoods here, so we have some birds.
I love going to bookstores, even if I don't buy anything. Enjoy your new books!
Sadly that place in the mall shut down. :(
Barnes & Noble - dear to my heart. I love going there, getting a big pile of books and hunkering down for reading! And if I'm rich, a latte.
This history book sounds wonderful - I think I'll run over to B & N on lunch hour Mon. and see if I get lucky.
I purchased some home school materials for boy the other day, right before I went back to the office & got fired - AGAIN.
So I know what I'll be doing. Trying to catch him up this summer. Any hints?
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