Hello All!
This will be only my opinion on what can be a controversial subject in the book world. I purchase used books. The reasons why are that it makes book purchasing more affordable for me, and that I can find out-of-print books. A reason that would make me sound ecological is that it could be construed as recycling. I know that when I purchase used books that the author doesn't get any royalties, and this is the biggest thing that bothers me, and can make me feel guilty. I want to support authors and the publishing industry, and having books published in PRINT as opposed to just digitally (something that seems to be looming in the future...). So I try to support my favorite authors, and up-and-coming authors by buying them new, and supplement my book collection with decent copies of used books. To me, this is a great help also when trying to fill in series that have been around for awhile, and the series may not be in print in its entirety.
I support used bookstores also--doing so can help the local economy, and while this also sounds good, it's not the only reason I do it. Aunt Agatha's Mystery Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan is one of my favorite places to shop, and its owners, Robin and Jamie Agnew, have become very close friends. They are like me, love to connect people with books, and if you've finished one series, they will find another series to keep you going and interested in mysteries. Now that I live 2000+ miles away, I still get their newsletter, and I still buy books from them. Additionally, their store is very cozy, sells new and used books, and holds frequent booksignings.
More local to me now is Bookman's, an Arizona institution, more formally known as Bookman's Entertainment Exchange. Bookman's has 1 store in Flagstaff, 2 in the Phoenix metro area, and 3 in Tucson. They not only sell every kind of book, but also comics, manga, magazines, video games, movies and music. They are wonderful places to spend a short or a long period of time, and come away with some special things that you were looking for, or maybe a surprise that you didn't know you were looking for.
Happy Reading (and shopping)!
Patti
Showing posts with label Bookman's Entertainment Exchange. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bookman's Entertainment Exchange. Show all posts
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Sunday, August 3, 2008
A Birthday Happily Spent :)
Hi All!
This is the way many readers will understand as a very good way to spend time on your birthday :). Today, my husband and I started the day by opening the birthday cards sent to me by family and friends, then got ready to go out. We brunched on bagels at Einstein Bagels, then on to two of the highlights of the day.
The first was a visit to Bookman's, a used book and other media store. It's very large, and the sections are clearly marked and alphabetized well. As I do on every trip to a used bookstore, I check out things that are on my list--these are either out-of-print, or things I haven't purchased yet. Looking at the pile I will list in a moment, I actually only got one book that's on my list. Somehow...again all readers will understand...I still managed to purchase 4 books.
After Bookman's, we went on to Changing Hands. Changing Hands is a new and used bookstore, named independent bookstore of the year by Publisher's Weekly in 2006. They have frequent author signings and other interesting activities for customers of all ages, and I was there last Monday for a signing by science fiction author Karen Traviss. As I had just been there the other day, I didn't spend as much time browsing, yet again, ended up with 2 more books. Ah yes, bookstores are exactly where one should spend a birthday.
What I bought:
All About Evie by Beth Ciotta (previously reviewed, now owned; romance)
The Shortest Day by Jane Langton (a hopefully not already owned* title in the Homer and Mary Kelly mystery series)
Dewey Decimated by Charles Goodrum (1st in a mystery series)
Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn (2nd in a mystery series)
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (fiction)
Lazy B: Growing Up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest by Sandra Day O'Connor and H. Alan Day (biography)
The rest of today I hope to spend reading, responding to birthday emails, and watching either a "Midsomer Murder" episode or "Desk Set", one of my favorite movies with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy (for those of you who don't know, Hepburn plays a librarian in this movie!). And my handsome husband is cooking me a lovely chicken dinner.
May all your birthdays be as happily spent!
Happy Reading!
Patti
*When Ken and I moved to Arizona, a year ago now, we took a very small place, as we didn't know where we'd be working. As of right now, most of the books I own are in storage. I try not to buy things that are part of series that I'm looking for, as I don't know what I already own :). Notice how, in general, this has not stopped the acquiring of books by either Ken or myself, though I am the much guiltier party.
This is the way many readers will understand as a very good way to spend time on your birthday :). Today, my husband and I started the day by opening the birthday cards sent to me by family and friends, then got ready to go out. We brunched on bagels at Einstein Bagels, then on to two of the highlights of the day.
The first was a visit to Bookman's, a used book and other media store. It's very large, and the sections are clearly marked and alphabetized well. As I do on every trip to a used bookstore, I check out things that are on my list--these are either out-of-print, or things I haven't purchased yet. Looking at the pile I will list in a moment, I actually only got one book that's on my list. Somehow...again all readers will understand...I still managed to purchase 4 books.
After Bookman's, we went on to Changing Hands. Changing Hands is a new and used bookstore, named independent bookstore of the year by Publisher's Weekly in 2006. They have frequent author signings and other interesting activities for customers of all ages, and I was there last Monday for a signing by science fiction author Karen Traviss. As I had just been there the other day, I didn't spend as much time browsing, yet again, ended up with 2 more books. Ah yes, bookstores are exactly where one should spend a birthday.
What I bought:
All About Evie by Beth Ciotta (previously reviewed, now owned; romance)
The Shortest Day by Jane Langton (a hopefully not already owned* title in the Homer and Mary Kelly mystery series)
Dewey Decimated by Charles Goodrum (1st in a mystery series)
Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn (2nd in a mystery series)
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (fiction)
Lazy B: Growing Up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest by Sandra Day O'Connor and H. Alan Day (biography)
The rest of today I hope to spend reading, responding to birthday emails, and watching either a "Midsomer Murder" episode or "Desk Set", one of my favorite movies with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy (for those of you who don't know, Hepburn plays a librarian in this movie!). And my handsome husband is cooking me a lovely chicken dinner.
May all your birthdays be as happily spent!
Happy Reading!
Patti
*When Ken and I moved to Arizona, a year ago now, we took a very small place, as we didn't know where we'd be working. As of right now, most of the books I own are in storage. I try not to buy things that are part of series that I'm looking for, as I don't know what I already own :). Notice how, in general, this has not stopped the acquiring of books by either Ken or myself, though I am the much guiltier party.
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