Another long weekend flew by, and the month is nearly closing. Time for a post! ;)
Nothing much here. I want to increase my reading amount this year, but February has been a tight month on my time. I started, and I am still reading, Eric Brighteyes by H. Rider Haggard.
Friday, I had an afternoon free (1/2 day vacation to burn) so I treated myself to book shopping. I went to an independent book seller in my area - a huge warehouse with thousands of books, The New England Mobile Book Fair - which is neither mobile, nor a fair (they are open year round.)
It's a great place, with new books. Sometimes, though, it's as good as a used book store because you might find something out-of-print hidden away. Once I stumbled on a mint, unsold, Conan of the Isles. It must have been there for twenty years before I grabbed it.
Of course, as time goes by, such finds are less likely. But, on Friday, I stumbled on a handful of Saberhagen's Lost Swords novels. No idea where they've been hiding - I guess somewhere in the back, though, being a warehouse, most stuff is out on the shelves. Very happy to acquire those. Also bought a couple of more Warhammer novels, and finally Robert E. Howard's Sword Woman (the new Del Rey edition.)
The business is up for sale (the family owning it would like to retire and move on.) They've been at it 54 years. Everyone hopes someone buys and keeps their model and makes no changes to the store. It's a real treasure, especially in this time of dwindling brick-and-mortar stores.
I decided to curb my spending and left the four TOR re-issues of Moorcock's Hawkmoon on the shelf. I was very tempted, and they are nice. But they are thin books and even with the illustrations the cover price $13.99 seems steep. Lots of folks have said they enjoy these more than Elric, and I am very tempted to read them. But I think I'll just keep an eye out for used editions. The tales have been through a few different publishers.
After all that, Friday night I received the official "your local Borders store is closing" email. 20% off starting Saturday, so I went and bought yet more books. This time, some Dr Seuss for my daughter, a Warhammer omnibus and two titles by A. Lee Martinez, (In the Company of Ogres, The Automatic Detective.) I haven't read Martinez, but I've heard good things about these books. I'm usually not one for comedic fantasy, but these sound like I would enjoy them.
As usual, I now need to find room to squeeze these titles on my bookcases, and find time to read them all!
My post today is on book buying as well. Borders is closing and I was picking over the remains.
ReplyDeleteBorder's is doing a 20% off sale? That's almost worth my driving down to the one thast closing-my local one isn't yet.
ReplyDeleteAnd heck yeah about those mint condition finds. I once came across a pristine CONAN #1 from ACE. I couldn't believe it, my wife had to come and ask why I was jumping up and down. "But you already have that one."
"Yeah, but this one is white, with no wrinkles in the spine."
Charles, yup - might as well pick 'em clean.
ReplyDeleteDavid, Borders are saying 20-40%, though I only saw 20%. I suspect maybe as supplies dwindle and time goes by, the percentage will increase.
I should note, the NE Book Fair I mentioned is always 20% off, which is why I usually plan to - and come out with - a pile of books. Love that place!