Book buying habits

echomadman

How often do you buy books?
Me I buy one or two a week, usually from second hand shops but also the occasional "must have" new release.
It occured to me today as i clambered over the heap of books in my flats sitting room, and i had to ask if anyone else has similar buying habits.

TheSonOfBattles

I am unfortunately an impulse buyer. I go into bookshops whenever I pass one, and I'll have a look through there fantasy, sci-fi and comedy sections, and if I see anything good, i'll buy it, even when I can't really afford to tbh.

What's worse is if I get into a series that already has a few books out, i'll buy a new one every coupla days, until i've finished reading or something has pulled me away from reading long enough that my booklust fades.

Also, every coupla months i'll start reading Star Wars books, and buy every Star Wars book I can for about a month or two, and then stop for another 'cause something will inevitably pull my attention away from reading.

dudara

Same here. I tend to trawl charity shops looking for books, but it can be a bit hit and miss. Some days you get none, and other days you can come away with 10. But I suppose that I get 1 or 2 a week on average. I've always been a ferocious reader.

simu

I have a lot of books and I buy more regularly, often at 2nd hand stores where they are priced far more reasonably.

I collect mostly science fiction books, comic books (the more intelligent ones - no superheroes in underpants for me), books in Irish (they can be hard to find but they are handy both for uni and because i find reading books in Irish is more rewarding than books in English - tis my 1st language), books in French (it's hard to find any in Ireland unless they're on uni syllabi) and books on science and computer programming (Have to be very critical here as there are a lot of really pointless books on the last two topics).

I love books - the joy of getting into a new story/ learning something new, the smell, the texture, finding notes by other people in 2nd hand books and so on.

yellum

I'm like Mel Gibsons character in Conspiracy Theory. While he has to buy a copy of Catcher in the Rye, I *have* to buy a book everytime I'm in waterstones or on Amazon.

30 books in my "To be read"queue. Grrrr.

CuLT

Simu, I recommend the bookstore in Rathmines if you can get there, there's a rake of old Irish books in the corner, left of the stairs as you go down the steps at the back...

Also, I'd appreciate some suggestion for places to get 2nd hand scifi if anyone can, buying them from Hodges & Figgis is becoming something I can't afford to do .
The only other 2nd hand bookshop I've been to in ages is Greene's on Clare Street, good place to go for good deals, if you don't mind dredging through the slightly disorganised selection; but sure that's half the fun anyway isn't it? .

Manach

How many books I purchase is a direct proportion to my earnings.

Usually, new pb fiction, either SciFi / Fantasy about 4 a month, In Cork Other Realms good selection and the prices seem to cheaper than norm <NB I have no connection with this or any other bookshops other than a buyer >

2nd hand pb fiction, browse the 2nd hand book shops and pick any genra that strikes my fancy.

New NF pb/hw, rare and only if need for work/study - then order from Amazon. Or else if there on a 2 for 3 offer, but the selection is often limited,

2nd hand NF, again 2nd hand book shops.

An average of 20 books per month, 1/4 read straight away, 1/4 read within a couple months, 1/4 read/browse sometime, 1/4 never.

Caesar_Bojangle

I buy about six books a month, sometimes more sometimes considerably less. To be honest I'd rather spend €30 on two or three books, than say a new dvd or even a few pints.

simu

Simu, I recommend the bookstore in Rathmines if you can get there, there's a rake of old Irish books in the corner, left of the stairs as you go down the steps at the back...

I live in Galway but I might take a look next time I'm in Dublin!

In Galway, Charlie Byrne's and Kenny's are great plus there are a few more 2nd hand bookstores as well, one has a picture of the Sandman from Neil Gaiman's comics painted on the front wall!

Woden

i don't typically buy second hand books, but prefare my stuff new and will search for the copy of a book that is in the best condition. i will by nearly all new star trek books and have a tendancy to buy a couple of books at a time. i like dawson street a lot cause eason's, waterstones and hodges figgis (sp?) are all right beside each other.

i recently purchased a few books off amazon, didn't really find them cheaper with delivery and all that but i was able to easily get books i wanted that i would have had to order into a bookshop and wait for.

i mainly buy sci-fi and will typically pick up most books by author after sampling him/her if i like him/her. i've got quite a list of to read at the moment which will only increase after christmas. thank god for college i get loads read with all the commuting

DapperGent

I'd buy one on the day I get paid i.e. one every two weeks and would also have a book buying binge once a month (6+).

I buy a book everytime I walk into a bookshop as well, I just can't help myself, it's actually quite a serious problem.

I'm currently collecting all the Sandman library. I've got 8, they cost about €25 each. I spend more on books in a year than I do on cloths, games or tech. Perhaps more than all three combined.

I don't even have room for them all anymore. It's got to stop.

ThenComesDudley

Every 2 or 3 months i tend to buy a hord of new books, 6 but the problem i have is trying to give myself the free time to read them. I get back logged and now i have 17 books sitting on me shelves waitin to be read:(

sionnach

i used to be in the habit of buying a book or two every fortnight in second hand shops or the classics section where u can get them for like €2 each. Dunno where these kinda shops are to be found in dublin though (started in dcu this year) ne1 know ne good shops in dublin city?

Woden

for second hand books, try chapters on abbey street. There second hand section is downstairs. Also on abbey street opposite eason's is bargain books. i don't think they are great but you may pick up something decent there. I think theres also a second hand book shop and georges street (or aungier's street) called the dandelion perhaps someone could confirm?

With regards to the new books i may have mentioned dawson street, which has waterstones, hodges figgis ann eason's and the one road so i can usually find what i'm looking for between the three of them.

wasabi

yep, dandelion books on georges st/aungier st is afaik still open and always was good for sci fi especially, you pick up a fair amount of non fiction miscellany too.

secret book and record store a few doors down from tower records is small but has good quality stock if you're into literary fiction type stuff.

there's also a couple of book stalls in the georges st arcade. and oxfam books on parliament st. both of these are pretty hit and miss though.

then there's the saturday book fair in the plaza in templebar (by eamonn dorans).

also, there was a funny little secondhand scifi shop off harrington st near the garda club, on the road running parallel to wexford street. this was a while ago but it was a nice little shop.

i spend such a scary amount on books i don't want to contemplate it probably at least 8 a month or so. joined the library recently when the stacks of books along my bedroom walls reached waist height...

Woden

Originally posted by wasabi
also, there was a funny little secondhand scifi shop off harrington st near the garda club, on the road running parallel to wexford street. this was a while ago but it was a nice little shop.

i'm not familiar with this shop, whats it called and whats it got in it?

cheers

data

p.s sorry for off topic

CuLT

Originally posted by sionnach
i used to be in the habit of buying a book or two every fortnight in second hand shops or the classics section where u can get them for like €2 each. Dunno where these kinda shops are to be found in dublin though (started in dcu this year) ne1 know ne good shops in dublin city?

I haven't seen a book in Greene's that cost more than €3.

I bought a big hardback copy of Hannibal today for €2 .

McGinty

I tend to bulk buy re: books, but where I live there are no decent bookshops, but heaven help me when I hit Dublin, then I tend to come back with anything from 2 books up to eight books, I love them. At the mo, I have far too many that need reading so I'm avoiding all book shops.

catspring

i've been buying one or two a week lately, but they're novel which i'm entitled to/advised to read for college (study english)
buying new books is just so expensive though!!!! a paper back is about 7 quid at the least!!!! :eek:
second hand shops are sometimes great.
i have no set pattern......

DriftingRain

I wish I could buy books like that!!!! I only get to but them when I get time to read one..

:rolleyes:

superconor

my mum works in the library, so i never buy books.

Hip

St Vincent de Paul in Dundalk - best bookshop in town.

DriftingRain

my mum works in the library, so i never buy books.

What if the one you were wanting to read was just brought back, but it was on hold by another book reader. Would your mom let you read it first or give it to the already waiting customer the book???

Having a librarian mom would be nice!
/me wishes!

Capt'n Midnight

Why not become a librarian ?
Lots of free books and you can swap with other libraries and most libraries have free internet and you get paid ..

Woden

i much prefare to own my books i have to say then to get them from a library, i like adding to my collection

echomadman

my mum works in the library, so i never buy books.

I re-read a lot of my collection regularly, I'm always really pissed off when I think "hmm I'd like to re-read <insert book name> " and I realise that i read it in the library while I was on the dole, This usually necessitates purchasing it, and if it was one of a series, well... you can't have just one book from a series can you :rolleyes: and I'm as bad with dvds, I buy 4/5 Dvds a week rather than rent them. Its just an odd compulsion

Boberto

I bought the Hobbit and 3 LOTR books last year but only got halfway through the fellowship.. Needless to say i shall be reading them again once i see the final film...

Also bought HG Wells The Time Machine which i'm liking so far... and The Island of Dr Moreau.

Elessar

I dont buy books too often. In fact in the past I've found many to be incredibly boring. I'd rather watch tv or play some pc games :cool:

That said, I picked up a copy of HGwell's The Time Machine and The War of The Worlds a few weeks back and they were very good. Best books I've read since Aesops Fables when I was 10