My book-buying "problem"

Discussion in 'Books, Films, TV, Radio' started by Chris C, Jul 6, 2018.

  1. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    You have my sympathy!
     
  2. idler

    idler GeneralList

    Wasn't me - I didn't even see that one.
     
  3. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Have largely tamed my book buying problem for a while. Building a new PC distracts the mind (and wallet) somewhat.
    Though I may now have a small electronic component buying problem.
    Mmmm... maybe we can shave another few degrees off the core, etc.
    I can handle it. S'just an overpriced fan, & a slightly camp keyboard, & that GPU is very reasonable, &, &. &.

    Books are actually noticeably cheaper than many other obsessions...

    Though those PM Knight things really ought to be looked at more deeply.
    On the New PC.
    Turner Donovan you say, Charley?
    Website inspected.
    On the new PC.

    Bugger



    Owners: What's the production like on the PM Knight books?
    Hovered for ages but some previous weird print on demand purchases have caused probably foolish hesitation.
     
  4. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    TurnerDonovan are good in that they regularly acquire collections and issue lengthy catalogues of rare publications with a lot of detail, but there are seldom any bargains.

    Current catalogue (today's) here:

    Turner Donovan Military Books - Download Catalogue

    They know the rarity and you're going to have to pay what it's probably worth. Some of the Indian Army prices are exceptionally high, but then there might not be another copy on the market at any given time. They're good on First World War publications and unit and divisional histories 1914-1945.

    I did buy one title which was described as VG that I'd put down as a middling VG Minus (if book condition is a concern for you), but I think a lot of people over-estimate the condition of books today and this seller is certainly not the worst of offenders.
     
  5. idler

    idler GeneralList

    I do try to undercut TD

    The PM Knight (our Don Juan) ones are perfectly acceptable as they are predominantly text (no doubt due to the costs of licensing your own photos of TNA documents). Lots of detail in them but they are unindexed chronological narratives so not great for casual lookups.
     
  6. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Excuse me - I have never been undercut in my life - no one can get as low as I can :-P

    TD - the one and only orignal
     
  7. idler

    idler GeneralList

    First edition, but what condition?

    I thought something looked odd about the comment, but couldn't put my finger on it.
     
  8. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    Oops, I slipped off-topic in my shopping, but not too far. I can't actually find a copy of the contents page online, but I've seen a number of references to this book and it looks really good. My hunch--it's in the mail from Down Under now--is that the contents are culled from regimental journals in the 40s and 50s, so I'm expecting Palestine, Korea, Malaya, Cyprus, possibly Suez etc.

    From the mentions I've seen, it isn't all combat, so if I'm lucky I might get a bit of Hong Kong and the Canal Zone prior to withdrawal in '54.

    Tugwell was a para and a counterinsurgency expert (only died in 2010), Stockwell, we probably all know, led the British at Suez.

    Quite an evocative cover, too.

    18405139464.jpg
     
  9. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Three hours in town & not one book purchased.
    Not a sausage.
    Fuck all.

    Not sure this has ever happened before.
    Maybe I can beat this...

    images.jpg

    xaVJcX6M.jpg
     
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  10. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    just reminded me of

    [​IMG]
     
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  11. Orwell1984

    Orwell1984 Senior Member

    Hold on! I'm sure another Naval & Military Press Catalogue is winging its way to you. Like a literary locust for your wallet!
     
    Chris C likes this.
  12. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    In Hay-on-Wye.

    Hmmm.
     
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  13. idler

    idler GeneralList

    How do you know where to start?

    Or when to stop??
     
  14. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    giphy.gif
     
  15. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    It is your DUTY to buy books there! All too many of us are not there to participate!
     
  16. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Odd place.
    Many bookshops, but also less than I'd expected. Though more than one is a bonus really, and I ignored the specialist murder/hippy/poetry sort of places.

    Takes even longer to tune into the military sections in some as they're very large (why are military vehicle & firearms books often in a separate area near aviation? Thinking I should perhaps blame Mr Dewey...)

    Having resisted a well-priced book on Stugs (Zimmerman. Superb, but only volume 2 to hand at £20, and then would obviously have to seek out other volumes at c.£50...), ended up getting a little pile of fairly random stuff & gap filler from the frankly fucking enormous quite large 'Cinema Book Shop', which was the only place I entered that had things priced to sell.
    MLRS Vickers reprints probably the only real quality, though the landmine one's thoughtful. Nothing over a fiver.

    Glad I went to have a look. Worth a wander, but check prices (Good mobile internet, in rural Wales!), And expect a lot of stripey tops, straw hats, shopping baskets etc.
    A small town found a unique way to survive.

    IMG_20190728_075702992.jpg
     
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  17. Orwell1984

    Orwell1984 Senior Member

    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]

    The latest arrivals which I'm sure my mail carrier is cursing me for as the ship titles are all weighty tomes. Got a couple of more interesting titles on the way from India and the Penang Book Store, Malaysia which will reach Canada before 2020 I hope. (surface mail is my sad attempt at economizing).
     
  18. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    market stall purchase 50 p from the welsh marches
    Cairo Communique by Robert Mason
    Fiction
    Thrilling stories of the men of the Middle East Armies
     
    Chris C likes this.
  19. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    When was "Thrilling Stories" published? Just the title sounds old. But I bet it's good!
     
  20. idler

    idler GeneralList

    Oh dear. Wet weather activity today was 'bimble round Norwich'. Only managed to get into one of its several good bookshops and the bastards had a 75% off sale on a couple of tables' worth of books. The argument that I saved about £90 may not wash...
     
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