Are you like me , just can't pass shops like "War on Want" just in case thee might be something worth picking up for a few £? Out to local butchers to get someting to throw on the "barbi" , called in on the way back to the car ; "The Fall of Baghdad" - Jon Lee Anderson.(Little Brown) cover price £20. "Spitfire- The Biography" - Jon Glancey. ( Atlantic Books) cover price £18. "Waterloo" - The Hundred days" David Chandler. ( Osprey) cover price £10 ( Ex. Library) Total £10 , money going to a good cause , most times you can always pick something worthwhile up.
Yes, nothing like a good nose in a shop with a load of old books in it, although the ones here haven't had much on offer for a while, sadly.
I picked up a first edition hard back copy of 'Elephant Bill' for 50p last week, it was mentioned as a reference book in Burma-Longest War and I was really excited to find it! There are loads of charity shops in Bridgwater, I try to get in weekly to find books - I am trying to collect the whole Alexander Kent series of naval books for less than a fiver!
Amazing what lands in the thrift shops from time to time. I too have made a find now and again for which I am grateful.
I cannot leave Charity shops alone. I've bought ATB books for less than a tenner, and even an aerial war one that 'looked right' for £3.50... which then proved swappable for a pair of books that usually cost over a ton. Their dark side is they contribute at a greatly accelerated rate to the unread pile, it being hard to resist anything even mildly interesting for a couple of quid. Some of the pricing bugs me a bit these days though. Those Oxfam dedicated bookshops seem to choose the maximum Internet price for many things they carry, completely regardless of condition. I've seen stuff in the Nottingham one that I could go around the corner to Waterstones & buy new for less, which does seem a bit daft. On Charity shops in general - I like 'em, but how does the other half manage to spend SO long in them?? I remain puzzled by this. Ah well, at least it's a chance for a quiet smoke... or two... or three... :mellow:
I'm yet to see a charity shop in Co. Leitrim. Strange, as the Irish are probably amongst the most charitable people on earth. I suppose the veritable walls of 'Charity Boxes' one can find in most retail outlets here ~ at least around my local town ~ take the place of dedicated shops? Interestingly, in a neighbouring counties much more urban centre I saw several such shops. I also saw various skin colours. Rank properties, boarded up and dilapidated. Drug deals going down on hidden corners ..... I needn't go on, had I? Don't look at me for a correlation either. Damned if I can come up with one. Just an empirical observation. Regards books in such places? I've very seldom looked. If I have, it's been when I'm skint, desperate for a read and out to quickly grab what ever paper back looks worth a go for that evening. I must admit; My own passion for Charity Shops is the constant quest for new " Dicklo's ". I don't know what term you'd use. But the Steptoe's, as I remember, wore them round their necks. Quite sure Albert did, anyway. What am I on tonight?! Really just wanted to mention BookCrossing - The World's Biggest Free Book Club - Catch and Release Used Books . Great craic. Hell of a good way to make clearing a bit of shelf space an ongoing experience of fun. Also, announce that ye've left books at a given Charity Shop and the chances are that they'll get some extra customers popping in for a rummage
I'm yet to see a charity shop in Co. Leitrim. Strange, as the Irish are probably amongst the most charitable people on earth. I suppose the veritable walls of 'Charity Boxes' one can find in most retail outlets here ~ at least around my local town ~ take the place of dedicated shops? They cart the stuff into St Vincent de Paul's instead and they probably toss the "dross" - as THEY see it!
I cannot leave Charity shops alone. I've bought ATB books for less than a tenner, and even an aerial war one that 'looked right' for £3.50... which then proved swappable for a pair of books that usually cost over a ton. Their dark side is they contribute at a greatly accelerated rate to the unread pile, it being hard to resist anything even mildly interesting for a couple of quid. Some of the pricing bugs me a bit these days though. Those Oxfam dedicated bookshops seem to choose the maximum Internet price for many things they carry, completely regardless of condition. I've seen stuff in the Nottingham one that I could go around the corner to Waterstones & buy new for less, which does seem a bit daft. On Charity shops in general - I like 'em, but how does the other half manage to spend SO long in them?? I remain puzzled by this. Ah well, at least it's a chance for a quiet smoke... or two... or three... :mellow: Hey Adam, I know you gotta love them charity shop bargains but as you say the oxfam, book shops stretch the point I went in one today and where they price the book alongside they tell you how much its worth on the net!
British Army Uniforms & Insignia of WW2 - Brian Davis. (Never knew it existed - same style/depth as his German uniform books) British & American Artillery of WW2 - Ian Hogg. (Bit of a classic I've been meaning to buy for years). Panzers in NW Europe - Bruce Quarrie. (Slim photo collection, but with a fair few shots that are new to me.) Nato Armour - Bryan perrett. (70s 'Pamphlet' book with some good info, and as ever, Perrett's sometimes entertainingly scathing personal views on the then-latest kit.) All for less than £2 each, and in one day. A worthwhile outing. Hopefully a good omen, as the charity shops have been a bit dry of late.
