[Tia Maria]

Seeing as it was my New Years Resolution to read more, I thought I'd start a book buying thread!

1) So I often get books from here:

www.realgroovy.co.nz

I don't find it the best site in the world but I use it a lot as my overseas relatives can buy me E-Vouchers for it. So its a win win situation.

2) This site is also really cool, as not only does it donate to Oxfam, but its prices are competitive and free delivery. The only draw back is that delivery can take a while but a very minor drawback under the circumstances:

www.goodbooksnz.co.nz

As an example of its value for money, I was recently looking for a Where's Wally/Waldo Book:

Whitcoulls shop: $21
Real Groovy: $30
Good Books: $11

3) Never underestimate a good rummage in the Sales. My latest buy from an End of Stock Sale in Whitcoulls was:

Clarice Bean Spells Trouble (hardback)

Whitcoulls Sale: $2.50
Good Books: $25
Real Groovy: $28

4) Another site I found recently and love looking at is:

www.zoomii.com

Like the title suggests, just zoom-in to take a look at the books close up. Its kind of like a front page for Amazon, and you can just browse books in a similar way to a real bookshop. Way cool! :nice1

Cheers

Tia

[Jo Jo]

Cool, if you've got time, could you check out how the prices compare on here as well: http://www.fishpond.co.nz/index.php

I'd do it myself, but I'm a bit busy. :D

[Tia Maria]

My pleasure! :)

Where's Wally/Waldo (Hollywood):

Whitcoulls shop: $21
Real Groovy: $30
Good Books: $11
Fishponds: $27

Clarice Bean Spells Trouble (Hardback):

Whitcoulls Sale: $2.50
Good Books: $25
Real Groovy: $28
Fishponds: $29

Don't work too hard. :p

Cheers

Tia

[Jo Jo]

Super, Tia - thanks!

(Now I feel bad, as I'm only busy erasing wrinkles from my wedding pics. And looking for the corkscrew - who knew they still sold wine with corks?)

[M-Squared]

http://www.ferrit.co.nz/

:)

[Moorf]

TradeMe

www.trademe.co.nz

:D

[Joolzr]

The price of books is quite shocking here- I'm used to £7 books and this was my big indulgence. As well as swapping with pals, I've also tried a site called green metropolis in the uk where you swap books via the internet with strangers and basically just pay postage. Does anyone know of a similar site here? In spite of this I gave away tonnes of books before moving. At least Oxfam are happy.

I have three books I'd be happy to swap/lend anyone. Or could even have a book swapping meet up with Aucklanders?

I have:

Birds without wings- Louis de bernieres


Ian Rankin - Dead souls

Kept-a Victorian Mystery - D.J Taylor



Julie

[Sam B]

Seeing as it was my New Years Resolution to read more, I thought I'd start a book buying thread! I was recently looking for a Where's Wally/Waldo Book:


Cheers

Tia

Now I don't want to seem harsh Tia, it's very admirable that you're trying to read more books - but have you thought of trying something a little more taxing than a 'Where's Wally' book? Ha ha

[gil]

Now I don't want to seem harsh Tia, it's very admirable that you're trying to read more books - but have you thought of trying something a little more taxing than a 'Where's Wally' book? Ha ha

:laugh:laugh:laugh

[Carey]

[QUOTE=Tia Maria;226607]Seeing as it was my New Years Resolution to read more, I thought I'd start a book buying thread!

As an example of its value for money, I was recently looking for a Where's Wally/Waldo Book

That did make me chuckle!

Although not taxing in a literacy sense, those books do tax your eye sight big time!

Anyone belong to a Book Club? My last one here last night, which was very sad. Even worse the next meeting is at 'my' house since our friend who has bought our house will be hosting it in her new house ( my old house), but I won;t be there!

[overscan]

Its definitely a bit sad for me, our container is about 75% books, magazines and bookcases and I buy tonnes of books. I used to have a brilliant £2 bookshop nearby which would have all kinds of new (remaindered) books. I found them difficult to resist at that price!

Still I'm sure there will be compensations elsewhere...

[Tia Maria]

Now I don't want to seem harsh Tia, it's very admirable that you're trying to read more books - but have you thought of trying something a little more taxing than a 'Where's Wally' book? Ha ha

I suspect you just haven't appreciated the existential angst in this particular piece of literature. The search for Wally is clearly a metaphor for our own search for our authentic selves.

I would recommend it for any book club but do make sure you have one copy each, as its really annoying when someone else looks over your shoulder and finds Wally first!

Just got a copy out of the library and some little horror, has ringed Wally on every page, once again, life, imitating art, imitating life. ;)

Cheers

Tia

[Joolzr]

I have seen ads for book clubs here but haven't gotten round to joining yet. I always fancied it but couldn't quite face joining one in Cambridge.

Where are you headed?

J


[QUOTE=Tia Maria;226607]Seeing as it was my New Years Resolution to read more, I thought I'd start a book buying thread!

As an example of its value for money, I was recently looking for a Where's Wally/Waldo Book

That did make me chuckle!

Although not taxing in a literacy sense, those books do tax your eye sight big time!

Anyone belong to a Book Club? My last one here last night, which was very sad. Even worse the next meeting is at 'my' house since our friend who has bought our house will be hosting it in her new house ( my old house), but I won;t be there!

[Sam B]

[QUOTE=Tia Maria;226788]I suspect you just haven't appreciated the existential angst in this particular piece of literature. The search for Wally is clearly a metaphor for our own search for our authentic selves.

You're right, I hadn't fully appreciated this literary gem.

I'm in a bookclub here in Cambridge, it's a good way of getting cheap books, as we don't all read the same book each month. Instead, everyone pays $10 a month, and the person hosting the next bookclub buys a load of books. We now have loads of books, and people reviewing them at each new bookclub. Works really well.

[michaeloliver]

If you don't mind reading with a PDA or have a mobile phone with a large enough screen then try Fictionwise.com or E reader.com. They do a large range of e books at very good US dollar prices.

Simply down load them onto your chosen reading device and away you go. i buy most of my books this way now.

[JandM]

I read a huge amount of books, but only BUY ones I'm sure I'll go back to repeatedly - I always get things from the library first. I was impressed with the library service in Auckland and Waitakere. You can take out a huge number of books at a time, which is useful if you want to read round a subject, and the librarians were very good and pleasant.

[Familyofmonkeys]

We have somewhere between 40 and 50 boxes of books stashed under beds/in cupboards in our rental.....can't wait to unpack them all again one day as we'll have sooo much stuff we will be ready to re-read :) We have had to cut down on the number we buy to keep our spending down. We don't tend to use libraries as we have very similar taste in books so everything we buy will get read by both of us several times. We stick anything we want on amazon wish list and buy when special deals are on, and we also seem to browse round Borders and Whitcoulls quite a bit too see what deals are on.

[Familyofmonkeys]

Here is another one that we have used that carries similar stock to amazon...

http://www.thenile.co.nz/

[Jon&Candy]

I read a huge amount of books, but only BUY ones I'm sure I'll go back to repeatedly - I always get things from the library first. I was impressed with the library service in Auckland and Waitakere. You can take out a huge number of books at a time, which is useful if you want to read round a subject, and the librarians were very good and pleasant.

My wife picked up a couple of newish books to borrow from the library here in Wellington, and was told she could only keep them for 7 days and had to pay $5 each! Insane - it's a wonder anybody reads anything here.

Actually, there's a ship moored in Wellington harbour at the moment which is supposedly a charity book-selling ship. I haven't been aboard, so I don't know what they're selling or how much things cost.

[JandM]

My wife picked up a couple of newish books to borrow from the library here in Wellington, and was told she could only keep them for 7 days and had to pay $5 each! Insane - it's a wonder anybody reads anything here.Right... I couldn't ever go and live THERE, then!

[KerryS]

In most libraries here they have a Hot List, which are newly published and popular titles. These are the only books I've come across that are charged for at the library - they're on a separate stand, so it's quite obvious which ones they are. In Auckland they often have the same books in the regular section as well, but as the loan time is longer it means you may have a wait until it is returned. Some popular titles have quite lengthy waiting lists!
I love the libraries here - they offer so much choice and I find the online reservations and renewals incredibly helpful.

[IanW99]

My wife picked up a couple of newish books to borrow from the library here in Wellington, and was told she could only keep them for 7 days and had to pay $5 each! Insane - it's a wonder anybody reads anything here.

Actually, there's a ship moored in Wellington harbour at the moment which is supposedly a charity book-selling ship. I haven't been aboard, so I don't know what they're selling or how much things cost.

The charges quoted are for bestseller books, most books are free to borrow for 4 weeks, see Wellington Libraries - Borrowing Information (http://www.wcl.govt.nz/about/borrow/index.html) for more details.

Ian

[jubjub]

Also I have just come across this website, it was recommended on another forum..

http://bookmooch.com/

Looks interesting.....

(sorry fi someone already posted it...)

[Hope]

We don't have much choice when it comes to English language books here and so I buy lots off The Book Depository as they do free worldwide delivery.

I will probably carry on using them when we get to New Zealand.

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/WEBSITE/WWW/WEBPAGES/homepage.php

[Hope]

Also another book thing that a friend of mine here got me into is to "set them free".
There are some I would never part with but for those that I can, there is the karma of literature ;)
http://www.bookcrossing.com/

I had a look in NZ and there are some people using it.

[barryp]

We've found a few interesting titles that way. And thanks for the reminder - it's time for me to set a few more books free in Wellington.

I find the Wellington central library to be pretty difficult to use; if you have a book's call info, there is no guarantee that it'll be on the shelf where it should be. It might be on any number of open shelves instead, so one can spend 5-10 minutes looking for a book and perhaps not find it anyway!

Sometimes I whinge about the $2 reserve fee, but since the travel guide I wanted to buy last week costs $70, I keep the fee in perspective. 35 books will keep me entertained for a long while.

[kanatakiwi]

The price of books is quite shocking here- I'm used to £7 books and this was my big indulgence. As well as swapping with pals, I've also tried a site called green metropolis in the uk where you swap books via the internet with strangers and basically just pay postage. Does anyone know of a similar site here? In spite of this I gave away tonnes of books before moving. At least Oxfam are happy.

I have three books I'd be happy to swap/lend anyone. Or could even have a book swapping meet up with Aucklanders?

I have:

Birds without wings- Louis de bernieres


Ian Rankin - Dead souls

Kept-a Victorian Mystery - D.J Taylor



Julie

I'd happily join your book swap Julie.
Gloria