Truthfully though, I started thinking about this yesterday when I went to the library to borrow The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht. I love the title; I love the cover, and I have heard great reviews of it.
This combined with the fact that I am seeing her read from this book at the Sydney Writers Festival coming up in a few weeks, meant that I wanted to read it as soon as possible.
Why don't I just buy it new?
Because I can't afford it. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say that whilst I probably could afford it, I have more important things I need to save my money for (like a Mother's Day present for example).
The reality is, I can't afford to buy new books very often because there is always something more important to spend money on.
The new books that I do buy are probably 50% from here in Australia and 50% from overseas. I know that makes me an evil reader guilty of destroying the Australian publishing industry, but hey - if the publishing industry wants to see me the book for $12.50 instead of $32.95 (like the last book I purchased from The Book Depository), then I would be happy to buy it here.
I could go to the library a lot more often I do, but I am also the sort of person who likes to keep a copy of the books that she reads. A lot of people would say, and probably correctly, that this is wasteful. It is owning things for the sake of owning things. That I am being too materialistic in prioritising owning the actual book instead of solely concentrating on the story themselves.
They may be right, but it doesn't change how I feel about it and at the moment I don't feel like changing how I feel about it... if that makes sense.
So - this leads me to the final result. I buy 80% or more of my books second hand. In fact, I love second-hand books.
I love them because they are affordable. I can buy books, read them and keep them without feeling too guilty. Instead of paying $30/book, I can pay $30 and get 10 books (depending on where you go of course).
Second hand also means pre-loved. The books have had their own story that I know nothing about. They may have been overseas. They may have never left the house before. Who knows! I love the mystery and the feeling that comes with knowing that you are reading something that has had a life before it reached you.
So, where's the best place to buy second hand books?
A better place is to go to Vinnies shops, or any of their ilk. Books are more like $3 each and the money goes to a good cause.
Cheaper yet, is the book fair. I once went to the last day of a book fair at the University of New South Wales, and the average price that I paid per book was 33c. No, I am not exaggerating. You bought a box for $15 and then filled it with as many books as you could. The last book fair I went to was in Balmain, and I think I paid about $5 per book on average from memory.
Plus, you get to wander up and down all the rows of books for as long as you like. Brilliant way to start the day.
That's my two cents worth. Your turn. Ever think about where you mainly buy your books from and why? Do you value the cool, clean and crisp feel and smell of a brand-new book enough to spend the money? Do you like the well-worn and slightly yellowed pages of a pre-loved book? Or do you think that the library is the place for you?
Do you think that your choice reflects what you value in a book - or is it all about the money?
Originally posted on Page Turners 5 May 2011
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