The folks at PopMatters have kicked off a new series of essays discussing used books and the good old secondhand bookstore:
The secondhand book is more than merely a bargain for the book lover. It’s a cross-cultural, inter-generational link between readers. A torch-race, of sorts, with batons passed in all directions, from the collector to the student, the casual reader to the obsessive.
Secondhand books and the emporiums they inhabit affect book lovers in different ways. The romantics love the inscriptions from Nancy to John, the while collectors will peruse shelves for hours looking for works entirely untouched. Students love a cheap copy of Fall semester’s Marquez text, while the book-addicted who spends every free weekend road-tripping to every Salvos store within reach will grab two copies of One Hundred Years of Solitude because three bucks is just such a good price.
Speaking of (in a way), I didn't know until last week that Big Lots sells books. The selection wasn't all that great, but there were a few that would qualify as shelf-worthy. Big Lots also has pick axes and fertilizer. Just thought I'd let you know.
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