Where do you purchase your books?

[L.C.]

Where do you buy your books? Online or in which bookstores?
तुम अपनी किताबें कहां से खरीदते हो? ऑनलाइन या किस बुकस्टोर में?

[Austin]

I mostly borrow books from the library. Sometimes I buy books from online platforms like Amazon, Flipkart and Bookchor. There are no bookstores near me, so I don't buy from them.

[tazmeen]

I also borrow mostly, but I also buy like a heck lotta e-books.. I also borrow from my friends, They Both Die at the End is a good example.

I'm trying to buy less physical books as it's not very cheap and sustainable. So, yeah, mostly ebooks, from the publisher sites itself.. Amazon is rare for me, but I buy one or two books from there. But that's rare...

[Leena]

I'm a shameless free loader. I'm really done buying books - I've no place to store them. I scour my kindle site for when th book costs drop to a dollar or less.if im truly desperate, then up to 3$. Im still operating off amazon.com.
For others, I just go to epub.pub for all my romance set, and then there is pdfdrive.com or z-lib.org. this site just got seized, so I'll have to now depend on kindle

[Sapna]

Mostly from Amazon and bookchor. Bookchor is a great deal for buying at most affordable prices but you should be able to find the book you want to read and see if its available for a low price. If there is a book that I really want to keep with me in physical form and its not available on bookchor, I buy it on amazon.
Before covid I loved going to my office library, but post covid, I moved back to my home town working from home, unfortunately no libraries here. :-(
I bought a lot of books from lock the box event in Bangalore, where you buy a box of certain size and fill it up with as many books as you can. I also use pdfread.net for ebooks sometimes, but its a tricky site that doesn't always work well.

[Leena]

Bookchor is good.and I've used it often. Unfortunately, I've also been disappointed just as much by them.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

In the past couple of years, I've been hoarding physical books. Mostly pre-loved. Via multiple indie pre-loved sellers operating from Telegram Instagram WhatsApp and what not.
And then there is this monthly ritual of visiting Church Street which almost gives me all that I want.

[Preyal]

Mostly online - check all the sources on Google.. I have actually stopped buying books for the past 6 months.. have so many unread books.. trying to get rid of some of them…

Off topic- how do you guys get rid of books you’re done reading and don’t really need (basically those that you’re sure you won’t read again)

[Austin]

You can get rid of the books by exchanging them on Bookchor. You get 1 book in exchange for 7 books I think.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Show me the books you are planning to give away to Bookchor. I can give you a better trade with my books.

[Ahtims]

Preyal, do grab Gorab's offer :)
I have got many good books from him

[Rags]

Very interesting topic. I read mostly kindle these days or listen to audible. I really love audible as this means I can consume information on the go without it being a major starin on the eyes.I almost sold my entire lot of physical books to people near my home . Donated a few to children or needy people. Gave a few for free to friends and whatever remained was sold to blossoms book house in Church street, Bangalore. It was tough to part but I wanted to clean up and find more space in the house. There are few physical book around with me still. I would either sell them off or trade it in blossoms or some other place. Glad I also found a potential buyer in dear Gorab :D

[Leena]

for a long time, I've just donated most of the books I've bought for my kids to their school library.

[L.C.]

Does anyone purchase books from Bookswagon? Is this a good site to order books rather than Bookchor? Also Ubuy dot com ships to India. I noticed some books are not availabe on Bookchor but are available on Bookswagon.

[Ahtims]

I don't remember buying from bookswagon. I usually buy from Amazon, flipkart, the various whatsapp groups, Bookchor , online branches of stores, and recently have ordered a curated box from usedbookfactory which is yet to arrive.

[Leena]

hey, what's this used books factory you've bought from?? can you share the details?

[Austin]

Gorab wrote: "Show me the books you are planning to give away to Bookchor. I can give you a better trade with my books."

I am not sure I want to at the moment, Gorab. Can I have the list of books you have at home?

[Austin]

Ahtims wrote: "Preyal, do grab Gorab's offer :)
I have got many good books from him"

Oh!

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Austin wrote: "Gorab wrote: "Show me the books you are planning to give away to Bookchor. I can give you a better trade with my books."

I am not sure I want to at the moment, Gorab. Can I have the list of books ..."

I don't have a definite list. However if you show me the books you want to unhaul, I can figure similar books/genre for exchange.

[Ahtims]

www.usedbookfactory.com
@Leena

[Ahtims]

https://www.usedbooksfactory.com/

[Ahtims]

havent received the books yet. but I see that they have despatched via speed post.

[Preyal]

Ahtims wrote: "Preyal, do grab Gorab's offer :)
I have got many good books from him"

Hey thanks for the option!!

[Preyal]

Austin wrote: "Gorab wrote: "Show me the books you are planning to give away to Bookchor. I can give you a better trade with my books."

I am not sure I want to at the moment, Gorab. Can I have the list of books ..."
+1 on the list!! Also, how do we exchange it??

[Austin]

Gorab, actually I am trying for a student visa for the US. If it's granted, I want to get rid of the books at home before I leave India in August. So I am worried about accumulating new books at home which I may not get time to read. So I am in a bit of a dilemma. I want the books but at the same time I realise I may not be able to read them. Anyway I will give the list in a while.

[Austin]

Books already read

1. Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
2. Micro by Michael Crichton
3. A Tiger for Malgudi
4. Hercule Poirot's Christmas
5. Aavarana : The Veil
6. The Forty Rules of Love
7. The Name of the Rose
8. Dracula
9. Kim
10. The Interpreter of Maladies
11. Calling Sehmat
12. Chromosome 6

Unread books

1. Toxin by Robin Cook
2. Foucault's Pendulum

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Preyal wrote: "+1 on the list!! Also, how do we exchange it??"

The actual exchange will happen via post. India post being one the best option to facilitate this.

We can create a thread for deciding what to exchange.
Or we can connect outside of GR - on WhatsApp or Telegram to share the pics of what we have. And then decide on the exchange.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Austin wrote: "Gorab, actually I am trying for a student visa for the US. If it's granted, I want to get rid of the books at home before I leave India in August. So I am worried about accumulating new books at ho..."

In that case, selling your books to a used book dealer would be your best bet. As I understand you don't want to accumulate any books.
In US, you probably won't need to keep any books. Have heard great things about their library system. Wish something like that was available in India.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

A sample of what I have:


Wardrobe:


Its slightly old pic. Keeps churning every month. The nature of this addiction mandates me to unhaul the read books. I somehow still keep getting more :\ and that habit won't change.

In a nutshell:
Yeah, I am open to swap books :) :)

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Because of this everchanging collection, I find it moot to maintain a list.

[Leena]

Gorab , omg !! I had a lot more before giving them all up. I've still kept an entire steel almirah of books. and of course I'm.still buying.

[Leena]

I hope you thank your wife and children every day for occupying their extra space.:)
I have a husband who collects lego sets like that. People hated coming to our house.

[Leena]

I hope you thank your wife and children every day for occupying their extra space.:)
I have a husband who collects lego sets like that. People hated coming to our house.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Leena wrote: "Gorab , omg !! I had a lot more before giving them all up. I've still kept an entire steel almirah of books. and of course I'm.still buying."

Good to know you're still buying. You're kind enough to give up your collection.
This is around 1/5th of my stuff. There's another room with all cupboards and lofts loaded with books.
I know of a few folks in India who have a much larger and better curated collection (One of them is lurking around on this thread!)
Yes, I am thankful to my wife and kid for forfeiting this space to allow my passion :)

[Ahtims]

he he Gorab. 2 years ago, I would have agreed , my collection is bigger, now no more.. one day I will raid your house and make your wife a much happier lady. :P

[Ahtims]

The Kiddo is a mini Gorab in the making, as far as I have come to know.

[Leena]

yup, Gorab,buying books is a bad habit difficult to give up.
But by giving away to schools, I'm hoping the others too pick up the habit. very few to nome read, and most parents do not indulge their kids' reading habits. further, these kids read inappropriate books way above their age level because tiktok says so, or insta says so.

[Leena]

Lucky, your city actually has bookstores worth their salt. Mumbai is deplorably devoid of bookstores - only a couple which aren't easily reachable. When i used to live in Dubai the boos were exorbitantly priced hence the absolute dependence on Scribd and other online libraries.

[tazmeen]

Gorab wrote: "A sample of what I have:


Wardrobe:


Its slightly old pic. Keeps churning every month. The nature of this addiction mandates me to unhaul the read books. I somehow still keep getting more :\ and ..."

Oh my, that's a lot. I just have around a shelf. But my shelf in India is about half of your books.

[tazmeen]

Leena wrote: "yup, Gorab,buying books is a bad habit difficult to give up.
But by giving away to schools, I'm hoping the others too pick up the habit. very few to nome read, and most parents do not indulge thei..."

Yes, definitely.. I just hope more people donate to their public libraries. I try to give one or two books to my library once in a while!

[tazmeen]

Leena wrote: "Lucky, your city actually has bookstores worth their salt. Mumbai is deplorably devoid of bookstores - only a couple which aren't easily reachable. When i used to live in Dubai the boos were exorbi..."

Same problem with me, the books here are twice the price in India. Like a book is around 400 rs here. That's for Arabic books. English books are so expensive here, I bought Once upon a K-prom for around 600-750 rs.m

[Leena]

hey, Tamzeen I would make a list and buy them in Indua and take them back

[tazmeen]

Leena wrote: "hey, Tamzeen I would make a list and buy them in Indua and take them back"

I'm also planning on that.

[Austin]

Why are books costly in the UAE and Oman?! Are there no second hand book shops and online platforms like Bookchor there?

[Austin]

Leena, since when did you permanently come back to India from Dubai? I thought you came to India for vacation and went back.

[tazmeen]

Austin wrote: "Why are books costly in the UAE and Oman?! Are there no second hand book shops and online platforms like Bookchor there?"

Uhh nope. We've got no choice but to buy books from really big big stores. I think the reason is because people here read in Arabic not English and so it's so expensive..

I visited the UAE a few years ago, I noticed most books were a little less expensive than here. There was like 100-200 rs difference. (I'm not sure what's the condition now, as it has been a few years)

[Austin]

Tazmeen wrote: "Austin wrote: "Why are books costly in the UAE and Oman?! Are there no second hand book shops and online platforms like Bookchor there?"

Uhh nope. We've got no choice but to buy books from really ..."

Oh Ok. That's good in some ways that people prefer to read in the local language but a bane for those who don't speak Arabic

[Leena]

in dubai, the only place to buy books is Borders, and each book is 60dhs plus. and that's really steep.

I've been back since the end of '21 so that my older daughter can write the competitive exams. and what a waste that was : no domicile, so she's pretty much a legalised refugee. but on the up side, the move has been extremely beneficial to both my girls - this is so much more grounded as a country. So, except for a bit of language issues, they love it here. And they've learnt to travel every where on their own so its not so different from Dubai.

[Austin]

Hmmm. Thanks for sharing Leena

[tazmeen]

Austin wrote: "Tazmeen wrote: "Austin wrote: "Why are books costly in the UAE and Oman?! Are there no second hand book shops and online platforms like Bookchor there?"

Uhh nope. We've got no choice but to buy bo..."

Yepp.. I can barely speak the language. Reading it is something else. Me here only able to say basic Arabic after living here almost my entire life...