Israel SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
What's your favorite bookstore in Israel?
Since I moved back to Israel a year ago I've only been to Steimatzky and Tsomet Sfarim. Granted, I haven't really looked. In the US the selection was endless; second hand bookstores everywhere (though slowly disappearing), the mega stores (BN, Borders), online sources (amazon et al.), and even library sales every weekend where you could fill shopping bags full of books for $3/bag. I went to bookstores several times a week.
I brought all my books with me and don't have any more room at the moment for real books so I read on my Kindle.
Where do you buy online?
I buy almost all of my books on Kindle to read on my phone, although I do visit Dani Books sometimes. Also, my office has a library where people can take out/bring in whatever books they want--the selection is pretty arbitrary, but hey, free books! (I'm on maternity leave right now, so I took a whole bunch of books on my last day in order to last me throughout the whole time.)
I don't have a lot of choice in real life bookstores. There's a Steimatsky in Kiryat Shmona, I sometimes visit.When we were young and mobile we'd go to TA once or twice a year and haul back loads of secondhand books from all the different stores there.
Later on, I used to buy books from Amazon, but that's very expensive and takes like 6 weeks to 2 months or more to arrive, later I bought from B&N, slightly cheaper and faster, but nowadays I buy most of my books online at bol.com, in Holland, expensive but here in about a week.
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In the US the selection was endless; second hand bookstores everywhere (th..."
Jon, I treat myself to one new book a month from The Book Depository. They offer free international shipping and you can get they have discounted prices on preordered books. I often get newly published books for about $5. There is also Better World Books which also offers free shipping and some of the money from each order goes towards buying books for disadvantaged children.
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When we were young and mobile we'd go to TA once or twice a year and haul back loads..."
Roma, you should also try The Book Depository.
I've just discovered a new (to me) used bookstore in the old city in Be'er Sheva - 'Mini Book.' I use a wheelchair so I couldn't get all the way into the shop, but according to The Husband the selection was quite good. We picked up a number of older English scifi - Dorsai! was one; and some Hebrew story books for me to practice with. It's about forty-five minutes from where I live, which makes it the second closest bookstore (after a Steimatzky in Netivot). Besides those stores I love Better World Books, which has rarely failed me when I was looking for a particular book. Their customer service is excellent as well.
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Lorelei , are there really so few used bookstores in Be'er Sheva? That seems so strange to me because there are so many of them in Jerusalem. I'd love to be able to remedy that myself (yes, like every other American I dream of opening up a bookstore in Israel)
I honestly don't know. It's the only one I've found so far. I live rather far from Be'er Sheva, maybe an equal driving distance between Be'er Sheva and Ashkelon, and rarely get out shopping to either city. I was so delighted to find Mini Book because it's the first used bookstore I've found in the south. There is one in Petakh Tikva we (the family) have gone to but obviously it's quite a trek. Both Tel Aviv and J'lem are rather hard to get to from where I live. I only got to Petakh Tikva because The Husband (TH) used to work there.
Is the one in Petach Tikva The Olde Booke Shoppe (or something like that...silly ye-olde-englishe spelling of something, anyway?) Downtown, near...possibly Histadrut street? I did part of my army in PT and that place was a life saver, since this was a bit before e-readers and I had no time to get to TLV or J-M and couldn't really order stuff. Very nice atmospheric little place. Glad to hear the Old City bookshop is still going strong - I used to go by it a lot when I worked there, but haven't been in a few years and keep wondering if it's still alive.
My actual favorite place is the Book Gallery on Shatz (in J=m) though, not that much SFF (though there is some, including neat finds. Dani books is more conventional best seller stuff, in the Gallery I once found a whole bunch of Valente and old Le Guins) but unbeatable for just coming in and browsing.
For ordering from abroad - try bookfinder.com. It can take into account shipping costs and I often find cheaper options (all told) than book depository. Erratic shipping times though - i've had stuff show up in a week or two, and stuff take months through the same outfit.
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Someday I'd love to do a tour of all the second-hand bookstores in Israel. I find it surprising (and also wonderful) that at a time when so many bookstores in America are closing their doors second-hand bookstores in Israel seem to be flourishing.
I divide my time, and affections, between Sefer ve'Sefel in Jerusalem, which has a good selection of stuff, and Halper's in Tel Aviv, which, Frankly, is even better. I also like the Steimatzky on Yaffo St. in Jerusalem because I know the people there, and they know me (yes, I am an ex-Jerusalemite).In Rehovot I mostly know Russian used bookstores, and one nearby my current apartment, called Bitrei Zuzei. It has a rather small selection of English books, but there is a calico who graces the place with her august presence, so I am often lured inside.
It's interesting - to me anyway - that different Stiematzky's can have quite different stocks of books, particularly in English. The one in Orot Mall, in Or Akiva, used to have a really great SFF shelf for example.
I don't know if you've noticed, but Tzomet Sfarim has a much better stock of sci-fi in English than Steimasky does. I've seen some really surprising and good book in there. The new Stephenson, Dan Simmons of various kinds, Kim Stanley Robinsom, etc'. I have been slowly shifting my sci-fi purchases off the main brands to Tzomet, because they have significantly better stuff.
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For secondhand books I'm a great fan of Bookmooch.com. Israel's low postage charges makes it worthwhile and I have found some great books from my 'to buy' list.
I am a Steimatzy member and pop into the stores most times I pass by but if I want anything specific it is rare that they have it in stock.
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For new books:
1.Book Depository (as mentioned above).
2.I've heard that Probook in Tel-Aviv is a great one, they have a tremendous amount of books. sci-fi and fantasy books prices are relatively low in comparison to Steimatzky for instance, and they are not charging for the shipment.
http://www.probook.co.il/
For used books:
I think that searching the net for used ones is much more effective. I would recommend searching the the Biblio.com database. A store named Better World Books has almost everything you would like, their prices are very low, plus extremely low shipping rates and fast delivery (about a week).
That's the direct link to BWB in Biblio:
http://www.biblio.com/bookstore/bette...
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Esther, I checked out the Israel Bookmooch but didn't see anything there that really appealed to me. Do you also exchange with people outside of Israel?
There's a lot of fantasy and sci-fi at Yanshuf Books in Ra'anana (Hebrew and English). I've only bought there once but the variety was nice, even if the collection is a bit disorganized (a common occurrence in used bookstores, I guess...).
my favorite bookstore in Israel is stimatzki...
Well, my dad knows every secondhand bookstore in Jerusalem, so when I go with him downtown I tag along and look. There's Steimatzky and Tsomet Sfarim, of course, but I never seem to find what I want. I've read most of the books there, both in Hebrew and English, especially when it comes to Sci-fi, Paranormal and Fantasy for YA - and I don't particularly want to read the books intended for older or younger age groups. And even the books they have some of - for example, the excellent Vampire Academy or Mortal Instruments - they don't have all of them. I also go to school in Modi'in and there aren't that many book stores there except for Steimatzky and Tsomet Sfarim really at all.
couse those are the biggest bookstores in Israel...
Yeah but they're not too good, even if they are everywhere. They have a very small selection. I was in the US two years ago, in one of those big stores, and there were SO MANY BOOKS. I think if I'll ever end up in one of those stores again, I will need another bookshelf emptied in my house.
i don't know any bookstores in israel ^_^ "P and thanks for joinning you two!
Whenever we (the husband and I) go to the States, we have an already set-in-stone ritual: one day of the visit is dedicated to Powell's Books. it's hu-freakin'-mungous. It is a four story warehouse which sprawls over almost a block of Portland, and is the biggest bookstore West of Chicago. The rule is: we get one day to shop at Powell's, and we stay there for several hours (have chocolate in the store cafeteria for lunch, or something) and we put no limitations on our shopping.It's one of my few genuine indulgences (together with trips abroad) and I am learned to scrimp and save even when we're somewhat tight on money, to have some reserves for it. the selection is so big, and the books are so cheap... I just take a basket, and fill it up. The only real caution I must exercise is to be able to put all these books in my suitcases and not exceed weight limits.
Pirl{a חame that sסuחds like spring} wrote: "גמאניLOL"קוראים לך אביב, נכון??
שם שנשמע כמו ספרינג....
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On my last trip to America, which was about two years ago, I was saddened to see how many of the bookstores had closed down. All of the second-hand bookstore were gone and many of the larger, chain stores were as well. Though I suppose I can't complain too much since I hit all of the library book sales and came back with enough books to last me a while ;)
Sapir wrote: "Pirl{a חame that sסuחds like spring} wrote: "גמאניLOL"קוראים לך אביב, נכון??
שם שנשמע כמו ספרינג...."
nope:) דגש on the "like" Plus... I'm female.
-_- Aviv is a female name too
It is??? All I know is Aviva. And anyway, it isn't my name, soo...
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I almost always send and receive from overseas. In fact I feel a little unfair because Israeli postage is so cheap compared to the US.
Recently there have been a couple of Israeli mooches but most of the Israel inventories are full of thrillers - not my type of thing.
If you want an idea of what is available my shelf 'my mooches' lists the books I have received from Book Mooch.
Does anybody know a store where I can get newish books from the united states? Stimatzky and Tzomet Sfarim still haven't gotten a certain book I REALLY want.
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Well, there is Dani Books. What book are you looking for?
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http://www.probook.co.il/
Nimrod wrote: "Pirl{a חame that sסuחds like spring} wrote: "Does anybody know a store where I can get newish books from the united states? Stimatzky and Tzomet Sfarim still haven't gotten a certain book I REALLY ..."It costs more on that site than to order it online.
Simcha wrote: "Pirl{a חame that sסuחds like spring} wrote: "Does anybody know a store where I can get newish books from the united states? Stimatzky and Tzomet Sfarim still haven't gotten a certain book I REALLY ..."Where is Dani Books? And is it likely to have a book that has not yet come to Israel?
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Their website is here (I don't know if they keep it updated though)
Again, if you let me know what book you are looking for I can tell you if I've seen it there.
Dani books is not the best place for Jewish books in English, though. That's Sevfer ve'Sefel, in the little alley parallel to King George, behind Migdal Ha'Paamon.
I don't need any Jewish books, my Dad's a rabbi:)Next time I visit downtown I'll see if I can go there.
The specific book is City of Lost Souls. You're all welcome to buy it for me and send it to my house:P
Simcha wrote: "There is a Dani Books in downtown Jerusalem and I think they might have other branches as well, maybe in Tel Aviv. The one I've been to has new scifi and fantasy books that other bookstores don't c..."JIC(just in case) where's the one in Jerusalem?
Yaffo, halfway up from the King George intersection to Binyan Klal; the secondhand part is in an alley off of Yaffo going into Agripas.
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Tnx. I'll probably end up buying it online, but thanks anyway :3And... Simcha - thanks?
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That was sarcastic, because of how your last comment wasn't really relevant.However my Abba does know where Dani Books is and he'll take me there next time we're downtown. So tnx.
What are some other good stores in Tel Aviv? I'll check out Halper's which Genia mentioned.
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I've been wanting to go to Tel Aviv one day to just check out the book stores. I'd be interested to hear if you find any good ones.
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Simcha wrote: "These days I mostly read ebooks or buy my books online though I still can't resist stepping inside any bookstore that I pass just in case there might be something on the shelves for me.While I ad..."
the best book store in Israel located in Haifa is Mischar Hasfer(מיסחר הספר)
huge verity of sff new used and rare books in Hebrew English french German....
its a TEMPLE for bookworms :-)
and the price are always on discount
While I admit that Dani Books does have the best new scifi and fantasy selection in Jerusalem my favourite bookstore to visit is a small shop in the Old City, close to the parking lot. Not many people know about this store but it's one of my favourites because even though it's small I almost always find something good there and the prices are pretty low.
Though what I really like best about the store is the elderly woman that runs it and her obvious love of books, something which I have found to be rare in Israeli book sellers.
So what's your favourite place to buys books?