Aged Pages: Give Back, Support Your Favorite Store

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It’s yet again, another Wednesday. That means it’s again time for another installment of Aged Pages.

Most of the time when I go into a used bookstore I’m going to fulfill MY needs for books. What I don’t often consciously keep in mind is that it’s a business. A bookstore isn’t just a place for me to find great books and bring them back to a new loving home. It’s also a place that needs money to run and keep providing the great service to the community that it does.

There’s a simple way to help out and there’s a not so simple, or at least not so easy way. The obvious way to help out the business is to buy from them and buy from them often. This is the case for any store. I’ve had the luxury of doing business with used bookstores for years. Over that time, I’ve been given the perks of getting discounts often. But despite this, I can still make up for that small loss of sales. All I need to do is come back to the store often. Sometimes, back in college when I had nothing better to do, I’d go in multiple times a week and just grab books. Who doesn’t love that.

Not everyone can get to a bookstore often. There are more people who just don’t have the money to spend sometimes. Currently, I am one of these people. I tend to spend the little money I have in my wallet when I go to a bookstore and not have it for more “necessary” things. (It’s the curse of being a book addict.)

When you don’t have money to spend, you can always help out by spreading the word about a particular bookstore to friends, family, and random people you walk by on the street. That last one could be a little creepy, but it could also be very hilarious. It could also lead to either a new friend, or in the very least a new customer.

Now that the obvious and more simple suggestions are out of the way….it’s time to get serious. Why are we about to get serious? That’s easy…I’m about to commit a crime book addicts everywhere may hunt me down for. This suggestion won’t be for everyone to partake in. Only the strong will accomplish it.

A way to support a used bookstore and keep it afloat in the difficult times all bookstores are in right now is…to…bring in….b…o…o…ks. There I said it. Bring in your books. Many used bookstores buy back books that are in acceptable condition. You maybe get around half the price that they’d sell it back for, but it’s still some money in your pocket. At my bookstore I know you get a larger percentage back if you accept store credit instead of cash. So in the end using this method helps everyone. And if you want to be very generous, you can always donate the books and accept no money for them.

Woah….I’m still alive and allowed to keep typing up this post. Good. I was scared for a moment. Let me keep going on the topic of giving book back. There are some readers who either don’t mind reading a book and selling/giving it back to the store and there are also some readers who simply can’t fit more books in their home but LOVE to read. I personally find it extremely hard to part with a book, let alone many books. I’ve only sold books back on a few occasions. This was when I accidentally had a double of a book or my mom didn’t want some romance novels anymore (since I wouldn’t read them anyway).

In a way buying and giving  back is similar to having a library system. Only this one isn’t exactly “free” like a library. On the bright side, you’re directly funding this pseudo-library and not  tax dollars.

Well, that was my rant about supporting a used bookstore. But remember libraries are also great places to get books (not that I follow this advice since I hate giving books back ). Yes, that’s very PSA of me so I’ll just stop now.

Happy reading and all that. Go smell some musty pages!

Aged Pages: Using Your Senses With Used Books

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I knew it would show up on my blog eventually, but I wasn’t sure just when it’d happen. The great debate is finally here: Ebooks vs. print books. Though, before you close out this page thinking it’ll be just another rant about technology advancing for the better or worst, please bear with me.

Because this is an Aged Pages post, there will be less of a comparison between the two formats…and there will also be less of a focus on ebooks in general. What you will be reading is the praise for the pages which have been allowed to age over time; the pages that have been read by many pairs of eyes, many of which have never stared at a computer screen. These are the pages that can be found in a friendly neighborhood Spid….used bookstore.

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My collection of books consists of a wide variety of books. These books are available to me in a variety of formats as well. I have at my disposal over 2,000 books. I don’t know the exact number though. All I know is that I have just under 1500 print books and over 600 ebooks. There are some that overlap and others I only have in one format of the other.

To get it out in the open, I used to be opposed to ebooks. Now I love them. But to make it clear, I will never do away with print books. I’m not on one side or the other of the “great debate,” and I’m not on the fence. I’m sitting down on the lovely field of grass next to the library that accepts both formats for books.

With that statement made, here is why I, despite not having a preference, am in permanent love with used books.

When I walk into a used bookstore one of the first things I notice is the smell. Of course I notice the books first, but that’s just a visual thing. When browsing a store there are more senses to use other than sight. Smell is a key factor to enjoying the experience. When books aged, the pages start to decay, collect dust, even grow mold. There are many reasons for there to be a smell. I don’t know how many times I will pick up a book and just smell it without looking at the words on the page or the title on the spine. Even a nosefull of dust can inspire a purchase.

Along with these smells DOES come a visual reaction as well. The older the book the more likely that the pages will be yellowed, or at least tinted brown, depending on their age. This leaves them more brittle at times and careful reading is required. I respect those books for surviving the years of turning over and over in someone else’s hands and not tearing (hopefully). Sometimes I prefer a yellowed, dulled page to that of a bright white and crisp page of a newer books.

I don’t have anything to add about the sense of sound for a used book. I mean I could pull something out of my ass for that sense…but I’ll spare you all from reading that. I do have the sense of touch to…touch upon. Older pages have a rougher texture. This is due to aging a lot of times. But there are also books from farther back that were already like this when they were newer. The paper quality over time have improved to become smoother. The quality now also limits page decay (maybe, don’t quote me on that. It’s just something I’ve noticed with books of recent decades.)

The rougher and more fragile pages give a certain feel that can’t be duplicated by an ebook. (Hey look he threw ebooks back into this.) I know the look of paper is duplicated. I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard to throw a scratch and sniff sticker on an ereader that smells like a book too. What can’t (in my imagination) be copied is the feel of the page. More debates have focused on the weight of a book compared to ereader. Who cares. If I’ve reading a book or ebook, neither the device of book is that heavy. Go lift some weights people. Even a hardcover of war and peace can be lifted easily enough

As I said, I enjoy reading BOTH the print and ebook formats. There are reasons I enjoy both of them. Either way, as long as there is a used bookstore to walk into, a used book to smell and feel in my hands, I’ll go there and buy a book or ten. I feel the reasons stated here add to the experience of reading and should never be forgotten.

(You’ll notice I didn’t mention the sense of taste in this post. That’s just because licking a dusty book might not be very healthy….or tasty….or sanitary. If you’d like to, be my guest. Just know that it could also damage the book haha.)

(I also didn’t mention the sixth sense. That’s obvious. Books don’t die. You can’t see dead books.)

Aged Pages: What A Cast Of Characters

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Sometimes when I visit a bookstore I’m not only visiting for the books on the shelves. There are times when the rewards of a visit are in the customers you find in the store itself. There aren’t very many, and sometimes none at all, when I go into my local shop. But when there is someone or a group of people, it’s always entertaining to keep an eye on them.

Is this stalking? Well, somewhat maybe. But it’s more observing, people watching, taking in the atmosphere rather than stalking. Readers are some of the most interesting people you’ll come across in your life. What better place to find them than in a bookstore. And not one of those stores that only sell new books. I don’t have any interesting stories to share about someone I saw in a Barnes & Noble. For some reason the stories about the people I’ve come across all take place among shelves filled with used books. Maybe it’s the smell of decaying paper. Maybe it’s the low price of the titles that draw them in. Whatever it is, here are a few memorable encounters I’ve had over the years.

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One of these encounters happened maybe two years ago. I was going about my business, looking at the poetry section. This is a small little alcove (one bookshelf against the wall and another on the left side creating a corner; the right side is another “wall” created by a smaller shelf). I like to cram myself into this little space because it’s filled with volumes of poetry, many of them are old copies; my favorite kind. Aside from holding some great books, this is a great place to hide your face. From the outside other customers will really only see your back. On this occasion it probably saved me from A LOT of embarrassment.

While I was looking through the books, I heard a group of girls walk into the store. And I really do mean I heard them. They were talking loudly, obnoxiously, and about nothing that seemed to matter. They were the typical college freshmen that I’ve encountered many times over the years. This alone isn’t very uncommon. It normally ruins the nice quiet atmosphere of the shop, but on this day, it was rewarding.

So, they walk over to the children’s section – that’s actually the first place I go to normally as well, so it wasn’t a maturity thing. Well maybe in their case it was – and start talking about the books, making fun of each other, and the like. I’m trying to drown out the conversation and enjoy my time.

Soon the conversation leads to them trying to figure out the price of a certain book. This is always funny to hear, at least personally I think it is. The first blank page of every book (aside from paperbacks that are $1) has the price in pencil on the top right corner of the page. Basically you open the book and you almost always see the price before anything else. But they didn’t see this since I think they were holding a dollar paperback book.

To remedy the issue, one of the girls in the group walks behind me and toward the nearby religious section. Searching the shelves is an older gentleman, the only other customer in the store. The girl say something along the lines of “Excuse me, can you tell me how much this book is?” In reply the gentleman said, “Sorry, I don’t work here. I’m just a priest. But the price is usually…” blah blah blah. He explains where the price normally is in the books. I didn’t mention that the man was dressed as a priest normally is. All done up in nice black pants, shirt, and his COLLAR! Everything about him screamed PRIEST, and he was even in the religion section.

Was this funny for you? I found it hilarious because I knew exactly what would happen once the girl walked behind me. I exchanged a look with the priest after she walked back to the group, and we were both amused. For the rest of their stay, the girl was very embarrassed and I just tucked in into my memories as an amusing story to share…with all of you

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This next story happened only two weeks ago. It’s not as funny as the last (if you thought that was funny to begin with ). It’s more a story that might touch your heart just so, if you’re one of “those” kind of people.

It was a busy day at the bookstore, which means there were upwards of four people there. I was looking at the sci-fi/fantasy/horror section, minding my own business. An older couple was walking around looking at the books. The wife was at one end of a long bookshelf and the husband was only a few feet from me on the other side of the bookshelf/wall.

“Hey, do you have a copy of Corelli’s Mandolin?” the husband calls out to his wife.

“Yes, I already have it. That was a great book.” she calls back in response.

“Ok, I just found a copy back here and wasn’t sure if you had it.”

Why am I telling this story? It’s just a couple looking at books right? Well it’s a little more than that. Over the last few months, when my girlfriend is visiting, both of us have gone to my local and a few other bookstores regularly. Almost every time we’re browsing, one of us seems to run into this very book, Corelli’s Mandolin. Neither of us have really looked at the book to know what it’s about and we’ve left it there among the other unpurchased books.

One day we noticed there were two copies, and a third on any given day, just staring at us. It was an inside joke to ask the other if they wanted Corelli’s Mandolin. I think we were waiting for the other to crack and buy the book. Well After months of this joking, I decided to buy the book next time I had my girlfriend in the store.

This couple reminded me of the relationship I have and how we’d try to find books for each other. Because of this couple, my girlfriend now has a copy of the book, and it may stand as a symbol that other couple’s like us exist. We may very well grow old together scouring the shelves for other books with meaning, like Louis de Bernieres’ book has become.

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Here were only two stories of the people who frequent used bookstores. I have many more, and will probably encounter more people to talk about as the years go by. Some have been humorous, while other’s touch your heart for the good or bad. Many of my best people watching moments have happened in bookstores. What are some of the things you’ve seen yourself?

Aged Pages: The Kindness Of A Small Business

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Over the weekend I went to my local used bookstore (like I always do whenever I go into town). I was browsing the shelves, finding some titles that I added to my mental list to purchase at a later date. I can’t buy the way I used to lately. I used to be able to go in to the store and leave with arm loads of books. Those were the days when my wallet had money in it. Yea, those days that are only fantasy now. But that’s why I have a mental list for books. It might not be very reliable. I might not be able to tell you what on the list at the moment, but when I see something in the store next time I have money something will click.

It’s because of this lack of money that I went toward the check out counter empty handed. But I wasn’t tapped out just yet. Right in front of the counter are stacks of books. Trade paperbacks priced from 2-3 bucks. Right on top of one of the stacks I found Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays. I had found a book to buy that day. I was too curious about reading something by Crystal that I couldn’t risk it not being there the next time in the store. But I stopped myself at just the ONE book (that’s still awkward to say).

Did I mention I didn’t have money in my wallet? Well that’s a semi-truth. I have my debit card in there, but that’s VERY lacking on funds as well. I tend to keep that in the wallet when in the bookstore. Their machine’s old and temperamental. And it’s more work for everyone, rather than handing over a few bills.

I handed over the book, priced $2 (I know it’s a steal), and the owner of the store was “a dollar.” *Gasp* Ok, not really a “gasp.” This is normal. I’m a very regular customer and have been for well around 9-10 years. I normally get around a 30% discount, the same as my mom got when she worked there part-time when I was in high school. They know me. They like me. They also keep my wallet from emptying (more of the time, lol).

I started handing over my card, only to be told “Oh, just bring in a dollar next time you come through.” To which I replied a smiling thank you.

This is what I love about my used bookstore, and a few others that I have run into over the years. While the bigger reason the owner didn’t want to run my card is because it was only a dollar and that’s almost a waste of a transaction, he also didn’t ask me to come pay for the book later AND pick it up later. He allowed me to walk out of the store with it. Yes I’m a trustworthy guy and they’ve known me for years. I’ve always paid, and only on a few occasions asked them to hold a book so I can pay later. But this wasn’t really the reason he let me go. I’ve witnessed this with other customers as well. Even with purchases a little more expensive customers have been trusted to just pay later.

It’s a joy of being a small business., to me. You can really make up your own sales rules. You can put your trust in the customers and I’m sure almost all the time they come back and pay for the books. If anything they don’t because they forget, not because they are skipping out on a purchase.

To go along with this kindness that I witness every time I stop by, that discount I mentioned earlier sometimes varies in percentage. Sometimes I don’t get it (rarely) and I don’t complain AT ALL. I’ve given them a good amount of business over the years and have taken a liking to getting a few bucks off here and there..but I also don’t mind paying that extra dollar or two in the first place. There are also times when the discount is…well..breath-taking. One day I went in and found 4 of the Harry Potter books (hardcover) and another 4-5 books of some sort. I had money at the time too so this wasn’t a “large purchase.” 3 of the 4 HP books were marked $5 and the other one (the 5th book in the series) was $10 because it was a special edition with slip case, etc. In total all the book came out to around $35  I think…I was only asked to pay twenty! That’s like getting 3 of the HP books for FREE! Other times I can get a dollar book or two for free as well, when they’re really liking me

What other business can be this generous to their customers. Certainly I can’t walk into Barnes & Noble, grab five books, walk to the counter, and only pay them 5 bucks. Each of those books are at least $10 a piece, if not more. And the cashier won’t be able to take pity on a local towns-person and tell him that he could just pay at a later time. Not that I expect them to actually do that. It’s not how they do business and it’s not very common. But it’s what makes me love my bookstore, and others like it.

So when you go on Amazon or go to a place like Barnes & Noble for a copy of a classic like a Jane Austen novel or a more recent classic like a Stephen King novel, please don’t let those be the first places you look. If there is a small business, a small used bookstore, in the area, please check them out first. You should find it for cheaper, first editions sometimes too. If you don’t, you’re bound to find something else worth reading and fall in love with the store itself. (For newer releases, you’ll probably not find them in a used store for a year or two if you’re lucky, so I won’t scold you for going to B&N for that )

Authors We Love, Part IX: …And Another Thing

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I knew I was going to get to this author eventually, but I didn’t expect to pull him out of my hat this early in the series. With that said, I’m still going to go ahead with this post. My life’s been a little too hectic (especially today) to dive a little deeper into my stacks for another author.

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Some readers may have guessed who I’m going to be discussing today solely based on the title of this post “…And Another Thing.” Some more informed readers may have two authors in mind. Well, you’ll also be right with both of them…somewhat.

My Authors We Love installment for this week is focused on the writing of that incredible Douglas Adams. Why did I say an answer with two authors could be correct? I’ll get to that later.

I first discovered Adams a few years ago in my bookstore. The book The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was staring me in the face. It was sitting there in the sci-fi section. Mocking me. Teasing me. “You know you want to buy me. You can’t resist.” What else was I supposed to think? There’s a green ball with hands, sticking its tongue out at me. It doesn’t even have eyes. The name of the book rang a vague bell in my head as well, and I bought the book. I read the book. I loved the book.

Then I found the next two in the series The Restaurant at the end of the Universe and Life, the Universe and Everything. I read and devoured them. Then there was So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish….the FOURTH book in the Hitchhiker’s TRILOGY. Yep, I didn’t make a mistake. This is in fact a trilogy…of..well there’s more than just four, but let me get into what made me keep on with these books first.

One thing that many readers love about Adams, including myself, is the humor in his writing. That’s a MUST in an Adams book. Not to insult the brilliant writing at all, but there’s almost nothing in the books to take seriously. I consider what I’ve read of him to be pure genius, comical genius. The elements that make up his HHGTTG (I’ll abbreviate from now on) “world” are SO absurd and at the same time once I was in that world, traveling the galaxy side by side with Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect, I found everything to be normal.

I’m not the most educated person on British humor, so maybe he’s not as unique as I consider him, but I don’t really care. I love this man’s work. I love it enough to have gone out and ordered book 5 in the trilogy Mostly Harmless even though I’ve read enough about it to know people didn’t care much for it. Adams even admitted it wasn’t the best way to end the series. I read it, and thought the same, but I still enjoyed it enough.

How else can you finish off this series? Well write a 6th book for the trilogy of course. Sadly Adams passed away in 2001 and couldn’t do this himself. Luckily there was an author who was able to take up the task. …And Another Thing was born when author Eoin Colfer took up the pen and series. I also got this book when I got Mostly Harmless. Did I like this book? It wasn’t terrible. I think it’s something to read if only to “finish” the series in whatever capacity you feel it needed to be. I think it was a good attempt. I enjoy Colfer’s writing as well (having only read this book and the first Artemis Fowl).

Where am I going with this? I don’t know. My mind is being just as random as Adams’ writing right now.

So I’ve read all 5(6) of the HHGTTG books. It’s a great series by and great writer (go buy them if you want a hilarious adventure). I also own both Dirks Gently books. I haven’t read those yet to know how they match up, but I have high hopes.

I think I’ll just wrap this up now that I’m think I’m out of writing steam, haha. I think this post might spark some discussion though, so don’t worry, there’s be more below in the comments I’m sure.

On a final note: There is a HHGTTG movie from the 2000′s….I advise you not to watch it (well maybe for Zoey Deschanel/Katy Perry, are they the same person?) You can still totally watch it, I can’t command people (…yet). Just please read the first book first. I know people who are turned off from the series because of that movie. There is also a 1980′s TV mini-series. I’ve seen a bit, that’s not terrible for the 80′s.

I do feel the need to promote the idea of listening to the radio broadcasts. After reading all the books I found the radio recordings and listened non-stop. It’s a little different experience but not in a bad way. It was a great way to relive the writing of Adams again while on the go

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Thanks for stopping by again this week. I’m still, as always, looking for guests to share their authors with us. I have many openings in upcoming dates so don’t hesitate, please. You don’t want to read what I ramble about TWICE a week do you?