1400th post
Monday, October 10, 2005
To celebrate my 1400th post, here's something which I worked on a couple of months ago during my 3 month academic hiatus...
Read More for Less - For Students and Cheapskates Alike
You're one of those people who love to read and doesn't read less than 10 books a year, or so the 10 year old data says about Malaysians and their reading habit. You read whatever you can get your hands on - newspapers, magazines, even food packaging. You read on the train. You read as you eat. You might be studying and you're living on an allowance which doesn't allow too much luxuries, books being one of them. Or like me, my parents don't pay for books as much as they used to.
Or you might have just started out in the rat race and you're not living at home. No thanks to the damn exchange rate of both the British pound and US Dollar, paperbacks are over RM30 each, and hardbacks will set one back from RM40 to over RM100, leaving a bigger hole in the pocket.
You join the local library, but the choice and variety's only so much. And that book that you want to read has a waiting list so long it'll be next year before it's your turn.
So how?
So here's my way on getting my hands on more books without spending too much money.
1. Warehouse sales
One of the things I love about living in PJ is that once (or twice, depending) a year the major bookstores (Popular, Times, MPH) will have a clearance sale to get rid of their old stock to bring in the new. Note that all these sales are typically held in the first quarter of the year, so start saving up as soon as you can. It also doesn't hurt if you're a member of these bookstores just so you can check out the members' preview which are held a day before it's open to the public.
One thing to remember is to BE EARLY. If you don't, not only you have to park further, but the choices may be limited because the early birds have caught the early worms. Okaylah, even if you can't, go as soon as you possibly can.
Second: TAKE YOUR TIME and slowly browse through the offerings. Take a box or basket (which will be provided) at the door and chuck in every book that you've thought about reading, regardless of whether you'll get it in the end, also in the best condition possible. If once around the place is not enough, go as many times as you can before passing out (Okaylah, 3 rounds max).
Major drawback of warehouse sales goods: they might be torn in some place, book spines are bent (which irks me), or whatever. I like to find books that are in the best condition possible. Don't worry if the cover's a little bent - as long as you can overlook it and you can still read it, get it.
For latest bestsellers, MPH one is the place to be; drawback: discounts are 30% tops. But at least it's better than paying full price at the stores. I bought The Da Vinci Code and The Rule of Four for under RM30.
For older titles: Times and Popular - they both give better discounts (50% or more); drawback: very old books that can be defected, damaged or both. But you kept a sharp eye out, you can score some very good stuff: I've gotten some titles for under RM10 in almost mint-condition like Roald Dahl's Boy and Going Solo double volume for RM6, Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential for RM8 and Prozac Nation for RM10.
2. Secondhand bookstores
If you don't mind bent spines and some very funny titles, another place to hit. Best known chain of secondhand bookstores in the Valley is Pay Less, which has a branch in places like Atria, Amcorp, Jaya, etc. Prices range from RM5 to under RM30, title dependent. Since I personally only look for stuff like humour there, occasionally one can strike gold.
3. Rental bookstores
I used to rent books when I was younger, not sure why I don't do it anymore. You pay the shop a deposit for a book and when you return it you get back a portion of your deposit. The variety is good; but once you know you can get your own books for less, it's hard to go back, you know?
4. Exchange with fellow bibliophiles - self explanatory .
Works if everyone's got loads of books to begin with, otherwise it's just leeching/mooching.
5. Bookcrossing
Great site, great concept - read a book and leave it somewhere for someone to pick up. Great book karma, except it might get picked up by cleaning ladies and is deposited at where ever. Which is why I don't do wild releases very often - I'd rather do RABCKs (Random Acts of Book Crossing Kindness), dump them with the local Bookcrossing group during meetups, or trade them through mail.
I've asked numerous Bookcrossers for books that I want to read (but not necessarily want to pay for and keep). Bottomline - I get to read the books, they get their books in a different continent to different people who WANT to read the book, everybody's happy.
Only drawback to international trades is the postage cost that people in the third world countries have to bear.
Read More for Less - For Students and Cheapskates Alike
You're one of those people who love to read and doesn't read less than 10 books a year, or so the 10 year old data says about Malaysians and their reading habit. You read whatever you can get your hands on - newspapers, magazines, even food packaging. You read on the train. You read as you eat. You might be studying and you're living on an allowance which doesn't allow too much luxuries, books being one of them. Or like me, my parents don't pay for books as much as they used to.
Or you might have just started out in the rat race and you're not living at home. No thanks to the damn exchange rate of both the British pound and US Dollar, paperbacks are over RM30 each, and hardbacks will set one back from RM40 to over RM100, leaving a bigger hole in the pocket.
You join the local library, but the choice and variety's only so much. And that book that you want to read has a waiting list so long it'll be next year before it's your turn.
So how?
So here's my way on getting my hands on more books without spending too much money.
1. Warehouse sales
One of the things I love about living in PJ is that once (or twice, depending) a year the major bookstores (Popular, Times, MPH) will have a clearance sale to get rid of their old stock to bring in the new. Note that all these sales are typically held in the first quarter of the year, so start saving up as soon as you can. It also doesn't hurt if you're a member of these bookstores just so you can check out the members' preview which are held a day before it's open to the public.
One thing to remember is to BE EARLY. If you don't, not only you have to park further, but the choices may be limited because the early birds have caught the early worms. Okaylah, even if you can't, go as soon as you possibly can.
Second: TAKE YOUR TIME and slowly browse through the offerings. Take a box or basket (which will be provided) at the door and chuck in every book that you've thought about reading, regardless of whether you'll get it in the end, also in the best condition possible. If once around the place is not enough, go as many times as you can before passing out (Okaylah, 3 rounds max).
Major drawback of warehouse sales goods: they might be torn in some place, book spines are bent (which irks me), or whatever. I like to find books that are in the best condition possible. Don't worry if the cover's a little bent - as long as you can overlook it and you can still read it, get it.
For latest bestsellers, MPH one is the place to be; drawback: discounts are 30% tops. But at least it's better than paying full price at the stores. I bought The Da Vinci Code and The Rule of Four for under RM30.
For older titles: Times and Popular - they both give better discounts (50% or more); drawback: very old books that can be defected, damaged or both. But you kept a sharp eye out, you can score some very good stuff: I've gotten some titles for under RM10 in almost mint-condition like Roald Dahl's Boy and Going Solo double volume for RM6, Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential for RM8 and Prozac Nation for RM10.
2. Secondhand bookstores
If you don't mind bent spines and some very funny titles, another place to hit. Best known chain of secondhand bookstores in the Valley is Pay Less, which has a branch in places like Atria, Amcorp, Jaya, etc. Prices range from RM5 to under RM30, title dependent. Since I personally only look for stuff like humour there, occasionally one can strike gold.
3. Rental bookstores
I used to rent books when I was younger, not sure why I don't do it anymore. You pay the shop a deposit for a book and when you return it you get back a portion of your deposit. The variety is good; but once you know you can get your own books for less, it's hard to go back, you know?
4. Exchange with fellow bibliophiles - self explanatory .
Works if everyone's got loads of books to begin with, otherwise it's just leeching/mooching.
5. Bookcrossing
Great site, great concept - read a book and leave it somewhere for someone to pick up. Great book karma, except it might get picked up by cleaning ladies and is deposited at where ever. Which is why I don't do wild releases very often - I'd rather do RABCKs (Random Acts of Book Crossing Kindness), dump them with the local Bookcrossing group during meetups, or trade them through mail.
I've asked numerous Bookcrossers for books that I want to read (but not necessarily want to pay for and keep). Bottomline - I get to read the books, they get their books in a different continent to different people who WANT to read the book, everybody's happy.
Only drawback to international trades is the postage cost that people in the third world countries have to bear.
