Airport paperbacks - specifically Land by Maggie O'Farrell

[drspouse]

How do you find out what's available as an airport paperback? Do they even sell these any more?

I want to get hold of Land by Maggie O'Farrell and I'd love to read it on holiday but I don't really want to take a hardback with me!

Has anyone noticed this type of book this summer?

This is what Kindles are for! All the books you ever want for a few grams.

I bought the paperback of Land in Luton Airport so I’m pretty sure you’ll get in every other airport!

I left my Kindle on the bus

If something happened to my Kindle and I was going away, I'd replace it the same day, whatever the cost or if cost was an issue, I'd be getting a second hand one from eBay.

But to answer your question, I travel quite frequently and always use the airport waiting time to look at books. I don't know if it's the case at all UK airports, but I don't remember seeing so many airport editions recently. But if @Notonthestairs has bought it in an airport, it sounds like it should be available and if not, there's usually a good selection so hopefully you'd be able to find something else to buy - there seems to be a permanent buy one, get one half price offer, so a good excuse to get a couple.

But I'd still be replacing my Kindle and buying that version.

Hi op. No idea about your book but I call them 'medium backs' halfway between a hardback and a paperback.

Only for new releases in airports. My favourite thing about airports are the 2 for £20 medium backs!

I’m pretty sure it was at Gatwick a
couple of weeks ago. I remember being surprised as I hadn’t realised it was out yet and then clocking that it would be an airport edition

I didn't know that there was such a thing as an airport edition! What a great idea. I hate having to wait for my favourite authors' books to be published in paperback.

I went on the ferry last week and realised for the first time that they have airport paperbacks (travel paperbacks?!) too. Land was one of them.

I noticed that Irish bookshops have the airport paperback of Land when I was last over. A bookseller I was chatting to said he couldn’t understand the UK wish/need for hardbacks; the airport paperbacks were much more popular in Ireland and you could only rarely find the hardback. I got a paperback copy of Yesteryear while there, rather than springing for the hardback in the UK.

So worth looking for an Irish bookseller online if you can’t find it in an actual airport or similar.

@Bjorkdidit If I'm buying a new release and don't think I'll keep it, I'd rather get a slightly discounted physical copy and then get some money back (by selling it on).
For older books, I get them from eBay rather than Kindle unless I can get them through the library or a £1 Kindle or similar.

I bought the paperback of Land at Gatwick airport last month.

Nooo!I didn't realise this and I was on a ferry a few days ago.

That is such a weird attitude. Who expects to get money back on books?! You might be better off using the library. Hardbacks and new releases for free!

It depends on your accessibility to the library though and what their terms are. Some are now charging a reservation fee, and some still fine you for having overdue books. With all the second-hand bookshops and websites, there’s clearly a lot of people selling books on. It’s worth checking out if you can use BorrowBox or Libby via the library to borrow ebooks for your Kindle though OP. I imagine you’ll have to wait for such a popular one though. And if it wasn’t too long ago, the bus company might have your Kindle in the lost property. There’s no harm in asking.

The bus company, which is notorious for never finding any lost property, has now sent me two texts to say they haven't found my Kindle. It's like they are gloating.

I don't keep all books I've bought, because there's no point if we don't want to build an extension for all the books I'm not young enough to read again, so why not get a small amount of money back?

And our library yes does charge for reservations but also has just closed for 6 months .

So actually I decided to borrow DD Kindle and buy her a couple of cheaper new books instead, which we were all happy about as I think my Kindle book and her two books worked out cheaper. Am enjoying the book so far though it is quite similar to Hamnet.

The kindle app on the phone has now overtaken my previous love for my kindle, it’s always with me and means I doomscroll much less as I can just read my book instead.

Ah that's good.
All I came here to offer was that with Amazon I read my kindle books on my very old android Motorola. I don't need a kindle.
Enjoy your book x

I don't really like reading on my phone as my eyes like it less, but I do occasionally if I've forgotten my Kindle.