am i being unreasonable to wonder why people buy new books

[LucyEllensmummy]

I buy all my books from charity shops. Occasionally i will buy new but i have been stung a few times when i spend out on something and end up not liking it.

Now i buy second hand, it means i dont have to be so choosey and often find some surprises.

[jack99]

I swap books with workmates and friends, then when everyone I know nearby has read them, I take them over with me when i visit my mum who lives in Spain. English language books are like gold dust over there.

She then reads them then passes them on in the various book swap schemes run by the local expats.

A really good way of getting maximum mileage from a book.

[jack99]

Sal- I am always taking my kids library books back late, I will get myself blacklisted soon!

[SalLikesCoffee]

lol jack. I get so completely nervous as I step into the library when books are late... Almost feel like sticking some money to the books, dropping them and running for my life!

When I was on maternity leave I used to go to the library often and take out dvd's for my ds. I think I gave their finances a considerable boost!

[Jux]

We buy second hand most of the time, and sometimes I've been pleasantly surprised by an author I wouldn't have bought new. I do still buy the odd new one. It's a huge treat for me and I save it for favourite author's latest. I might buy a new hardback for dh's birthday or xmas, but generally we both prefer paperbacks.

[jack99]

Sal - it always seems to be the same librarian on the desk when I sneak in to deposit the pile of 6 month old books, she always gives me a hard stare!

Then we had a house fire and some libary books were destroyed. I chickened out and sent my MIL in to pay for them!

[SalLikesCoffee]

Rofl. What a nice (and courageous) MIL you have!

[jack99]

I have discovered lots of now favourite authors through swapping books. Had never heard of them before so would not have picked them up in a bookshop.

Have since bought other books by them new.

[jack99]

Sal - she does have her uses!

[patriciawentworthheroine]

I love buying used books. With old books, the paper feels more soft and the binding has aged and it has a real feel of history to it.

And if you're buying classic books (rather than last year's best-seller), the dustjacket, binding etc are often far more interesting. Often you can pick up an attractive hardback with a fab retro dustjacket for less than the price of the modern paperback.

I never buy new, unless I am too impatient to wait or have a book voucher to use up.

[LadyGlencoraPalliser]

I buy loads of secondhand books, but you do have to consider how authors are going to make a living if nobody ever buys new books. They need to eat too, you know.

[UnquietDad]

Thank you ladyglencora! I do think this point is often missed...

[TotalChaos]

Some of the translated fiction (usually crime) that I enjoy is too obscure to end up in charity shops or the library, so I have to buy it new anyway.

[OhBling]

I buy new books because I'm impatient and when I spot something I want to read I want it NOW. And new books are not that expensive, especially on Amazon.

I also buy second hand from charity shops and visit the library regularly.

A lot of the books I buy new land up at my local library or charity shop for resell.

[Tortington]

on amazon you can read a bit of the books - and buy them second hand - so i do both.

i give mine to charity shops if thats a sweetner

[SENSESofTOUCH]

Because buying books is a fantasticly fun, exciting, sexy, spiritual, experience.

I ADORE buying new books.

I had a very short time of only buying charity shop books...but found very little I liked.

I hate buying a book that looks scruffy, I love getting home with brand new books and arranging them on my book shelves...mmm...love Waterstones

[Biccy]

I have a close contact in a children's book publisher who can get me loads of stuff free - but I still often buy their stuff new and at full price, just because I know what a tricky business they're in, and how if they don't make sales, they can't publish good stuff.

[thumbwitch]

I buy brand new books when
a) they are specialist books that I wouldn't find in a charity shop in a month of sundays
b) I need them to complete a set (Terry Pratchett's, the last few Georgette Heyer's as they were impossible to find in charity shops)
c) someone gives me a book token
d) I get a FANTASTIC offer to join a book club (like the whole Beatrix Potter set for £4.99 + P&P) and then have to buy 4 more books to fulfil membership criteria
e) I REALLY WANT a book that has just come out and I can't wait for it to appear in a charity shop.

I love browsing in charity shops, and second-hand book shops too - I have huge numbers of books - drives DH insane.

[elkiedee]

All the reasons Thumbwitch said, and others as well, I'm an addict when it comes to book buying.

I love buying books, both new and secondhand. Some books I want aren't available secondhand in this country, eg US crime novels by authors who aren't published in the UK. The price difference between new and secondhand isn't always so great - the most expensive charity shops charge £2-£3 a book anyway, and sometimes new bestsellers can be picked up for £3-£4.

I also buy from places like TheBookPeople - currently I'm reading a series of 10 Swedish crime novels which I was able to buy complete for £14 from there - all coordinated and with introductions from some of my favourite crime writers - I've seen them new in a bookshop and coveted them for a while.

And I go to book events, particularly crime fiction, and like to try and support newer and less well known writers by buying some of their books, although if you can't afford to do that reserving any of the books you can that are available in the library is a great way to do that too. If a book is popular a library service with 12 branches might buy more copies of that author's next book, some in hardback too!

[Simplysally]

I buy new books that I'll want to keep or would take months to get from the library (ie the Harry Potter series). I have quite an ecletic taste although it tends to veer towards magic realism which are hard to source in charity shops/jumble sales. I've found the odd gem in hotel libraries abroad but there it's a case of grab the English versions, regardless of quality or genre .

I was overjoyed when I found an ancient copy of an out-of-print childen's story in a musty old bookshop in the UK. Even thougn the cover was literally spotted with mould, I bought it for the princely sum of 50p and cleaned it up. It's now proudly on my shelf.

[Simplysally]

I'm also a great one for snapping up books in airport lounges even though I've probably got 3 or 4 in my case already. One of my daughter's favourite books is the one I bought her about aeroplanes the first time she went on a plane. I sat and read it to her and was applauded by the pilot and first officer as they walked past .

[nooka]

I always buy new except if something is out of print. I don't consider books a luxury but a necessity, and I really don't begrudge paying a few pounds more for a pristine copy of something I really want to read, and will almost always read several times. I think books are incredibly good value. Besides which I love bookshops, and most of the authors I enjoy I am waiting for their next novel on tenter hooks. Sometimes they are disappointing, but that's a risk I am prepared to take. In the meantime I get lots of books out from the library, but if they are good I usually end up buying them anyway. I've also had the fines thing, but now we go regularly every fortnight for the children that's ceased to be a major problem. I've very rarely seen anything I would like to read in a charity shop or at Tescos, and prefer to buy direct than use Amazon (I like to start reading in the bookshop) except when I am doing an order at Christmas or a birthday or for something I know I won't be able to buy in a bookshop.

[Callipygia]

I am late to this but wanted to say: charity shops are fine if you read a certain type of book. The TIme Traveller's Wife sort of level of book. If you want anything more challenging or classic, you can't count on finding it in a charity shop. Sometimes you find a real gem, and that's great, but more often I see the same books over and over again; sadly they're not the ones I always want to read.
The Oxfam bookshops are better, but overpriced now, more of a lifestyle shop than a charity shop.

[Bumperlicioso]

Just reading a few posts and wanted to say WRT library books, at least if you take them back late the library is getting some money at least that's how I see it and my books are always late! Of course I've solved that now DH works in the library I never have to pay late fees again!

[MargaretMountford]

If you borrow books from the library, people like me get PLR payments each time you take one of ours out -it can add up to a nice bit of pocket money !! (especially as an illustrator I don't get royalties usually)
All the books I usually recycle to charity shops are book group ones which I'd never read again (bar one or two good ones) but I do love the smell and feel of lovely new books and buying them is a real treat and pleasure for me.