centurion Posted 30 August , 2014 Share Posted 30 August , 2014 I agree Robert, but good second hand bookshops are becoming rarities. For the reason that you mention most of my on-line purchases are made as a result of either footnotes in my current reading, or comments and reviews here, Sometimes I check for reviews on Amazon, but they have to be treated with great caution unless they come from a known person. I should also mention the reviews by David Filsell and others in the WFA publications, and the Facebook "Great War Book Reviews" page, both can be helpful. Still no substitute for browsing though. Keith Ah but I'm fortunate to live 40 minutes away from Hay on Wye!. In Leominster though we had three good 2nd hand bookshops when I moved here now they've all gone as have the ones in Hereford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 30 August , 2014 Share Posted 30 August , 2014 I keep planning a trip to Hay on Wye. Probably next year now as I have blown the budget a bit this year. I'll get in touch when/if it ever happens and maybe we could meet up. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxi Posted 30 August , 2014 Share Posted 30 August , 2014 Its always worth checking the site Green Metropolis which retails all manner of second-hand books for under £4 delivered. Got quite a few Great War books from them. Here it is http://www.greenmetropolis.com/ Maxi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalyback Posted 30 August , 2014 Share Posted 30 August , 2014 Also 40 minutes from Hay. Cinema bookshop one of the largest and best. The very posh one down by the town clock best avoided, eye watering prices for some very run of the mill books. Best buy so far Tommy by Richard Holmes in hardback. Unused and signed for £8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 30 August , 2014 Share Posted 30 August , 2014 Also 40 minutes from Hay. Cinema bookshop one of the largest and best. The very posh one down by the town clock best avoided, eye watering prices for some very run of the mill books. Best buy so far Tommy by Richard Holmes in hardback. Unused and signed for £8. Your experience not dissimilar to mine but which is the posh one? I have found some interesting original stuff (ie contemporary with the Great War) in good condition in some shops at very reasonable prices Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalyback Posted 30 August , 2014 Share Posted 30 August , 2014 I agree most of the shops in Hay do have some intresting stuff. Poshshop, Richard booth. Just noted it on google street. Retyred books has Osprey series on the right as you go in. Then further history and world war editions at the rear. Cinema, as discussed, one of the biggest second hand shops in Britian? Castle, has this been reopened? Shut last time there. Hay on wye books can have some gems. As per the BBC there are other book sellers and you need to spend the day wandering the entire town. This is general advice, Centurion will say others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 30 August , 2014 Share Posted 30 August , 2014 Subject search on a library catalogue such as www.copac.ac.uk will reveal those books whose titles may otherwise not be apparently GW-related... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenneth505 Posted 30 August , 2014 Share Posted 30 August , 2014 The wife and I will get a chance to visit Hay on Wye next spring. Was planning to ask for suggestions there and this post seems tailor made. I like having an objective in an environment like this and would be happy to hear about which shops may be good prospects for finding some of the pulp fiction created in the ten +/- years prior to the out break. I'm speaking of the science fiction type titles that the better survey histories tend to list in the early chapters. Will also need to work on creating a wish list. Wouldn't object to the names of some shops where one could find scholarly histories either. Would like to finally find and read something by Fischer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalyback Posted 30 August , 2014 Share Posted 30 August , 2014 The wife and I will get a chance to visit Hay on Wye next spring. Was planning to ask for suggestions there and this post seems tailor made. I like having an objective in an environment like this and would be happy to hear about which shops may be good prospects for finding some of the pulp fiction created in the ten +/- years prior to the out break. I'm speaking of the science fiction type titles that the better survey histories tend to list in the early chapters. Will also need to work on creating a wish list. Wouldn't object to the names of some shops where one could find scholarly histories either. Would like to finally find and read something by Fischer. Part of Hays joy is the searching. Some shops have been noted however you can never say where that purchase will be obtained in Hay. It is not a huge town just wander and enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenneth505 Posted 31 August , 2014 Share Posted 31 August , 2014 Thanks Scalyback. One of the things we like best about taking trips is having a long lead time to dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 31 August , 2014 Share Posted 31 August , 2014 Subject search on a library catalogue such as www.copac.ac.uk will reveal those books whose titles may otherwise not be apparently GW-related... Very good advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 31 August , 2014 Share Posted 31 August , 2014 You certainly need to be creative about searching, for example in the Cinema (which claims to be the largest 2nd hand book shop in the world) there is a WW1 section upstairs but there is also another WW1 section downstairs (on the left) which has new (remaindered?) books and I have found other WW1 related stuff elsewhere (for example a book relating to the Indian Army in the section on Indian history) and there is also an Osprey section upstairs and some WW1 naval stuff can be found under naval history. They are not strong on military aviation for this period but I have found some good WW1 books under early aviation. It's a bit like prospecting for gold don't just pan a single stream. Some trips I've come back laden (and broke) others I've found very little. PS take a bag with you - being in Wales the shops no longer provide carriers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 31 August , 2014 Share Posted 31 August , 2014 You certainly need to be creative about searching, for example in the Cinema (which claims to be the largest 2nd hand book shop in the world) there is a WW1 section upstairs but there is also another WW1 section downstairs (on the left) which has new (remaindered?) books and I have found other WW1 related stuff elsewhere (for example a book relating to the Indian Army in the section on Indian history) and there is also an Osprey section upstairs and some WW1 naval stuff can be found under naval history. They are not strong on military aviation for this period but I have found some good WW1 books under early aviation. It's a bit like prospecting for gold don't just pan a single stream. Some trips I've come back laden (and broke) others I've found very little. PS take a bag with you - being in Wales the shops no longer provide carriers Also check Travel, Maggs Bros used to regularly put rare GW books in travel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 17 September , 2014 Share Posted 17 September , 2014 Abebooks is great for secondhand if you know the book you're after. As are the likes of Amazon for new (mainly). But, as centurion suggests, browsing for the right book on a subject can really only be done by visting a bookshop. I've just had two cases of ordering books shown on the Abe web site, having my order confirmed only then to be told later that the dealer (different dealers in each case) cannot supply - not so great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 17 September , 2014 Share Posted 17 September , 2014 I've just had two cases of ordering books shown on the Abe web site, having my order confirmed only then to be told later that the dealer (different dealers in each case) cannot supply - not so great Books are probably listed on 2 sites with the dealer being lax in removing them when sold from the other site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 17 September , 2014 Share Posted 17 September , 2014 I buy a lot off abebooks and that has happened a few times and it always seems to be the rarer, more expensive items. That being said Oxfam books has done that twice, once with a 3 volume set of Wellingtons Campaigns I have been wanting for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 17 September , 2014 Share Posted 17 September , 2014 Probably happens more on ABE as there is no penalty to the seller, only a loss of stars from their rating which means little. On Amazon if the seller cancels the orderat least the buyer can leave negative feedback which can lead to the sellers account being suspended if they receive too many and it may also put off potential buyers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 17 September , 2014 Share Posted 17 September , 2014 Probably happens more on ABE as there is no penalty to the seller, only a loss of stars from their rating which means little. On Amazon if the seller cancels the order at least the buyer can leave negative feedback which can lead to the sellers account being suspended if they receive too many and it may also put off potential buyers. Honest Abe only applying to US mid 19th centenary politics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 18 September , 2014 Share Posted 18 September , 2014 You can still pick up bargains in surprising places, I spent an hour looking around some of the 'rougher' areas at Hemswell Antiques Market this morning looking for old tools and came across the 2 original volumes of Deeds that thrill the Empire for £11 (10 for trade). Also picked up an old tool box for another £10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 18 September , 2014 Share Posted 18 September , 2014 Just purchased a number of books through Green Metropolis. The first arrived within 24 hours and post free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 18 September , 2014 Share Posted 18 September , 2014 Thanks for that, I've not seen it before and already added several to my wishlist! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now