Looking at the front row of the fiction shelf of my bookshelf now (my books are double stacked, one behind the other, on each row; the front row contains my favorite books), the stats are as follows:
- 48 books (slightly less than half of my entire fiction collection, not including the Hardy Boys books - I did buy those, but they're on a different shelf, and I bought them each for less than $1)
- 25 were gifts/won
- 20 new when gifted
- 5 used when gifted
- 21 were bought
- 16 bought used (< $2) at booksales or thrift stores, or BookMooched
- 1 bought used ($2-$7) off Amazon or eBay (at the recommendation of its author, who responded to an email I sent her)
- only 4 bought new
- The Princess Adelina was on serious sale, and I'd wanted to read it (un-library-owned)
- A Light in the Castle was the only un-library-owned book in a certain series
- Nightmare Academy, was an un-library-owned sequel to a book I adored
- Star Wars: Episode I: Queen Amidala, the journal was my first bookstore-gift-card purchase. I was about 8 years old. I have read this book many, many times, and I almost have it memorized.
This is my second reason for doubting a Kindle purchase in my near future. I don't buy books. The majority of books on my shelf were gifts. The library is my book-source. Even if e-book prices are as low as some say they will be, $.99 and all that, I still doubt I'll be buying. (In comparison, I've definitely spent less than $50 on digital music since its inception. I'd be tempted to say less than $25.)
I know, I know, it's bad to be an author and not buy any books. Damaging the market and all that. I'm sorry. If I had money, I'd be buying lots and lots and lots of books, I promise.
Where did the majority of your books come from? Buy them new? Buy them used? Tell me............
2 comments:
I can't afford new books either. Much as I hate to admit it. I hit the library books sales and thrift stores usually. I think the most I've paid is $5- and even then I was wavering. (Five dollars for a book!)
I hate this economy. I used to be able to buy so much stuff. Now I want to buy books and I can't. Someday when I'm rich and famous and live in a mansion, I'll have a library filled floor to ceiling.
... library... I don't buy books unless I absolutely absolutely love them and am certain that I will reread.
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