humanflyz Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Am I the only one who can't resist buying a book every time I go into a bookstore? I am almost compelled to buy a book whenever I walk into a bookstore, or else I feel like something is not complete. And sometimes I would buy books which I already have, but simply because I have an urge to read it but don't have it with me at my current location, and not to mention various different translations of the same work. Make no mistake, I read all the books that I buy, but because of this compulsion, I've built up a huge library, scattered in my college apartment and my parents' house. And I'm one of those people who doesn't have the heart to get rid of books, so every time I move I need to buy another box or three to accommodate my new acquisitions. Man I need help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBLoudG20 Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Could be worse... could be crack, or transvestite hookers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 I have a fairly serious book buying compulsion, which in the past couple of years unfortunately extended into the area of limited edition, small press science fiction and fantasy publications. My favorite small press is Night Shade Books: http://www.nightshadebooks.com/ About twice a year they have a 50% sale, and when that happens I just go nuts and order a ton of books. Actually, they are having a 50% sale right now, through Jul 29th, if you want to indulge your compulsion. Details in the link above. However, due to my reading preferences (alt-fantasy/sci-fi) I usually can only find books I'm interested in on the 'net, so I don't make many purchases at b&n or bam. Amazon though... whew they have a lot of my money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 It's worse for me. Every couple of days I get an email from Subterranean Press about new limited edition books. Now THAT's a problem. I'm out of space, and keep buying more signed limited editions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 It's worse for me. Every couple of days I get an email from Subterranean Press about new limited edition books. Now THAT's a problem. I'm out of space, and keep buying more signed limited editions. subterranean press! i need to check them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Hey postjack, you should check out my amazon marketplace store. I'll give you a 10% discount. grawk books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
en480c4 Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 I used to buy a lot of books, but I've gotten better lately. As a rule, I prefer owning to borrowing from a library. But there are a number of books I've bought that I've realized I will never revisit, so I've definitely scaled back my buying. There are definitely a few authors whose releases I'll buy with no questions asked, and if something is strongly recommended by a friend whose opinion I trust, I'll often give that a go. Occasionally I'll pick something up on a whim, but that's been happening less and less. Some of it is that my bookcase is pretty full, so I'd probably need to thin the collection before adding much more to it. But I do love it when someone gets me a GC for B&N for a gift... Guilt-free spending is always so much fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 There are definitely a few authors whose releases I'll buy with no questions asked... I'm interested to know your "buy no questions asked" authors. Mine are: Jeff Vandermeer R. Scott Bakker Steven Erikson China Mieville Having said that, for all my book buying, I do not own all the books of the above. Except Bakker, but he only has three, but they are three outstanding, mind bending books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkam Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 I don't have a book buying compulsion, but I do have a dvd/hd-dvd/blu-ray buying compulsion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFKMan23 Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 I have a tube buying compulsion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 I don't have a book buying compulsion, but I do have a dvd/hd-dvd/blu-ray buying compulsion. the only dvds i own are DS9 seasons one and two. I'll buy the BSG seasons when it is all said and done. I not much of a rewatcher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 I have a tube buying compulsion. thats because you eat tubes to harness their powa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_maher Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Hey postjack, you should check out my amazon marketplace store. I'll give you a 10% discount. grawk books Must not buy Dark Tower VII... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Authors I buy presale limited and readers editions of: John Scalzi Tim Powers John Shirley Bruce Sterling William Gibson Orson Scott Card Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Must not buy Dark Tower VII... You should definitely go for the matched set of 3 I'll even throw in the hardback printings bought at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Must not buy Dark Tower VII... If you let me buy them for you, I can get a 5% discount. I know the owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBLoudG20 Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 ROFL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 If you let me buy them for you, I can get a 5% discount. I know the owner. Nate gets a better discount than you do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_maher Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 grawk, FTW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerius Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 I just log on to the city library network and reserve myself a book, and within a couple days it's delivered to my local branch for pickup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Chalk Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 No, I don't have this problem...with books. Now, with CD's...yes, I definitely have this problem. I do read a lot, I just know exactly what I want to read. I do a lot of special orders and graphic novels. My last purchases looked something like: Sergei Lukianenko/Sergey Lukyanenko/however you want to spell it: Nightwatch/Daywatch/Twilightwatch. Tommyrot: The Art of Ben Templesmith (I need to pick up Blood-Stained Sword) Y: The Last Man, Vol. 9, Motherland Blade of the Immortal, Vol. 15 (for some reason, I can't seem to find my copy -- I got a little lost after 13, and need to start over 14-17) Berserk, Vol. 17 ...and a bunch of Palm OS programming books, and a linux book or two -- I don't actually read these, I just put them on my shelf at work to make me look smart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salt Peanuts Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 I used to have that problem, but not so much anymore, especially now that I have a membership with audible.com and just get audiobooks instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hYdrociTy Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 me too. i never throw away books after i read em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chekhonte Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 I have about 30 books by chekhov by different translators, 4 copies of Don Quixote again different translations and multiple copies of several copies of different samuel beckett books just because I liked the way they look. I spend about 150 dollars on used books a month which is a ton for my income. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
en480c4 Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 I'm interested to know your "buy no questions asked" authors. Arturo Perez Reverte - Not a weak book among any of his I've read, though the transalations vary in quality. Martin Cruz Smith - Another author whose output is remarkably consistant in a genre that rarely is. Robert Harris - Historical fiction at its finest. Richard Laymon - The most prolific dead author I've ever heard of, but his books are guaranteed to be fast and fun. Dougles Preston & Lincoln Child - With characters connected through any and all of their books, it's alway fun to see who pops up. Iain Pears - Historical fiction or the Rome Art Theft Squad series are always enjoyable. Stepen King - I don't feel I need to qualify this one at all... Max Barry - Corporate and cultural satire that's often laugh-out-loud funny. Dan Simmons - Can't get into his fantasy stuff, but the rest of it, especailly Summer of Night, is great. Matthew Pearl - Wasn't sure the debut could be matched, but after two great historical novels, I'm hooked. Mark Z. Danielewski - Sure, there's only House of Leaves, but I can't wait to see what might be next. Elizabeth Kostova - Another one with only one book out there, but The Historian was very engaging. Unfortunately I read she wrote it over 10 years, so I'm guessing a follow-up isn't right around the corner. Many of the hardcovers and all of the paperbacks are 2-deep, as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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