by James s F.
Member since:
February 26, 2006

Do You Choose New or Used Books

September 08, 2012 12:48 AM UTC
views: 0 | 1 person recommends this | comments: 38

Or to put it more succinctly with a current best seller, would you buy 50 Shades of Grey used, or want it brand spanking new?

Comments: 38

Juan J Martinez Sep 8, 2012, 1:26am UTC
I prefer my books new. Sometimes when I am browsing I might see something that catches my eye in the used rack, but for the most part I tend to buy new books.
Betty S. Sep 8, 2012, 1:49am UTC
Used books or order online.
Larry M. Sep 8, 2012, 9:35am UTC
I use the library.

If I had to buy the book I would go with used. If I was lucky, the book might have crucial points highlighted and interesting comments in the margins.
Jim Marshall Sep 8, 2012, 10:23am UTC
I do buy books for my e-reader but others from thrift stores. Lets me find books I may have read years before which may be out of print.
Hyper Intellect Sep 13, 2012, 10:13pm UTC
I prefer new for the hottest, newest, shiniest, most up-to-date, recently reviewed titles.

But can't always afford them. Want Joan Rivers' latest pretty bad I Hate Everyone, Starting With Me.

Love that Jew bitch.
Ruta Skaði Sep 14, 2012, 2:16am UTC
A Kindle kinda' resolves the question -- though it's usually loaded with books to read during travels.

That said, I will occasionally buy books (non-fiction) for my office library. Technical books I usually buy new, since they need to be up-to-date. Historical or obscure reference books, those are the ones I like old. The oldest: International Library of Technology, Scranton International Textbook Company, 1905.
Simon P. Sep 14, 2012, 5:21am UTC
I collect old science books, which I find in used book stores. But my rule is 19th century or older. I have about 50, including a 1790 edition of a book by Spallanzani in Italian (which is pretty valuable) and a chemical pharmacology text in Latin from 1665, which is my oldest. I found that one in Prague and didnt pay much for it. No idea what its worth.
Hyper Intellect Sep 14, 2012, 8:06am UTC
KewlHobby@SimonP.
Ruta Skaði Sep 14, 2012, 9:46am UTC
I'll second that. It's interesting to see how the "facts" of science have changed over time. That pharma book sounds fascinating.
Hyper Intellect Sep 14, 2012, 8:53pm UTC
Yes it is, Ms. Skadi. And the "facts" of religion, too ;-)
Pete S. Sep 14, 2012, 9:09pm UTC
Si, when I was a kid one of my favorite books was Paul de Kruif's Microbe Hunters, whose second chapter was on Spallanzani (the first was on Leeuwenhoek). That prompted my interest in biochemistry, which is mostly what got me flunked out of Cal, since as a chemist, I was a very good linguist.
Simon P. Sep 14, 2012, 9:19pm UTC
Well Pete, Im sure it wont come as a complete shock for you to learn that that book was my favorite as well. The only problem was I didnt realize how old it was while I was reading it. (It refers to syphilis as "the loathsome disease" if I remember right). But it is still a classic for inspiring people to think about biology.

I kind of liked biochemistry, and totally sucked at languages (still do, actually) so there is a nice complementarity there.
Simon P. Sep 14, 2012, 9:22pm UTC
Ruta

One of the astonishing things about some of these old books, is how smart folks were back then. I mean they knew a lot more than we might think, and a lot of it was right. Of course most of it wasnt, but that wasnt their fault.


Pete S. Sep 15, 2012, 12:43am UTC
De Kruif called syphilis "the disease of the loathsome name", which seemed weird to me: "Syphilis" sounds like a Greek wood nymph.
Ruta Skaði Sep 15, 2012, 1:38am UTC
Sy, Given their lack of resources, I'm frequently impressed at the reasoning of those who've come before me (and occasionally a contemporary).

Pete, I was picturing a tired, old Greek guy pushing a boulder. (I need a better imagination.)

Hyper, I'll have to take your word for it, my being pretty much illiterate in that particular field of study. The "religious" section of my library is rather thin (and dust-covered).
Pete S. Sep 15, 2012, 4:08am UTC
Ruta, that was "Platypus". Or was he the guy who married his father? It all happened before my time.
aniko    Sep 15, 2012, 5:11am UTC
Sounds more like the guy with the boulder than a wood nymph to me, too. (Not the guy with a wood nymph instead of the boulder, but the wood nymph. But since that's the negated part of my sentence, I'm not sure why I had to clarify that.)

The old Hungarian vernacular name of syphilis, "the French disease" (francia betegség) is the source of one of the common (and now pretty mild) Hungarian curse words, franc /frÉ’nts/. ("Go to ____"; "May the _____ eat this"; "To ____ with it", etc.)
Pete S. Sep 15, 2012, 4:10pm UTC
Why doesn't this kind of thing get taught in language classes? I have no interest whatsoever in where my dotty old French aunt left her pen, but aniko's lesson in Hungarian STD-related imprecations is wonderful.
Pete S. Sep 14, 2012, 9:04pm UTC
If I find a writer whose work I rilly, rilly, rilly like, such as Jack Vance, I will buy many used paperback copies to "lend" in the sure and certain knowledge that I will never see them again but that they may take on a life of their own in other peoples' libraries.
Simon P. Sep 14, 2012, 9:30pm UTC
If you are thinking of buying books, either printed or Kindle, consider the following authors from the ranks of Gather. Tracy Fabre, Lisa Brackman, Peter J. Swanson, Judi Fennel, Steve Prosapio, Olivia Cunning, (Jamie C.), Ken Coffman, Gina Robinson, and a whole lot of others.
Ruta Skaði Sep 15, 2012, 2:01am UTC
Being more of a non-fiction reader, I had another Gather writer in mind.

Which reminds me that the last fiction I read was in response to a comment from someone here about a book in Japanese that I really liked. I found an English translation. Still loved the story. The main difference was that it took about three-weeks to read in Japanese, but just a couple of evenings in English. (I didn't have to stop and look up a Kanji every three sentences.)
aniko    Sep 15, 2012, 5:23am UTC
That Gather writer is unfortunately not very good at self-promotion, even though he's been well exposed to excellent examples here that he could follow. The most diligent author includes a link to his book in every second comment he leaves! Now, that's dedication.
Simon P. Sep 15, 2012, 12:49pm UTC
I have no idea what you two are talking about. But that's OK, dont stop now.
Pete S. Sep 15, 2012, 2:50pm UTC
Nor I. That there is a writer on Gather that Dare Not Speak His Name is interesting; that No One Dare Speak His Name is fascinating. "Yahweh Dawkins", perhaps? Or Lovecraft's "Hastur the Unspeakable"?
Simon P. Sep 15, 2012, 4:11pm UTC
I suppose there must be quite a few names that must never be spoken. Hell, even I have one of those.

(btw, "Yahweh Dawkins" is inspired).
aniko    Sep 15, 2012, 4:22pm UTC
I did, on one occasion, use a certain first name that must never be spoken, just to see what would happen. I was told in no uncertain terms that I would be forgiven just that once, but I must never ever try my luck again. I haven't.
Simon P. Sep 15, 2012, 4:40pm UTC
Good girl.
Ruta Skaði Sep 15, 2012, 9:15pm UTC
No comment...
esteban g. Sep 14, 2012, 9:49pm UTC
There's a lot more old books that current bestsellers. Good chance many of them are better.

I used to enjoy going to used book shops in university towns to find Russian books on physics.
aniko    Sep 15, 2012, 12:25am UTC
I've never thought about the question at all before. I buy new, used, yellowing, crumbling, and even Kindle, even though I don't own the cool gadget. (You can read them on your PC.) But since no one else has run with your succinctly introduced angle, I don't think it matters even with a book like Fifty Shades of Grey. Everything in the universe is made up of the same old recycled stuff, so everything has been in contact with everything, right? Every glass of water is likely to contain a water molecule that passed through Cromwell's bladder, etc. (Why Cromwell's bladder is so special, I have no idea.)
Pete S. Sep 15, 2012, 12:43am UTC
As a Puritan, his bladder was particularly unsullied by vile alcoholic decoctions., I suppose.
Hyper Intellect Sep 15, 2012, 1:51pm UTC
He thaid decoctions, nympho, & wood.
Sandy Knauer Sep 15, 2012, 1:27am UTC
I buy new books most of the time just because I love the feel of a new book. I also borrow from the library and buy Kindle, but will never purchase another Kindle device since mine bit the dust about a week after the warranty ended and I don't want to replace it annually.
aniko    Sep 15, 2012, 12:55pm UTC
Hmm. I've been thinking about buying one at some point. (With the laptop, I get distracted easily.)
Sandy Knauer Sep 15, 2012, 2:58pm UTC
I loved mine while it lasted. I didn't use it as often as most people would since I was recovering and didn't read at all for several months so I was disappointed when the screen went out after 13 months and their best offer was to give me the more expensive model at half price to replace it.
Sandy Knauer Sep 15, 2012, 2:59pm UTC
How's that for a run-on sentence?
Ruta Skaði Sep 15, 2012, 9:13pm UTC
I've had a bit more luck with an original Kindle, though a close associate managed to crush the screen on a less-fortunate device. A benefit, however, is that I can also carry the same books on my smart-phone, providing otherwise unproductive minutes spent waiting at under-scheduled Canadian bus stops or backed-up US border-crossings something with which to enrich my otherwise drifting mind. (I can do them too!)

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