My Book Buying Adventures
I thought I will always write one post just about buying books. So here's one about my latest adventures (if you can call them that). The past two months had been very lucky for me; between Chennai and Bangalore I have been able to improve my meagre collection. I have added quite a few good ones to the growing assortment that is already overflowing in my old cupboard.
When you are working you never have the money problems. You can walk into any of those big stores like Landmark or Crosswords and buy till you run out cash at the end of the month. But when you are a student, you are always looking for those little second hand outlets where you will find those old classics and long forgotten dust covered hard bounds somewhere in the heap. I love it when you get a good bargain for those books you have been searching for ages. Blossoms and the Good Book Sale helped me in the quest for good book hunting.
The first weekend I was in Bangalore, we (me S and obsessive driver (if I could borrow the nick S :) ) went to Picos and has a nice breakfast, listening to Skynyrd in the background. You know when you listen to a nice song in the morning it all makes you feel that your day can never get worse. Well it dint actually. I discovered blossoms.
It’s this quaint bookstore in Brigade road filled with really old paper which makes you wonder how long they have been collecting these antiques in the first place. Anyways after book-gazing around dazed for about 10 minutes I got into business. Picked up one of those carry bags and started my shopping :)
First I found this French made easy book which I had to buy because I m going to France so you know at lease I have to speak come a little of the language. So, one book down and the hunt begins. I move on to the next floor after almost half an hour of reluctant picking and rejecting books (Well I did find another Nick Hornby so two down actually)
The first floor is filled with so many shelves that it puts Landmark collection to shame. Fantasy lined back to back in three long shelves with Vonnegut whole bibliography. Could it get any better! I picked up like three of them and finally decided that I should have some ground rules :) . So, one book per author.
The Indian author collection is so huge I was actually tempted into buying few books myself (Thanks again S this is just because of you prodding me buy Indian :) ) I found the whole Ramanyana series! FYI I have been reading Ashok Banker’s series and I am in love with it. He treats the story so normally without getting into the God argument with a nice fantasy touch. I have been going gaga about them for the past six months so pardon my over emphasis on how good they are.(N thanks for introducing them, even though it took me quite some time to actually start the series) Anyhoo I pick up all the books I need to basically the last three and quietly get out of the section before I ransack some more.
I call my brother and S every time I am in a book store to buy something for him. I like buying books for people. It feels nice to gift people books. Anyways after a 10 minutes long conversation, he gives me his long list. He is into Dostoevsky these days. He is actually turning bong I think, with his Kurosawa and Ray obsession and his love for carcinogenic things :) . So I pick up Brothers Karamazov for him. I tried Dostoevsky’s Notes from the Underground. I was so depressed after reading that I couldn’t pick up another of his books. I know I should but I will some day when I m done with fantasy (which is definitely not anytime sooner :) )
Done with the good deed for the day, more book hunting again. I move from one corner to another trying to find some nice literary fiction but this is where the store didn’t have much of a collection or maybe I couldn’t find the author I wanted in the whole labyrinth.
Some of the conversations I get to listen to:
Guy: So what do you want to buy?
Chick: Don’t know maybe some Coelho. I finished his last book a few weeks ago
Guy: Why don’t you try something new?
Chick: Oh, maybe I should try Murakami; my friend told me he is good
Guy: So, what kind of books does he write?
Chick: Yeah he is like this absolute romantic author like Nicholas Sparks. I want to read some nice love story.
Guy: Let’s ask the clerk maybe they have some of his books. You should definitely read some nice romantic books.
Oh I nearly died listening to people compare Murakami and Sparks and she picked up Kafka on the Shore for crying out loud. Boy is she in for a treat ;)
But then you do run into nice people now and then. I found this guy buying Bradbury and Murakami. Restores hope :) . Finally I got out of the store with six books and just thousand bucks spent. Best spending spree ever!
I felt bad coming back to Chennai because I have to buy books first hand and I can’t have my mom yelling at me for days about my Landmark addiction. But I was really lucky to have found a nice charming second hand exhibition right next to my office. Don’t you love serendipitous discoveries? I was going to yet another survey and presto I found the book sale sign. So, I finished my interview in 10 minutes tops and went to the store directly, bunking office for the rest of the day.
This guy had so many books and at such steep rates I couldn’t walk out a single time without grabbing one more book guilty and running back to the office because I almost took an hour out of my lunch break. I spent most of my lunch hours for a whole month that the guy used to smile at me (probably thinking: there she is again doesn’t she have a life why does she come back every other day, oh who cares I found the mother lode :) ) I took K there just to show her how cool Chennai is. After this store she stopped complaining about the weather. So I am sure that it did help notch some of those bad views about the city.
Between my infrequent visits to Landmark and Odyssey I did manage to collect almost a carton full of books. I don’t like to call it that but actually they did fill one who carton that I had to send them through Gati. Still waiting for them, I hope I get them before I leave otherwise I would have to listen to my mother talking about my book-buying problem as if it’s some gambling addiction.
Landmark and others were the places to buy classics this time because well they are the cheapest of the lot. But you do get to hear some funny conversations, so all in all not a bad experience if you ask me. I went to Adyar Odyssey, when I was staying at A’s place. She was busy reading P.S. I love you (She doesn’t want to buy the book, so she keeps going back to the store and reads one chapter per visit, nice way to save money I must say, but I just can’t do it). The classics and the romance books are in one row god knows why, so there was this girl who was looking at the romance books (before you even ask I never buy them never!). This is how the dialogue went on the phone:
Girl: So, I am in Odyssey, which book do you think I should buy (She was very seriously looking at the covers of M&B)
Friend: Says something
Girl: So which one is better? The Rancher’s Wife or the Billionaire’s Bride (I don’t remember the exact titles but you know how they are :) )
Friend: Gives off the list
Girl: Are you sure I should buy the Italian’s Lover or the Cowboy Adventure?
Friend: Suggests one of them
Girl: Oh or maybe I will buy the Blue Blood Series
I couldn’t stop grinning. I tried to act as if I was on the phone and starting laughing like a mad person. You will always find something amusing if you listen to people talking around you seriously! I did walk out empty handed that time because I was too cracked up to make a sane decision.
So, few of the best times I had in the past two months revolve around book stores and eavesdropping. Okie, I generally don’t do that but people are actually so loud when they discuss their literary choices you can’t help but overhear.
The nice ride ended with the Sunday market tour in Hyderabad. I love the Sunday markets because I found some really nice books for like 10 bucks a piece. This time around I was a little disappointed but I did find the one more Stephen King so I am happy (Two more books to complete the whole collection!)
When you are working you never have the money problems. You can walk into any of those big stores like Landmark or Crosswords and buy till you run out cash at the end of the month. But when you are a student, you are always looking for those little second hand outlets where you will find those old classics and long forgotten dust covered hard bounds somewhere in the heap. I love it when you get a good bargain for those books you have been searching for ages. Blossoms and the Good Book Sale helped me in the quest for good book hunting.
The first weekend I was in Bangalore, we (me S and obsessive driver (if I could borrow the nick S :) ) went to Picos and has a nice breakfast, listening to Skynyrd in the background. You know when you listen to a nice song in the morning it all makes you feel that your day can never get worse. Well it dint actually. I discovered blossoms.
It’s this quaint bookstore in Brigade road filled with really old paper which makes you wonder how long they have been collecting these antiques in the first place. Anyways after book-gazing around dazed for about 10 minutes I got into business. Picked up one of those carry bags and started my shopping :)
First I found this French made easy book which I had to buy because I m going to France so you know at lease I have to speak come a little of the language. So, one book down and the hunt begins. I move on to the next floor after almost half an hour of reluctant picking and rejecting books (Well I did find another Nick Hornby so two down actually)
The first floor is filled with so many shelves that it puts Landmark collection to shame. Fantasy lined back to back in three long shelves with Vonnegut whole bibliography. Could it get any better! I picked up like three of them and finally decided that I should have some ground rules :) . So, one book per author.
The Indian author collection is so huge I was actually tempted into buying few books myself (Thanks again S this is just because of you prodding me buy Indian :) ) I found the whole Ramanyana series! FYI I have been reading Ashok Banker’s series and I am in love with it. He treats the story so normally without getting into the God argument with a nice fantasy touch. I have been going gaga about them for the past six months so pardon my over emphasis on how good they are.(N thanks for introducing them, even though it took me quite some time to actually start the series) Anyhoo I pick up all the books I need to basically the last three and quietly get out of the section before I ransack some more.
I call my brother and S every time I am in a book store to buy something for him. I like buying books for people. It feels nice to gift people books. Anyways after a 10 minutes long conversation, he gives me his long list. He is into Dostoevsky these days. He is actually turning bong I think, with his Kurosawa and Ray obsession and his love for carcinogenic things :) . So I pick up Brothers Karamazov for him. I tried Dostoevsky’s Notes from the Underground. I was so depressed after reading that I couldn’t pick up another of his books. I know I should but I will some day when I m done with fantasy (which is definitely not anytime sooner :) )
Done with the good deed for the day, more book hunting again. I move from one corner to another trying to find some nice literary fiction but this is where the store didn’t have much of a collection or maybe I couldn’t find the author I wanted in the whole labyrinth.
Some of the conversations I get to listen to:
Guy: So what do you want to buy?
Chick: Don’t know maybe some Coelho. I finished his last book a few weeks ago
Guy: Why don’t you try something new?
Chick: Oh, maybe I should try Murakami; my friend told me he is good
Guy: So, what kind of books does he write?
Chick: Yeah he is like this absolute romantic author like Nicholas Sparks. I want to read some nice love story.
Guy: Let’s ask the clerk maybe they have some of his books. You should definitely read some nice romantic books.
Oh I nearly died listening to people compare Murakami and Sparks and she picked up Kafka on the Shore for crying out loud. Boy is she in for a treat ;)
But then you do run into nice people now and then. I found this guy buying Bradbury and Murakami. Restores hope :) . Finally I got out of the store with six books and just thousand bucks spent. Best spending spree ever!
I felt bad coming back to Chennai because I have to buy books first hand and I can’t have my mom yelling at me for days about my Landmark addiction. But I was really lucky to have found a nice charming second hand exhibition right next to my office. Don’t you love serendipitous discoveries? I was going to yet another survey and presto I found the book sale sign. So, I finished my interview in 10 minutes tops and went to the store directly, bunking office for the rest of the day.
This guy had so many books and at such steep rates I couldn’t walk out a single time without grabbing one more book guilty and running back to the office because I almost took an hour out of my lunch break. I spent most of my lunch hours for a whole month that the guy used to smile at me (probably thinking: there she is again doesn’t she have a life why does she come back every other day, oh who cares I found the mother lode :) ) I took K there just to show her how cool Chennai is. After this store she stopped complaining about the weather. So I am sure that it did help notch some of those bad views about the city.
Between my infrequent visits to Landmark and Odyssey I did manage to collect almost a carton full of books. I don’t like to call it that but actually they did fill one who carton that I had to send them through Gati. Still waiting for them, I hope I get them before I leave otherwise I would have to listen to my mother talking about my book-buying problem as if it’s some gambling addiction.
Landmark and others were the places to buy classics this time because well they are the cheapest of the lot. But you do get to hear some funny conversations, so all in all not a bad experience if you ask me. I went to Adyar Odyssey, when I was staying at A’s place. She was busy reading P.S. I love you (She doesn’t want to buy the book, so she keeps going back to the store and reads one chapter per visit, nice way to save money I must say, but I just can’t do it). The classics and the romance books are in one row god knows why, so there was this girl who was looking at the romance books (before you even ask I never buy them never!). This is how the dialogue went on the phone:
Girl: So, I am in Odyssey, which book do you think I should buy (She was very seriously looking at the covers of M&B)
Friend: Says something
Girl: So which one is better? The Rancher’s Wife or the Billionaire’s Bride (I don’t remember the exact titles but you know how they are :) )
Friend: Gives off the list
Girl: Are you sure I should buy the Italian’s Lover or the Cowboy Adventure?
Friend: Suggests one of them
Girl: Oh or maybe I will buy the Blue Blood Series
I couldn’t stop grinning. I tried to act as if I was on the phone and starting laughing like a mad person. You will always find something amusing if you listen to people talking around you seriously! I did walk out empty handed that time because I was too cracked up to make a sane decision.
So, few of the best times I had in the past two months revolve around book stores and eavesdropping. Okie, I generally don’t do that but people are actually so loud when they discuss their literary choices you can’t help but overhear.
The nice ride ended with the Sunday market tour in Hyderabad. I love the Sunday markets because I found some really nice books for like 10 bucks a piece. This time around I was a little disappointed but I did find the one more Stephen King so I am happy (Two more books to complete the whole collection!)
Comments
Thanks, not much time had a three day break :(