Monday, May 3, 2010

Musing Mondays-Used Bookstores & Used Books

Graphic Novel Monday is on hiatus again. It'll be back next week.

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about used books.
Do you frequent second hand book stores? Have you ever brought a book home only to find something interesting within its pages?

I do frequent used bookstores; one of my favorite indies, Harvard Book Store, is sort of famous for its used-book basement and I also love Raven Used Books in Harvard Square and the Bryn Mawr Bookstore just outside. I've spent many a late Saturday night in Raven and HBS. I grew up haunting the aisles of a used bookstore in my town and I still think used bookstores are often more interesting than new bookstores for the variety and surprises you find there. I bought a used copy of Sholem Aleichem short stories once and found this,which I determined to be a ticket to a High HolyDays (Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur) celebration in Tel Aviv in 1936 pre-state Israel- a little historical artifact. I had some help figuring this out!

Musing Mondays is hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page.

16 comments:

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I am allergic to just about everything. And so I can't even go INTO used book stores because of the musty smell. And if a book from the library smells like perfume or smoke, I get welts on my hands and start sneezing and can't read it! It's a condition that is very good for the those who wish me to pay full price for new books!

bermudaonion said...

That's a great find! What have you done with it?

Marie Cloutier said...

Kathy- I have it in a safe place at home. :-)

Marie Cloutier said...

Jill, OMG! That's awful. I'm so sorry!

sadie607 said...

Wow that's a great find! I would have been ecstatic to find something like that (But I study religion so I'm a bit of a nerd that way).

Zibilee said...

I just love the used book store, and will go out of my way to find new ones in my area. About a year ago, there was a great used book store in my neighborhood that was going out of business, and I was able to snap up quite a few really wonderful books for an amazing price. These days, there are two that I frequent about once a month, and I always come home with some amazing finds. I love the unpredictability of those little stores!! Also, that is a really cool find, it meshes nicely with some of your reading interests!!

Carina said...

That's a fantastic thing to find! I sometimes go to used bookstores, but not that often. My full post is here.

Anonymous said...

Ditto to the Harvard Book Store. Where is Raven Book Store in Harvard Square? I am apparently a *really* bad bargain book finder because I haven't found it.

Kathleen said...

What a treasure! This is why I love used books. I have found the most interesting notes, plane tickets, receipts, etc in the books and I love imagining the people who read the book before me. This treasure you found is frameable!

caite said...

what a great find...I have never found anything, not a blessed thing.

Anonymous said...

Wow!!! That's a great find!

Kitten said...

There's this fabulous used book store in Connecticut, the Book Barn (bookbarnniantic.com). I love to go there during the spring and summer months. It's open, airy, and has a fabulous selection. Not to mention, they have adorable pets!

Booksnyc said...

wow - what a find! I am usually just satisfied with the great book deals I find but to discover a piece of history is a real treat!

Unknown said...

You are so lucky to live in such a close proximity to Harvard, I can only imagine all the bookstores you get to go to.
I love second hand bookstores and visit them any chance I get.

Anonymous said...

What a great find! I love used book stores, love the scent, the bindings, the everything.

Anonymous said...

If I could live in a used bookstore, I would! When I lived in Brookline, I was really close to the Brookline Booksmith. That basement was my second home. :)