Second-hand Jewish Novels

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Forum -> Hobbies, Crafts, and Collections -> Reading Room

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NotInNJMommy

Thu, May 12 2011, 11:50 pm

I like reading novels. I'd like to be reading more frum novels, but I live OOT, am a single mother, and just can't afford to order all these books new! (I'm a quick reader!) Is there anyone interested in selling any second hand? (or 3rd, or 4th....etc)

I really crave reading novels to unwind, and I've been reading lots of whatever, but I'd like to read more frum novels.

TIA

Hashem_Yaazor

Fri, May 13 2011, 9:11 am

jewishusedbooks.com
They have specials all the time as well as a flat shipping fee (2.99)

You can probably also sell back to them to make some income after you're done with the novels.

5S5Sr7z3

Fri, May 13 2011, 10:50 am

You can probably request books from your local public library. There are many jewish novels in circulation in the public library system, and if your doesnt have it, they can borrow it from a different library for you. I do this all the time.

NotInNJMommy

Fri, May 13 2011, 7:44 pm

Thanks. I will try that site.

I'm rather certain that my library system, as geographically far reaching as it might be, does not have a general supply of Jewish novels. Smile

But it is a good idea to try it anyways. thx.

merelyme

Sat, May 14 2011, 4:54 pm

I think IYamWhoIYam meant that you can ask your local public library to borrow books for you from other branches via interlibrary loan. You'd just go to your local branch with a list of books that you'd like to read and ask them to borrow the books.
Many Jewish schools have libraries that are part of this system, making their books available to you.

Isramom8

Sat, May 14 2011, 4:58 pm

I understand your plight. I just want to point out the other side - Jewish publishers say they are hurt financially when their books/magazines are circulated, recycled, loaned and made a part of libraries. They need the income of sales.

NotInNJMommy

Mon, May 23 2011, 8:51 pm

Well, there's no way I have that money for new books.

On the contrary, I think if there were more options to get Jewish books, more people would ready Jewish novels instead of secular novels, and then more Jewish novels would be sold.

Of course, the benefit b'ruchniyus is an entire other matter. If I have to ask for tuition break, I don't see how I can justify spending more on books, or anything else, than I have to.

Yes, our interlibrary loan doesn't get to environs with Jewish books. I live REALLY out of town.

SplitPea

Wed, May 25 2011, 10:25 am

Isramom8 wrote:

I understand they hurt but I also think that these things NEED to be leaned. You want me to choose between bread and reading non jewish books?

Also with non jewish books they go to paperback after a while and go down form 25 dollars in price to 8-9 I never buy hard cover and always wait for paperback.. with jewish books that wait is never ending.. if they don't want their books circulating and loaned why not print them cheaper and drop the price considerably? as you make them hard cover well bound and fit to last forever and charge accordingly... I am assuming that they are ment to go through many hands... am I supposto take this book read it once (a day or two) and then keep it on my shelf forever? With non jewish books I pay 5 bucks for I can throw them in the recycle bin if I don't have who to pass them on to? but that 30 dollar jewish book? It get traded with friends for THEIR 30 dollar jewish book and I get more reading!

zaq

Wed, May 25 2011, 12:17 pm

SplitPea, I don't think you need to stop borrowing Jewish books or start feeling guilty that you borrow rather than buy. Extending Isramom's logic to its ultimate would suggest that a family of 10 people should buy 10 copies of each book because 10 people are reading it. By the same token, I suppose Isramom would suggest that you shouldn't take pains to care for the clothes you buy from jewish retailers because extending the life of the clothing means you buy less, and that means less revenue for the seller. Well, if you're in a position to do a chessed and bolster someone's business by buying from them, well and good, but you're under no obligation to bolster someone's business by putting your own finances in jeopardy.

The publishers neither expect nor intend their books to be single-use items. If you weren't borrowing you wouldn't be buying, either, you'd just not be reading, which wouldn't help the publisher. People who borrow books and recommend them to others promote the sale of those books, both by individuals and by libraries. Libraries stock what they think people want to read.

Blame the cost of jewish books on the relatively small market compared to the secular market. This is exactly the same reason why college textbooks cost so much, and why books for advanced classes are so much more expensive than those for intro courses. There just aren't as many people reading them. The big cost of publishing is not the printing but everything that precedes it. Printing 10,000 copies costs not much more than printing 100, relatively speaking, and much less on a per-unit basis. When you print vast numbers, hundreds of thousands to millions, the per-unit cost becomes laughable. Frum books don't have such a vast circulation--halevai they did!--and therefore you don't get that economy of scale.

Raisin

Wed, May 25 2011, 12:51 pm

It would be great if in print and out of print Jewish books were available to read on kindles and other reading devices.

mfb

Wed, May 25 2011, 1:57 pm

theres a library in brooklyn that sells used books maybe you can call and order to be delivered.
their name is The Library and the phone # is (718)436-0098

September June

Mon, Oct 10 2011, 7:38 pm

I know this is an old thread but if you are still looking for cheap Jewish books, try Amazon. I've gotten many books from them for under $5. Search for a popular author with many books out (Hanoch Teller has many really cheap titles but he generally writes short stories) and check out their titles, some sell for under a dollar. If an author only has 1 or 2 books out or is a newish writer, the books will be priced higher. I've checked Jewishusedbooks.com and their prices don't compare to Amazon.

cs1

Mon, Oct 10 2011, 8:03 pm

ani ba-ad - I'm in the same position!!!!
I can read 3 books a night!!!
And now I just buy 'em, even though they are sooo expensive. My problem is, is that there are NOO books available! Every other week, when I go into town I go to 2 Judaica Stores to check the new books.
I don't like the typical nerdy books....I flip through the books till I see something interesting (and worth spending money on. because yes, they cost a lot!)
Jewishusedbooks.com's books are really not too good. most of the books I got there I want to return!
But if there is anyone out there looking to give away their books, I'm willing to buy out their library:) or pick it up from your house! (NY/NJ area)

bashinda

Mon, Oct 10 2011, 10:57 pm

I've done well with jewishusedbooks but I usually get books I'm already familiar with. I got some good OOP books there for reasonable prices. It's mixed. Sometimes I find amazing things and sometimes I don't.

I'm someone who will check something out from the library (I'm in Brooklyn) and if I love it I'll buy it. I try to buy new books when I can but if I'm unsure of a book I'd rather check it out because it adds up.

mltjm

Mon, Oct 10 2011, 11:19 pm

if you actually are in NJ, jewishusedbooks's warehouse is in clifton, they have a bunch of stuff they don't put online and don't mind if you come poke through the warehouse. (oh the hours I spent there with DH!) Just call the number on the website to see when a good time to come is.

flowerpower

Mon, Oct 10 2011, 11:22 pm

Isramom8 wrote:

Once they sell a book then who cares what happens after to the book? There are those that will always buy new books for yom tov or school libraries.....and those that will borrow from whoever has books because they won't buy new books anyways.

September June

Mon, Oct 10 2011, 11:38 pm

Isramom8 wrote:

Libraries support Jewish publishers tremendously for buying nearly every book published including poorly written novels.

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