Two weeks ago, the last used bookstore in North Tonawanda closed (we used to have two, now we have none). Only a handful of used bookstores survive in Western New York and they’re all on life-support. There are only two used bookstores within driving distance in Canada (Fort Erie and Port Colborne). So my used book searches have been reduced to thrift stores and library book sales. Last week I went into a Salvation Army store and found a copy of Karl Haas’ Inside Music: How to Understand, Listen to, and Enjoy Good Music. Diane and I have listened to Karl Haas’ radio program for years. I also found a Conan novel I’d never seen before: Conan: The Sword of Skelos by Andrew Offutt. Francine Prose’s Bigfoot Dreams is one of the few novels I haven’t read by this talented writer. John Creasey’s Toff and the Trip-Trip-Triplets surprised me; I’d never seen this book before in hardcover or paperback. And, how could I pass up a First Edition of Block’s The Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams with baseball season starting. I’ve read good reviews of Jeffrey Ford’s work so now I have The Shadow Year to look forward to. The total cost for all these books: $4.00!
Nice assortment.
My neighbors in the larger cities of North Carolina are lucky. We have a chain of used book stores, Edward Mackay’s(I know of at least four) that even advertise on TV. Of course they do more than books, dealing in CDs, DVDs , and computer games.
You are lucky, Randy! No chain of used bookstores up here in Western NY. Just empty store fronts.
Is Karl Haas still on the radio? I haven’t heard that show since the 70s. Nice haul.
Karl Haas was on daily for years on our classical music station, 94.5 WNED-FM. Rumors are that when Karl Haas died, his family had the program rights and wouldn’t allow any more broadcasts. I wish those great old programs were available on CD. I’d buy them.
I have that Karl Haas book. He died in 2005, I believe. I also listened to his show for decades. My current favorite classical music broadcaster is Jim Svejda, who is on KUSC radio (available on the web) in the evenings (Pacific Time).
Rick, we get Jim Svejda’s radio program here, too. He wrote a couple of books reviewing classical CDs. I wish he’d do an updated one.
I had or have that “Burgler” book, and like you haven’t seen the Conan before. Good haul, George!
For $4, I thought the haul was a bargain, Rick. Plus, it helps the Salvation Army with their good works.
Sorry to hear you’re without a used bookstore, George. Not many used book independents around the Milwauke area but we still have Half-Priced Books (one about 2 blocks from my office) and I always manage to find some treasures.
Beth, we used to have dozens of used bookstores in Western NY. I did a regular circuit monthly visiting my favorites. But, one by one, they closed. Now, the last used bookstore in North Tonawanda is gone. The closest used bookstore to me now is in Niagara Falls (about 15 miles away).
Haven’t had a UBS in the area since Hurricane Katrina. I was in line behind a guy at the Goodwill ( or as my kids call it, the place Mom buys her jeans and khakis) who had a bunch of SciFi. I asked if he were a fan, to which he said no, he sold books on the Internet and he had found a bunch if first editions.
Deb, a new Goodwill store just opened in our only plaza (taking over a closed Blockbuster). Someone must have donated their Jeffrey Deaver collection because all his novels were there. Science Fiction, especially First Editions, are rare in our thrift stores.
Good haul. I’ve read the Block of course. The last used books I bought were at that $1 bookstore in Florida.
Jeff, I fear that with so few used bookstores, many people are just going to throw books away.
Love the Toff! One of my favorite characters from my early adolescence. Discovered Creasey’s work from the same uncle who turned me on to science fiction.
Like you, Carl, I read a ton of Creasey as a kid. The Toff was one of my favorites, too!