Ask HN: If you prefer physical books, how do you read without breaking the bank?
13 comments
Ever since I was 16, I had a rule: never save money on books.
If you try to save, you introduce disincentives:
a. You may not buy certain books
b. You may end up waiting for some books (lib etc), and reduce your chance of reading them
c. You may take excessive care of the books (esp ofc if you need to return them): this makes it harder for you to mark it up, which is a great way to learn
I don’t think these disincentives are worth it.
Instead, let this be your luxury. Books have an tremendous ROI (potentially millions for ten dollars)
Compared to saving on books, there’s probably areas in your life you can save much more on, restively more easily. Ie reduce rent by 200 bucks and you can get 15 books a month.
This all may seem privileged, but I can guarantee you can make it happen, and it will make you feel great. I did this myself when I had very little money
If you try to save, you introduce disincentives:
a. You may not buy certain books
b. You may end up waiting for some books (lib etc), and reduce your chance of reading them
c. You may take excessive care of the books (esp ofc if you need to return them): this makes it harder for you to mark it up, which is a great way to learn
I don’t think these disincentives are worth it.
Instead, let this be your luxury. Books have an tremendous ROI (potentially millions for ten dollars)
Compared to saving on books, there’s probably areas in your life you can save much more on, restively more easily. Ie reduce rent by 200 bucks and you can get 15 books a month.
This all may seem privileged, but I can guarantee you can make it happen, and it will make you feel great. I did this myself when I had very little money
The best books I have are marked up and dog-eared to the point they could never be resold.
I think that's a good indicator of how good a book is.
I think that's a good indicator of how good a book is.
Public libraries. It may sound funny but I’ve seen multiple posts on reddit forgetting they exist. They may be under some weird covid restrictions at the moment, but they’re very beneficial. Also, don’t buy hardcover, just wait for paperback. You’ll treat them like actual books, they’ll take up less space. Win win
As previously mentioned, the library. The argument that one has to wait sometimes is superfluous. Anyone saying such a thing isn’t a regular library user.
Whatever is popular for the moment is just that: popular for the moment. It will pass. Almost never does a book need to be read the year it comes out. I mean, after all, if you value books, you value in-depth reading that provides perspective. As an example, when “Thinking Fast and Slow” first came out, getting it at even larger central branches was tough. Fast forward a few years and now every library has a few copies just sitting there. If one worries that if they don’t get it while it’s hot that it might be gone forever, then trust me, it probably wasn’t worth your time. The quality good books (both fiction and non-fiction) stay in the library system decade after decade.
If you aren’t familiar with intra-library loans, learn how they work. Super easy and you can get the books that are older, but not as heavily stocked, quite easily.
On tech books, get access to your nearest university, ideally a tech university library. Most will get you a card with certain conditions - and nearly all will let you visit and read forever with no questions if you’re professional about it. There are also private libraries (sadly rare) and some have good tech collections. Tech gets old and useless quick which is why most public libraries don’t stock stuff like O’Reilly. Which may be helpful to think about the value of spending one’s time reading something that will be DOA in 5 years or less. But if you are committed to a particular tech track or need for work, buy the book. That’s the cost of professional improvement. Don’t try to millennial your way around that. If you use ILL though, you can usually still borrow tech classics like K&R.
The modernist clamor for “the new” is dumbing down recent generations. Maybe what people really need to do is to read the existing books in the stacks so they can stop wasting time and money chasing the latest hip and trendy best seller that will supposedly cure all our ills.
Whatever is popular for the moment is just that: popular for the moment. It will pass. Almost never does a book need to be read the year it comes out. I mean, after all, if you value books, you value in-depth reading that provides perspective. As an example, when “Thinking Fast and Slow” first came out, getting it at even larger central branches was tough. Fast forward a few years and now every library has a few copies just sitting there. If one worries that if they don’t get it while it’s hot that it might be gone forever, then trust me, it probably wasn’t worth your time. The quality good books (both fiction and non-fiction) stay in the library system decade after decade.
If you aren’t familiar with intra-library loans, learn how they work. Super easy and you can get the books that are older, but not as heavily stocked, quite easily.
On tech books, get access to your nearest university, ideally a tech university library. Most will get you a card with certain conditions - and nearly all will let you visit and read forever with no questions if you’re professional about it. There are also private libraries (sadly rare) and some have good tech collections. Tech gets old and useless quick which is why most public libraries don’t stock stuff like O’Reilly. Which may be helpful to think about the value of spending one’s time reading something that will be DOA in 5 years or less. But if you are committed to a particular tech track or need for work, buy the book. That’s the cost of professional improvement. Don’t try to millennial your way around that. If you use ILL though, you can usually still borrow tech classics like K&R.
The modernist clamor for “the new” is dumbing down recent generations. Maybe what people really need to do is to read the existing books in the stacks so they can stop wasting time and money chasing the latest hip and trendy best seller that will supposedly cure all our ills.
"The modernist clamor for “the new” is dumbing down recent generations. Maybe what people really need to do is to read the existing books in the stacks so they can stop wasting time and money chasing the latest hip and trendy best seller that will supposedly cure all our ills."
That's one of my hobbies. For example, a lot of "new" modern magic and mentalism is based on material that was in print even as far back as 500 years ago (although incredibly hard to read!). I actively search out original sources, and find a lot of great "new" (as in "forgotten") material in the process.
That goes for other subjects as well, but magic and mentalism is a good example of how extreme it can get.
That's one of my hobbies. For example, a lot of "new" modern magic and mentalism is based on material that was in print even as far back as 500 years ago (although incredibly hard to read!). I actively search out original sources, and find a lot of great "new" (as in "forgotten") material in the process.
That goes for other subjects as well, but magic and mentalism is a good example of how extreme it can get.
I consider books like food. If you go cheap on them, it is only you who is left lacking.
If you can't afford a book you really need, look at other parts of your life and figure out where that money is going. That's not the answer for everything, for sure. But the latte factor does put a huge dent in the affordability of more important things.
It's like smokers who complain they can't afford groceries for their families. Prioritize cigarettes versus the well being of the family, and then go from there.
If reading is important, look at where your money is going that isn't important, and adjust what you can. If not all the way, it'll at least get you closer to your real goals.
If you can't afford a book you really need, look at other parts of your life and figure out where that money is going. That's not the answer for everything, for sure. But the latte factor does put a huge dent in the affordability of more important things.
It's like smokers who complain they can't afford groceries for their families. Prioritize cigarettes versus the well being of the family, and then go from there.
If reading is important, look at where your money is going that isn't important, and adjust what you can. If not all the way, it'll at least get you closer to your real goals.
If it's a book I need to learn something for work I'd buy it new or used. But to be honest it's been a long time since I've had to do that.
Aside from that I spent quite a few years scrounging used book stores and gathered up a pretty large library. I don't visit them much any more but I will stop and browse them on occasion and almost always leave with 2-3 more.
Aside from that I spent quite a few years scrounging used book stores and gathered up a pretty large library. I don't visit them much any more but I will stop and browse them on occasion and almost always leave with 2-3 more.
In the case of technical books, I have found that pricing is not that different from digital to physical books.
This is a good example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1449373321/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_qQ8...
It is $29.99 for Kindle and Physical is $34.91.
This is a good example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1449373321/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_qQ8...
It is $29.99 for Kindle and Physical is $34.91.
https://www.thriftbooks.com/ is my goto website for used books
If I’m going to give away books, I’d rather a library or charity just take the lot and be done with it, if the local used bookshop doesn’t want them.
Good point. But it does something to know that an old book of mine will go to a specific requester instead being part of a bulk donation.
Have you tried searching on ebay or it's ilk?
Definitely. But costs do add up if you go thru alot.
Please share some tips if you have any?
On a related note, would people be interested in a "book share" platform where people rent out/give away their old books for shipping fees only?
For example, I think I'd gladly pay $2-4 via media mail shipping for books that aren't available at the library yet. And maybe the book owners can receive a small "royalty" every time the book changes hands.