Used bookstores in Boston

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Would anyone recommend a good second hand bookstore in the greater Boston area? I've been to the Brookline Booksmith (great selection, but not exactly bargain prices) and to Brattle Street Books (vice versa is true), and some places that are far worse. Can anyone help me out?

― benndeis, Saturday, 11 June 2005 11:40 (twenty years ago)

The basement of The Harvard Bookstore was alway my favorite used bookstore back when I was in Boston. But this was five ago, and I am not even sure if it still exists. Not exceptionally large, but a good selection of used books and remainders. Also, they do that half-off the cover price thing, so you can find old paperbacks that cost a dollar in 1964 and get them for fifty cents. I used to load up on shakespeare for a few bucks a trip.

― stewart downes (sdownes), Sunday, 12 June 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

Rodneys! in Central square is my favorite. I can spend hours in there. The prices aren't that great, and there's always a lot of unalphabetized books on the floor, but I always find something I wasn't looking for. Also the New England Booksellers mart out in Newton Highlands (or somewhere out there—where is it, Scott?), great confusing selection (mostly new stuff, somewhat discounted, and used)

― Donald, Monday, 13 June 2005 02:01 (twenty years ago)

why it's right here, donald:

http://www.nebookfair.com/

(they have mapquest directions on their website)

i've never actually bought any of their used books at the mobile book fair. i'm always loading up on new trade paperbacks.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 13 June 2005 11:35 (twenty years ago)

stewart: i went to the harvard book store last weekend and was pleasantly surprised. Great advice. They still offer books at half of the jacket price (well, half price plus $.50) but they're doing this frequest buyers thing now, where if you spend $100, its 20% off your next purchase up to $200. That might not seem like much of a deal, but I plan on teaching English in Japan within a year and could use about $200 worth of books all at once. Thanks.

― benndeis, Tuesday, 21 June 2005 12:47 (twenty years ago)

three weeks pass...

Since Avenue Vistor Hugo shut up shop last year, I've going to the Boston Book Annex in Brookline. And weeping into park benches.

― kephm (kephm), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 00:27 (twenty years ago)

Victor*

― kephm (kephm), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 00:28 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

Raven Books in Harvard Square (right next to Planet Records, opposite Eliot St) is excellent. Lots of used scholarly stuff as well as the usual hodgepodge of genres.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 14:46 (eighteen years ago)

mcintyre and moore (spelling?) by davis square was pretty good as i recall. there was a nice one somewhere right along the commons too, whose name i forget.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Sunday, 28 January 2007 05:20 (eighteen years ago)

If you can get out to Newton (it's a bit far, and you'll need a car) the New England Mobile Book fair is out of this world. Lots of new stuff, for sure, but a dusty, cramped back section full of old books for a fraction of what they're worth. That also seems to be where most of the poetry is, oddly, and criticism. I bought almost all my Christmas presents there for under 40 bucks (don't tell my family), and, as with most used book stores, the fun is in looking. Plus, they usually have chocolate by the registers. I've been going there every summer since I first learned to read. It struck me just this past time that I was too old to have crushes on the crusty, male hippy check-out clerks... but I'll save that for the memoir. Go!

― Jenna Krajeski (sad_tomato), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 04:26 (eighteen years ago)

We go there every time we're in the city. Amazing place. You should also make a list of the publishing houses of authors you're looking for, because huge parts of the store are organized thus.

― Beth Parker (Beth Parker), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 23:54 (eighteen years ago)

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