First off, my apologies to those people to whom I got a little out of hand earlier in another thread. I get a little excitable sometimes, especially regarding politics. I’m also used to more… aggressive?.. forums, and am not completely used to the laidback style here.
Anywho…
I was in a little hole-in-the-wall used bookstore this weekend, and was perusing the language section, when what to my wandering eyes did appear but… a 1912 edition of Bennett’s Latin Grammar, in decent shape for being ninety-some years old, priced at only $3! Woot!
I couldn’t believe it. Am I just incredibly lucky, or are these books usually this cheap? Where do you guys and gals usually find your language books, especially the ones old enough to be scanned and shared here at Textkit?
I haven’t found any great bookstores here in Edmonton yet, and I’ve lived here for over a year now!
Before I moved here my favourite one was in Regina, and it always seemed to have lots of good stuff. There’s also one in Calgary called “off the wall books”, where I found an unmarked greek-english version of Aland’s Synopsis for only $15 ($80+ new). hmmm… I should go there when I’m in calgary next week…
3 bucks is a great deal! The Bennett books typically hold up very well over time - good bindings.
I look everywhere, but find my best most books online. This is also because I don’t live near a major city with many used bookstores. Wide selections are available at alibris.com and abebooks.com - but the best deals are on eBay. There are many books which are routinely made available, so much so that you can even be a bit picky and wait for a copy in good shape.
Goodwin’s Greek Grammar, A&G’s New Latin Grammar, books by D’Ooge, Collar and Daniell and White’s First Greek Book are up for auction very often.
If anyone’s out looking - please look for me too! I’m still trying to find North and Hillard and Sidgwick keys. I would actually pay pretty good for them at this point because I’m sure they are quite dear.
I now have:
1883 Sidgwick 3rd Edition of First Greek Writer (an intro to Greek Prose Composition)
1880 Sidgwick Introduction to Greek Prose Composition
Both books are really amazing and it’s a shame that I don’t have them online already. Sidgwick explains things so clearly. But I keep hoping to find keys becuase both books are of far less value to independent learners without keys.
I hate English prepositions…but thanks for your answer…
www.zvab.com could be interesting. The “Zentrale Verzeichnis antiquarischer Bücher” is an online catalogue which lists more than 8 million out of print books, postcards, graphics and more…
3 dollars sounds very cheap!
My school library has many good and very old books (most so old we aren’t allowed to touch them ). The old books are all rubbish, though, I only use the new versions, cause old German fonts are uh… confusing.
UNfortunately, there aren’t any used bookstores near me. There are a few chain stores in our nearest city (30 miles-yuck), but they sell new books only, and their language sections runs more to Spanish. They throw in a little French, German and Italian, and call it a rounded selection. (This frustrates me. )
Sometimes I can find used books at the local flea market for $0.10-$1.00, but usually not in very good condition. I haven’t found any Greek or Latin books there, either.
I dream of one day finding a beautiful used bookstore somewhere…and having the money for the books when I do!
I have praised Madison’s population of used bookstores before. Here the cost depends on the dealer. Most are knowledgeable, so usually give fair prices for books – fair to them and to me. But $3 isn’t too unusual for popular school editions. Critical texts (OCT and Teubneriana) are usually in the $15-$25 range.
But sometimes I find amazing things, like a Teubner for $10. I got a 1000+ page Histories by Polybius printed in 1844 in, I assume, Berlin (is the Latin of that “Berolini”?) for a mere $25.
I’ve sent a few of the choicer finds to Jeff for scanning. I’m especially likely now to pick up an edition that is about to fall apart, and should thus be scanned soon anyway. In that case, I’m more interested in the information than the book itself. Obviously the book has to be interesting and reasonably free of markings, which is surprisingly difficult find. Even the Polybius has a lot of foxing in parts (age spots for paper).
I work in Melbourne and there are quite a few good secondhand bookstores around. Most of them in cellars of big department stores. They have a lot of great books and oftern very affordable, which is why I do my utmost to shun them, because all those great books at cheap prices is too tempting for me. But last week in bought Horace’s complete works in latin for $12 australian dollars, which is the most I’ve ever spend on a secondhand book. I’m still looking for books in ancient greek though, they seem to be rare, more so than latin books. I’m currently reading ‘Critica de cognitionis de humanae valorem disquisitio’ by pater Geny from 1914, the latin is quite easy and it’s a very interesting read, or atleast I think so.
Inspired by this thread, today I looked up several used bookstores in the city which I had not yet visited, in hopes of finding one that carries our favourite types of books. I was sadly disappointed. They carried mostly paperback fiction (which seems to be the trend around here… apparently Edmonton is a city of anti-intellectuals…).
I have a very weird french grammar from ebay, for £3.00 - A French Grammar by C.J. Delille. 1851 It’s quite strangely set out and half of it is in french, the Syntax parts. I don’t quite understand what one must do in the exercises. Great read though.
My grandfather gave me a book called “A Greek Primer,” and it dates back to 1903. Everything, especially the cover, is worn, but nothing is missing and the binding is still good.
He used it in high school in the late 30’s or early 40’s and it even has his old notes within, and because of the age, the paper is so delicate it will almost fall apart just for touching it. I had to laugh though; on the back of one of his homework assignments he drew little war scenes with boats and airplanes, just as my father and I remember doing. And the teacher circled it and put “What?” next to it. I guess times never change.
But anyway, this book will come in handy when I learn Greek.
My English books … ah well… normally I sell my books after we’ve finished with them in class (and I know my sister won’t need them later), but my English books are just in a terrible condition, full of dragons and other strange fantasy creatures devouring my English teacher and so on… I also threw it around class a lot and spilt coke on it or sat on it, when the grass in the cathedral garden was wet and I didn’t want to sit on my jacket.
My Latin book is quite clean in comparison, but still I don’t think anyone would buy it - again a few monster and loose pages too many.
In 2000 years I’m sure people will analyze school textbooks and their added illustrations for clues as to what life was like for students in the 21st century. should be amusing.
Ah…it would be great to have a Latin teacher who could add a bewildered “Qué?!” to my crazy diagrams of pigeons and rabbit carrus accidents in roman times! Date iter! Moribundi sumus
That’s just a ‘dream’ however, although I would not go as far as that. It’s great having no one to discipline me and tell me to underline my work! Although I do all my exercises, underline everything, keep all tidy, review vocabulary when he tells me to do so, to respect Him.
) ebay…
