Last month the Giant NSPCC second-hand book sale moved this year from the gymnasium of a private prep school just outside of Colchester to the much bigger gymnasium of a secondary school just inside Colchester. I was glad of the sat nav on my phone as there were several mini roundabouts between the A12 and the school and I took the wrong exit on one of them. I was still there in plenty of time to join the queue to get in. There seemed to be lots of dealers this year and I had a chat with a couple in the queue who had travelled here from Gloucestershire - they sell online, have a warehouse and keep 5 people employed I was told! The trouble with dealers is they go in and will grab big handfuls of books on their favoured subjects - often buying a couple of hundred books in half an hour. I know that to the NSPCC their money is as good as anyone's but they are annoying!.
Somehow I found a good heap of books - no surprise there then! After all the posts about Sutton Hoo it was really odd to find a copy of both 'The Dig' and one mentioned by Sarah 'Burial Ground of Kings'. Plus I found a book that I'd added to my wish list after doing the post about my WWII Home Front Collection. One or two that I brought home are not quite what I thought they were (there's no room, and such crowds of people, it's very difficult to have a proper look at things found) but all in all I was very pleased with my haul. Only a couple were more than £1.50 and most were £1. And I can count the spending as a donation to a worthwhile charity!
I love a good rummage around book sales - the library in a local village does one occasionally. As you say though, it is difficult to have a proper look when you have to elbow your way through throngs of people. Lovely colours of trees in your new header.
ReplyDeleteI spotted the tree in the Asda car park and it just shouted out to be photographed
DeleteI went as well and came away with three carrier bags and a box of books. Unfortunately, or fortunately, as we were paying, and negotiating to borrow a box to take some books to the car, the woman said that more books were coming that afternoon. They put even more books out on Saturday night, so fresh books for Sunday….yup we went back on Sunday and bought yet more books. As you said, it’s a good cause.
ReplyDeleteGoodness you found a lot more than I did. Were you in the queue to go in?
DeleteIt's a bit far for me to go back again so once will have to do..
No queue when we got there. Hit the history section pretty hard.
DeleteI'm so jealous that you have a huge book sale to go to :-)
ReplyDeleteYour comment about the dealers reminds me of a notice you sometines saw outside jumble sales (remember them?): 'No dealers allowed in early.'
It's the only sale that is a really good size and I'm always hopeful
DeleteWow what a great sale! I used to go to one in town at the library (they have a bookshop there too). It was so busy though and people would be grabbing. I don't have the energy to deal with that any more lol. Besides I'm trying to stay away from bringing in more books. I fail miserably when I go to my favourite charity shop where they are 50c each for paperback, 1.00 for hardback. Sigh
ReplyDeleteI used to go to a couple of other sales but one isn't being held anymore which is a shame
DeleteThat’s a good haul and as you say, a donation to charity. Happy reading. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI put the spending in the charity column instead of the personal column - clever accounting!
DeleteI would have too! Catriona
DeleteI missed our library book sale this year. I could kick myself as there are usually some wonderful books up for sale.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Libraries here have a few for sale all the time and don't have big sales anymore - sadly
DeleteHow lovely, like you say a good cause but the crowds would put me off a bit
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
It wasn't as squashed as the old place - thankfully.
DeleteGosh, that's a long drive from Gloucestershire but it must be worth their while! You had a good haul anyway. It annoys me when have I donated good books to the local charity shops, that a Welsh bookseller (big one) comes and gives them a pittance for them and then creams off a good profit.
ReplyDeleteI remember those mini roundabouts in Colchester - Keith's brother lives along the coast a bit and we had to negotiate them every summer, and New Year when we went across.
One heck of a long drive there and back in a day and they weren't youngsters! - hope they found enough to make it worthwhile
DeleteThis sounds like an excellent sale you you got some good books. The dealers are always looking to make large buys and they do often get the best of the lot. When I go to an estate sale, I try to be at the front of the entry line. Otherwise the best items are marked sold and no longer available.
ReplyDeleteNext year I must look at more childrens books as I only got two this year and they have lots
DeleteMy late brother-in-law used to buy and sell second-hand books and spent many weekends setting up and selling. Then he'd buy a whole lot more, so his stock never really diminished.
ReplyDeleteThey are not the lightest things to carry around and store - I wouldn't want to be setting up a stall now
DeleteWhat a great haul! I love it when that happens!
ReplyDeleteG is also for 'Good Golly, am I sorry to have missed this.'
ReplyDeleteI love a good browse around books. Our local library has a permanent sale bookcase with books priced at 40p each or 3 for £1. Some are donated by the public and are not actually withdrawn library books so are very interesting. I never see any persephone books though neither there nor in the charity shops.
ReplyDelete.