Book Shops

[steve30]

I was wondering if anyone could recommend any reputable book shops in the UK, where one could order books of a technical nature.

We used to have an independent book shop here in Rotherham called Philip Howard Books, who would order anything technical/academic for you, but unfortunately they closed the shop, and we no longer have an independent book shop in the area. Philip Howard Books still exists, but they only have a shop in Leeds, which is quite a long way away.

So what are your recommendations for reputable online/mail order book shops?

[Mechanical Menace]

Not many book stores will order anything text bookish or technical referency in any more, even if you go into a big player like Waterstones or Borders they just tell you to go to their online store. They will not order in any technical references etc... I can imagine if you haven't got a local independent who will order things in I think the web would be your only choice. Sorry.

[Howardlong]

I used to spend hours in bookshops. Over the past two or three years somewhat regretfully almost every "book" I buy is electronic. During a recent house move, I threw out 85% of my physical book collection, about half a dozen full car loads, and the suspension didn't thank me for it: it was all outdated technical stuff.

Back when I did spend hours in bookshops, Foyles was a favourite of mine. About fifteen years ago, I used to hate Foyles, they used to order their books in a very strange way, ISTR it was by author within topic. It made it almost impossible to browse. Thankfully they changed it to a more conventional ordering.

While I find electronic format very convenient and space saving, I do mourn the loss of the physical book. I fear it'll not be long before books a little more than a quaint concept found only on the coffee table or as decoration. Regrettably I am indeed part of the problem.

[sca]

Philip Howard Books still exists, but they only have a shop in Leeds, which is quite a long way away.

They moved out to Wickersley. I *think* they're still there.

If you're ever in Oxford, Blackwells is a excellent way to waste several hours.

sca

[KJDS]

My favourite second hand bookshop. If you're ever near Hitchen it's worthwhile making a couple of hours for a visit.

http://www.erictmoore.co.uk/

The other essential place is http://www.abebooks.co.uk/

[steve30]

Philip Howard Books still exists, but they only have a shop in Leeds, which is quite a long way away.

They moved out to Wickersley. I *think* they're still there.

If you're ever in Oxford, Blackwells is a excellent way to waste several hours.

sca

They closed the Wickersley shop last year unfortunately. It was quite handy for me as I only live two streets away .

I only buy books very rarely, so have never been a big customer of book shops, be it physical or online. I have had books from Amazon before, but I don't use them anymore. I did get some old secondhand books really cheap from an online shop a while back, but I forgot the name of it.

[sca]

Philip Howard Books still exists, but they only have a shop in Leeds, which is quite a long way away.

They moved out to Wickersley. I *think* they're still there.

If you're ever in Oxford, Blackwells is a excellent way to waste several hours.

sca

They closed the Wickersley shop last year unfortunately. It was quite handy for me as I only live two streets away .

Small world!. I grew up in Wickersley, met my wife in The Masons. Still play Pool for the Cricket Club every week. Can't remember the last time I shopped there. Obviously more than a year ago....

sca

[steve30]

Cool. Whereabouts do you live now?
I've never been in the Masons. Always looked a bit dodgy to me.

[sca]

Cool. Whereabouts do you live now?
I've never been in the Masons. Always looked a bit dodgy to me.

I live in Firbeck. Still in Rotherham, but only by 300 yards.

My wife's parents ran the Masons for nearly 20 years. It was great of you were 18, Ok in your twenties. People would travel for miles for their Sunday discos in the days when nothing else was open. I'd feel very out of place these days I suspect. Haven't spent any time there for years. Nothing to be particularly wary of though compared to some of the pubs around Rotherham.

sca

[Tandy]

+1 for Blackwells in Oxford, they have a huge basement area https://www.flickr.com/photos/pefkosmad/7217073894/

[sca]

+1 for Blackwells in Oxford, they have a huge basement area https://www.flickr.com/photos/pefkosmad/7217073894/

and that' just the sciences floor....

[German_EE]

Foyles Bookstore on Charing Cross Road in London have always been very good. Fifty departments, five floors and they deliver worldwide.

[Zad]

University towns/cities generally have pretty good book shops. Obviously they tend to specialise in whatever the university teaches. Although I live just up the M1 near Leeds, I haven't been to Sheffield for ages, but I'd be surprised if there weren't at least one technical bookshop there.

[zapta]

Foyles Bookstore on Charing Cross Road in London have always been very good. Fifty departments, five floors and they deliver worldwide.

In the past, I used to spend there days, when visiting London, this was before Amazon though.

http://www.foyles.co.uk/

[AndreasF]

Barter Books (http://www.barterbooks.co.uk/index.php) is one of my personal favourites, but I doubt it's what you're after (secondhand only, and I don't think they order for you).

[TerraHertz]

I was wondering if anyone could recommend any reputable book shops in the UK, where one could order books of a technical nature.

It sounds like you are not adapting to a little something called the Internet. With online shopping being one of the reasons storefront bookshops are closing.

Here's a few links for buying physical books online:

Online book stores
------------------
http://www.bookfinder.com/        Try first. It includes Abebooks in the search. Lists both new and used.
http://abebooks.com               Worldwide 2nd hand book dealer co-op.
http://www.biblioquest.com.au/    Global Out Of Print Book Search Service.
http://www.worldcat.org/          Find a book in libraries. With 'nearest to you' feature.
http://www.bookdepository.com/    UK. Free worldwide shipping.
http://www.bookdepository.com/free  Dodo Press (part of bookdepository) has re-published over fifteen thousand out of print or difficult to find titles. By doing this we have made thousands of titles available to readers that were previously impossible to get hold of. Dodo Press titles are also available from the site as free downloads.

http://www.usedbooksearch.co.uk/books.htm   Search cheapest book world wide
http://www.addall.com/            Book Search and Price Comparison
http://amazon.com                 Once was books, now... F'd if I know.
http://www.bn.com                 Barnes & Noble. Ditto.
http://www.powells.com            Ditto.
http://www2.xlibris.com           Publish your own book
http://www.booksurge.com          Self-publishing
http://galaxybooks.com.au/        Oz SciFi bookshop
http://www.slowglass.com.au/      Ditto. Melbourne, mailorder.
http://www.booksandcollectibles.com.au/
http://www.lindsaybks.com/        books, new and old, for experimenters, inventors,
                                  tinkerers, mad scientists, and a very few normal people. (Dammit. Retired.)

http://www.ala.org/               American Library Association 
http://www.octavo.com/            Octavo Digital Rare Books. Not have as many online example pages as they used to.

http://www.ipl.org/               The Internet Public Library
http://www.johnnealbooks.com/     John Neal Booksellers - Supplies for bookbinders and paper craft


Online Books, etexts
---------------------
http://hackershelf.com/browse/   Programming ebooks, free
http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Main_Page
http://www.gutenberg.org/         Free ebooks.
http://www.ku.edu/carrie/
http://www.bookdepository.com/free        Dodo Press ebooks - free
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/
http://www.truthofthematter.org/Lindbergh/default.asp   Suppressed books
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://lib.virginia.edu/digital/collections/finding_digital.html
http://www.docquan.com/lib_dead.html    from HB. WOW!
http://www.hermetics.org/ebooks.html
http://www.ebookee.com
http://www.btebook.com
http://www.sacred-texts.com/index.htm   Huge. Incl sections of Talmud.
http://www.scribd.com/      'publish yourself' (but... for some, requires some plugin)

http://www.anonib.com/bookchan/index.php?b=1   BOOKCHAN ! ImageRARarchives  Gone.
http://www.anonib.com/bookchan/
Also, lithursday threads on 4chan.org (mostly on Thursdays, but sometimes other days too. 200800130-blocked now)

http://www.pmillett.com/tecnical_books_online.htm   mostly about radio valves

Banned sites, books, forbidden knowledge
----------------------------------------
http://www.jrbooksonline.com/  JR's Rare Books & Commentary
http://www.americandeception.com  rare, suppressed books
http://www.smuggled.com/  links and lists of banned sites.
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm
http://wikileaks.org/
http://wikispooks.com/wiki/Main_Page