The 99 bin
Went to the National Bookstore branches at Greenbelt and Glorietta 5 to pick out prizes for the second series of LitWit Challenges and found hundreds of recent hardcover titles on sale for P99 each. The books come from American school libraries (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, etc). I made a mental note to ask the store how the books get here, and then I waded into the bins and found these.
Koosi, who used to disdain photography, now insists on being in every picture.
Under the plastic covers (which I remove) the books are practically new and many, like the Lethem and the Toibin, are first editions. I got some more hardcover titles and new trade paperbacks for the Weekly LitWits, which begin. . .now.
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According to NBS they buy the hardcover books come from consolidators of second-hand and remaindered books, which sometimes includes library books. Now I know.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
March 1st, 2010 at 15:53
Oh my gee! Did you know that when I read about The Monster of Florence from one of your blog posts two years ago, I couldn’t find a copy anywhere in Manila. I had to order through PowerBooks and pay 16 times the amount you bought it for. Ah, my heart is bleeding. :-(
March 1st, 2010 at 20:34
Thanks for asking. I was wondering about them too ever since I first bought one of those very cheap hardcover books. That’s actually one of the first things that I check everytime I go to any National Bookstore branch.
March 1st, 2010 at 21:10
public libraries in the u.s. usually sells used hc books for 50 cents. my sis buys lots of used books as filler for our balikbayan boxes, that cheapskate! :)
March 2nd, 2010 at 12:02
Saw them last week and I was surprised at how a thousand-peso book become 99 only. I didn’t buy anything since I was searching the piles for bonsai for beginners books.
March 3rd, 2010 at 09:57
I went to NBS G5 last night. No more good titles left. I guess you bought all the good ones Jessica.
March 5th, 2010 at 15:41
Awww, I so love those bargain bins! Speaking of which, do you also go to BOOKSALE outlets? There are 20-peso books worth noticing in them places.