In which we gloat about book bargains
Turmukoy suggested that since the annual National Bookstore Cut-Price Book Sale is on, this would be a good time for our readers to exchange notes on their most recent book buys. So what have you acquired lately?
We were familiar with David B.—Chus made us read his Epileptic—but we hadn’t heard of this one.
The book contains three novellas based on Muslim legend and history: The Veiled Prophet, The Armed Garden, and The Drum Who Fell In Love.
We like reading mythology and history. Leafing through the book, we saw swords and armor, battles, ghosts, and, seriously, a drum that falls in love. When we saw the pricetag of this hardcover edition from Fantagraphics Books—Php465—we thought it was mistake and hoped the cashier wouldn’t notice. But it wasn’t an error, and there was a 20 percent discount. Final price: Php372.
Even without the plastic jacket that reminded us of those overlays in anatomic diagrams in our old encyclopedia, we would’ve bought this on the basis of its title: The Unclothed Man in the 35th Century.
Then we saw that it is funny. Sold! Fantagraphics hardcover, Php372 after the discount.
There are more copies of these books in the graphic novels showcase facing the entrance of NBS Power Plant. Rightmost shelf.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
September 6th, 2013 at 15:04
We were not really planning to buy any books when we went to Cubao. Normally, we’d pass by NBS Cubao to just look at books even without purchasing , but the sale was ridiculously big.
I was able to buy Jack of Fables for PHP 182.75 from PHP 609. So, I bought Volumes 2-7. I found Dr. Seuss & Co goes to War (some editorial cartoons from World War II) for PHP 397 from PHP 795, two Kate DiCamillo books for around 100 pesos each, Howard Pyle’s Twilight Land for around 50, and a Winnie the Pooh sticker book for around 30 pesos.
September 6th, 2013 at 15:21
So far, I got Joe Hill’s Heart-Shaped box for 89.75, Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian for 124.50, and 4 Sookie Stackhouse books at 94.75 a piece from NBS at SM San Lazaro. I plan to go to a bigger NBS over the weekend for more discounted books.
September 6th, 2013 at 16:09
as of this date…
[from nbs podium and bestsellers galleria]
winter’s bone by woodrell — 169.50 (70% off applied), nice jlaw cover.
miles kelly book of list — 178.50 (70%) – trivia
understanding shutter speed by peterson — 89.50 –photog book, gifted away same day.
this is how you lose her by diaz — 315*.8 (20% off) — in just 2 nights, im already 2/3 done with this superbly-executed book.
[passed by nbs cubao yesterday night before the patti austin concert]
got tempted to buy–
george kennan by gaddis at 70%-off but it’s coming from 1500+ orig price
the submission by amy waldman (50%)
–but decided not to.
not much in the nonfiction bargain bin of cubao. might have been raided already last weekend.
saan malaki ang bargain bin/display?
September 7th, 2013 at 17:36
The last time NBS had a sale I got a whole bunch of the Sookie Stackhouse books (six of them!) at 50 pesos each.
September 8th, 2013 at 10:40
The Illustrated A Brief History of Time and Origin of the Universe (2 books in 1) and Snowdrops by A.D. Miller. Just over PhP 700 total.
September 9th, 2013 at 11:25
Hardbound copy of Roger Ebert’s memoir: 50% off; Two Soren Kierkegaard Penguin Books: 30% off; Trese Graphic Novels 1 to 3: 20% off; and Five Yeah Undated Planners: 20% off.
September 9th, 2013 at 13:30
Hardbound copies of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain, Black Dahlia & White Rose by Joyce Carol Oates, The People of Forever Are Not Afraid by Shani Boianjiu, and Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures for only P150 each; five Roald Dahl books for P100-P120 each; and boxed sets of YA novels (Christmas gifts to the pamangkins) at 20% off! I hope they extend it because I’d like to get more recently published books for less than P200! :) Oh, and I didn’t notice until I started reading them that the hardbound books are somehow related to each other. Billy Lynn and The People of Forever touching on war and Black Dahlia (the first story in the collection) and Laura Lamont about Hollywood.