Lost in a Good Book

For the cost of a gold coin donation to local charity Got Your Back Sista, Newcastle City Council had a book sale today where you could take home as many books as you wanted. After tossing up whether to make the trek to see what was on offer, I caved with curiosity and the thought of new books and off I went.

I haven’t gone to a book sale in a while but there was the usual crowd waiting outside the doors, long before they opened, eager to be the first ones inside. When the doors finally did open, I went to the YA section first followed by the children’s books. I snagged a few YA books, some familiar titles, some I hadn’t heard of but by authors I knew and loved so in my bag they went.

Book sales are fascinating things, while I look for books it’s always a curious endeavour to watch people look for their own discoveries. Mothers in particular are non-apologetic in their determination. In the past I’ve seen them devour a box of children’s books and start ripping the tape off unopened ones underneath a table in order to rifle through it. It’s quite admirable really. Eldery ladies are also quite persistent in pushing in to get at what they want. Today the popular items were the non-fiction section with dozens of people circling and rifling through box after box. I stayed away bar a quick walk by and focused on the fiction and the YA.

While there is a lingering sense of urgency in the air, there is also a combined joyful experience as people joke about the amount of paperback romance books available, “all with the same picture on the front” it was remarked to me. It was also good to see the teamwork as people asked what other people were looking for and handing over books when they found something someone was looking for.

With my own determination to systematically make my rounds I was in and out in 45 minutes with three loops of the room and a thorough investigation of all the YA, children, and adult fiction boxes. I had made a promise to myself not to pick up any old book just because it looked good. With those restrictions I still managed to pick up a few good ones, no real gems like the last time I came to this library book sale, but I am happy. In the end my haul was 6 books:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Dark Hollow by John Connolly

The Seal’s Fate by Eoin Colfer

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley

Loop by Brian Caswell

All I Ever Wanted by Vikki Wakefield

Now I only have to find room for them on my shelves. That shouldn’t be too hard…I hope.