Is there anywhere in Shanghai where one can exchange paperbacks, or even buy some. When I came to Changzhou, I bought a box full, but they are almost all read now, and I have to get some more to fill in the evening hours since we cannot get English TV at our school.

I "borrowed" two from an establishment that I went to a couple of weeks ago, but they will not last very long.

Any suggestions,

Brian Mennis

Hi, I have great interest in Book market. My ideal is running a stylized bookshop in China. So may I have your any idea about the market of books in China. Is it difficult for foreignors to find English book?
At the same time, maybe I also can help you to find books what you want.

try the foreign language bookstore at fuzhou road.....the classics selection is passable (that's assuming you still want to read charles dickens etc), but the fiction section really depends on your luck.........i think some here mention that they get their books from amazon.com and wait for the shipment to arrive.....btw, you can check out this thread, some of them were interested in book swapping:

http://www.shanghaiexpat.com/PNphpBB2-n ... 13938.html

Shanghai City of Books, Fuzhou Road.
Go all the way to the 7th floor.
That's where the English books are.

It's actually a haven for those who like collecting classics. Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Bronte, Dickens, Dumas, Hugo, Shakespeare, Alcott, Wilde, Andersen, Shaw are some of the names represented there.
They have a potpourri of fiction like Star Wars series, Sidney Sheldon books, the Princess Diaries, Agatha Christie titles, Harry Potter series, Dilbert, David Beckham, etc.
Then a smattering of self-help books on time management, achieving success, leadership, etc.

Whoops, got carried away. Anyway, hope you find worthwhile books around.

To all who replied:

Thanks very much. I had also found the bookshops mentioned, and found the books noted. Not quite my interest unfortunately.

However, since writing, I have been given half a box of paper backs, which will keep me going a bit longer.

To Yinda:

I am not sure what the market would be, but I do know that in cities and towns in Australia and in other countries I have lived, people have made
quite a business of swapping paperbacks. They operate in either of two ways.

1. They buy the book at a low price and then sell it again at about double. The profit is in the difference. The secret is in not making the selling price too high, or people will just buy new ones.

2. Just charge a fee for every book swapped. Again, you will have to make an extimat of what the traffic will bear.

Thanks again

Brian Mennis

I have about 100 various paperbacks that I have listed in excel format if you are interested. PM me your email address and I will forward the list. I can try and bring anything you are interested in to the ShanghaiExpat office or to the coffee meeting.

Yu888 - are you selling them? Books are always the hardest to get here and I love to read when I have time. Have a few hundred here . . . but have read and re-read far too many times!

i am thinking its more for exchange purposes for now. they will be donated to SH Expat when a final office is set up and such. many of these books came fom previous expats such as Slug and others who left them here.

Book mad...well this is worth a look! http://www.abebooks.com/

Hey Magnolia, what about you? Are you selling yours ( if you have a few hundreds) love to get my hands on some books!

There is a book exchange at at the Figaro Cafe near Xintiandi, organized by the Shanghai BookCrossers. They get together once a month and swap books. Whatever isn't taken that day is put up on the shelves of the cafe. You don't have to participate in the meetings if you choose not to - just remember to leave one if you take one.

Hu & Hu Antiques in Hongqiao sells used books for 10RMB each, with all proceeds benefitting LifeLine Shanghai. They usually have several hundred books of a large variety on hand.

Hu & Hu's address is CaoBao Lu, Lane 1885, #8. Their telephone number is 3431 1212 and their website is www.hu-hu.com (with a map of their location).

LifeLine Shanghai is a public-benefit, non-profit organization offering free, confidential, and anonymous emotional support and information to the international community from 10AM to 10PM, 365 days a year. Our helpline number is 6279 8990 and our website is www.lifelineshanghai.com.

Good luck!

thank you! I will definitely go out there. It is also for charity - I love it!

do u like to read "Atonement" or "The Godfather?" They are what im reading now.

I am reading Da Vinvi Code right now. The Godfather will be interesting, but Atonement is too much of a "chick" book for me.

i finished Da Vinci Code a couple of years ago..it was great..haha the godfather is a total combination of sex, violence and conspiracy..it somehow reminds me to read The Godson at some point.
Yeah atonment is kinda like what you say but i still like it lol
Rad

You can also get a library card at the Shanghai Library. They have a pretty good-sized English language collection.

really, what do you need to bring to get a library card here as a foreigner?

anyone has read "A tree grows in brooklyn" by betty smith?

what do you need to bring to get a library card here as a foreigner?

I think your passport and a deposit will do it. The deposit gets returned to you when you cancel your card.

About book exchange, there already exits some thread referring to it... try to search in the website.. And I think Michael should stick this topic to the top so that new comers can find easily...

Thanks sbergman! And I will stay off this thread.