Tales from the resale trade.

[Maevis]

I love the used bookstore in my neighborhood. I trade in books about every 6-7 months. Set them down on the trade counter, wander around a bit, have a coffee, and then go pick up my credit slip.

The really nice thing is that when I have books that they won't accept, I can just leave them on the counter as they donate the books.

But, um...as far as I know their "donation" consists of sending them to the recycler...

[Seanette]

Another true crime fan over here, and I resent the snobbish remarks made about at least four or five CSers in this thread.

There isn't much I won't read, but romance novels are a major part of the "no way" category. Just not my thing. I'd rather read science fiction/fantasy or decent horror if I'm in the fiction section, thanks.

[XCashier]

There's a small chain in Arizona called Bookman's. They sell used books, CDs, DVDs, video games, magazines, etc. They are great! I could spend all day there. They're usually pretty fair about trade-ins, too, especially if you're accepting store credit.

I love used book stores. So much entertainment for so little money!

[ArenaBoy]

A major book fan here but I cannot interest myself in true crime. I'm a huge fan of Stephen King, Tolkien, The Harry Potter series, Hunter S. Thompson, and Che Guevara's writings.

[Ciarrai]

I'm a true crime aficionado as well, and I consider my reading taste to be far above subterranean. I find it hard to believe that you find Robert Keppel to be in bad taste, as he was one of the men involved in the hunt for serial killers Ted Bundy and Gary Ridgeway. Ann Rule is also an excellent writer, and should definitely not be labeled subterranean as she does a lot of research and some of her work comes from personal experience.

[Casino Jockey]

if you guys like true crime get your hands on the "Chopper" series of books. i'm unsure how avalable they are in the USA & the UK but the movie chopper (if you have seen that at all with eric bana) is based on these books.

[stormtreader]

I love true crime - especially Anne Rule.

I also read classics like 1984 and Day of the Triffids, and consider myself intelligent, educated and un-subterrainian.

Slightly insulted here.

[TNT]

and a guy you may have heard of named Truman Capote have given a lot of class and talent to this genre.

I'll see your Capote and raise you a Norman Mailer. "The Executioner's Song" qualifies as true crime and is still one of the most completely stunning books ever written.

All this talk about books... as much as I like having a comped cable / internet account, it's still not the best employee discount I've ever had. The best was when I worked for Book-of-the-Month club... a buck for slightly damaged books and around 90% off for our new books.

After a year of that, I still cry when I have to pay full price.

[Barefootgirl]

Heh, I'm with Mark. I like true crime a LOT (far too much Robert Keppel and Ann Rule on MY shelves), but sorry chaps, great literature it is NOT. I would happily admit to having subterranean taste when it comes to true crime books. Since when did "subterranean" mean bad evil person? I read Shaun Hutson horror as well and that truly is my dirty little secret, but so what? They are deeply rubbishy books, but reading rubbishy books doesn't mean that I am not well-educated, intelligent and read other "heavier" works as well.

The thing about true crime is that its is the grisliness and the frisson of the truth - this isn't about a bogeyman, this is about a real person - that sells the book. They aren't desperately well written, in the main. They are adequately written and frankly with some of the most outrageous crimes, it would be hard to write a dull book about the case. Even Dan Brown couldn't make the Christie murders or Ed Gein boring. On the other hand, it takes a true writer like Truman Capote to make the Clutter murders compelling.

[NightAngel]

On a different note:

DVD trading sucks as well. People bring in items that look like someone took a razor blade to the back or like it was used as a frisbee and expect we're going to take them. Oh, and the ones that are warped like someone put them in the oven for an hour... yeah, I'm gonna take that crap.

They also think that we should give them top dollar for titles no one has ever heard of with no name actors that they probably got off a $1.00 rack at a discount store.

My FAVORITE though are the people who come in and buy our $3.99 or less DVD's one day and then try and exchange them for more the next day. WTF are they thinking? We're CLEARANCING THEM! We don't want them back! Duh.

[Azalea]

Count me in with the true crime fans. Ann Rule's books are NOT the trashy, sensationalized, "gory details" pulp garbage some people may think of when they think of true crime books. She writes her books to give an accurate account of the crimes, and is sensitive to the victim's families. These books are written to honor the memory of the victims! (Read Green River Running Red) One murder victim, Sheila Bellush, who was from my home town, actually told her sister if she was ever murdered, she wanted Ann Rule to write her story! Sadly, Ann did when Mrs. Bellush was murdered by her ex-husband.

<EDITED TO REMOVE PERSONAL ATTACK- CONSIDER THIS YOUR ONE FREEBIE>

[NightAngel]

Consider yourselves warned!

Okay people- NO ATTACKING OTHER MEMBERS.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion- just because it conflicts with your's does NOT make it wrong.

This is your one warning.

[protege]

It's not just the books and DVD "recyclers" that suck...hobbyists can as well. These people will box up their old trains/models/etc and take it to the shops in an effort to get rid of it. Most times, the shop owners are happy to get in older stuff..since it usually sells.

However, some "recyclers" should be shot. They'll take their rusty and beat up crap to the shop, and then bitch when the owner won't give them a dime for it. They all seem to think that "because it's old, it must be worth something." Er, no, that's not how it works--the shop only buys what they know will sell.

One example is that damn Lionel "little girl's train" from the '50s. For those who don't know, I'd like to know what Lionel was on when they produced this thing. A pink locomotive and pastel freight cars? Are you kidding me? Needless to say, it didn't sell well in the 1950s...and neither have the recent copies. Because of that, the shops don't want them. But, it doesn't stop people from trying to sell them back...and then bitching over the minimum price offered.

...and yes, I'm one of the people who *loves* looking for "recycled" trains and model kits. Occasionally, you can find some real gems among the junk

[NightAngel]

...and yes, I'm one of the people who *loves* looking for "recycled" trains and model kits. Occasionally, you can find some real gems among the junk

This just made me remember- in my home town there is/was a resell shop that bought and sold a lot of different used items. The name of it was Trash 'N Treasures. It had a lovely sign that said, "One man's trash is another man's treasure."

So true isn't it?

[Ree]

Interesting that this thread has been on here since August, and, apart from a handful of people, some are only now choosing to be offended by the comments made.

The comments made by Mark Healey were generalized opinions based on his own experiences.
While I agree that generalizations are not a good thing, one cannot discount his experiences.

There is a huge difference between his offering his personal, general opinion and others directly attacking him for that opinion.

I love true crime books too, but I am not wounded to the soul by the comments made, because I know that taste is a subjective thing, and I am a well-rounded person who also enjoys other genres as well.
I am certainly not offended by the word 'subterranean', because I know it doesn't apply to me .
He probably could have used a better word and been less general in his opinion, but his experiences are his own, and we have to accept that perhaps his customers do act a certain way in order for him to have come to that conclusion.