[Blog Entry] Bookfair 2005 Report
Bookfair 2005 Report
Despite the rains and the rallies, I managed to make it all the way to the World Trade Center to attend this year’s International Bookfair.
Every year, I subconsciously know that the book fair isn’t worth it. I still attend though, hoping against hope that it’ll be better.
So what’s new this year? Actually not much. The same stalls are there with little variation. Notable though is the book setup, as the big three bookstores are right in front (although I suspect that in a year or two, Goodwill Bookstore will drop out of the list). Fully Booked has its usual selection, although nothing you won’t find in their other branches. Books can have as much as a 20% discount. Powerbooks/National Bookstore, on the other hand, has probably the second largest collection of books, with even higher discounts. The selection’s not as varied as Fully Booked, but if it’s just fiction you’re looking for, this is the second place you should drop by. Goodwill, disappointingly, dropped out of the race. They seemed to have focused on text books, and one tiny shelf for each of the other genres, plus a bargain bin. Looks like there won’t be any Harry Potter price wars this year.
A little farther off would be A Different Bookstore, and honestly, if there’s one reason why you should drop by, it’s because of them. New arrivals are 25% off, while everything else is pretty much on bargain prices. I mean there’s a bin that sells P99 mass market paperbacks, or 3 for P250. And there are several gems in there, such as George R.R. Martin’s A Clash of Kings and some Robert Bloch novels. There’s a similar promo for softcovers and hardcovers, with P250 and P599 price range.
Lastly, let’s not forget CCHQ, the bastion of manga and indie comics, with everything slashed at 50% off. Even when the book fair’s over, you can reach them at kcc@cchq.com.ph to inquire about stocks, make purchases, and set up meeting points.
Was the whole event worth it? Well, I walked out spending nothing. But that’s just me. There are various local publishers and university publishers there, so you might want to check them out. As for the rest though, you go there for the bargains rather than the variety of selections. My new mecca is Fully Booked, while quarterly book orders for everything else goes to A Different Bookstore.
Bookfair 2005 Report
Despite the rains and the rallies, I managed to make it all the way to the World Trade Center to attend this year’s International Bookfair.
Every year, I subconsciously know that the book fair isn’t worth it. I still attend though, hoping against hope that it’ll be better.
So what’s new this year? Actually not much. The same stalls are there with little variation. Notable though is the book setup, as the big three bookstores are right in front (although I suspect that in a year or two, Goodwill Bookstore will drop out of the list). Fully Booked has its usual selection, although nothing you won’t find in their other branches. Books can have as much as a 20% discount. Powerbooks/National Bookstore, on the other hand, has probably the second largest collection of books, with even higher discounts. The selection’s not as varied as Fully Booked, but if it’s just fiction you’re looking for, this is the second place you should drop by. Goodwill, disappointingly, dropped out of the race. They seemed to have focused on text books, and one tiny shelf for each of the other genres, plus a bargain bin. Looks like there won’t be any Harry Potter price wars this year.
A little farther off would be A Different Bookstore, and honestly, if there’s one reason why you should drop by, it’s because of them. New arrivals are 25% off, while everything else is pretty much on bargain prices. I mean there’s a bin that sells P99 mass market paperbacks, or 3 for P250. And there are several gems in there, such as George R.R. Martin’s A Clash of Kings and some Robert Bloch novels. There’s a similar promo for softcovers and hardcovers, with P250 and P599 price range.
Lastly, let’s not forget CCHQ, the bastion of manga and indie comics, with everything slashed at 50% off. Even when the book fair’s over, you can reach them at kcc@cchq.com.ph to inquire about stocks, make purchases, and set up meeting points.
Was the whole event worth it? Well, I walked out spending nothing. But that’s just me. There are various local publishers and university publishers there, so you might want to check them out. As for the rest though, you go there for the bargains rather than the variety of selections. My new mecca is Fully Booked, while quarterly book orders for everything else goes to A Different Bookstore.
posted by Charles at 7:47 AM
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