Saturday, October 25, 2008

Book Fair Week

This past week, the last full week in October, is one of my favourite weeks of the year because it’s “Book Fair Week”: on Wednesday and Thursday there’s the McGill Book Fair, the largest English-language book fair in this city, and then on Saturday (today) there’s the Quebec City Women’s Club Book Fair in Quebec City, where all the books save a few special ones are sold for a dollar each. (It used to be 50 cents, but this year they decided to up the price.) I go to both book fairs every year and I’ve been known to come home with a box of books from each, sometimes buying as many as 60 books in total! This year I tried to restrain myself a bit, now that I’m receiving books to review on a regular basis and running out of room for them all, but I still scored a great pile (about 20 books). It must be noted that both events are worthy causes as the money goes towards student scholarships and bursaries.

Some of my finds include:




(Updated on Monday, with covers. See my previous post for the cover of Toward Amnesia by Sarah Van Arsdale.)
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9 comments:

  1. TiOctober 25, 2008 at 8:59 PM

    I won The Secret River in a Christmas exchange last year and it has been sitting on my shelf, patiently waiting for me to pick it up.

    I think I may join the Fall Into Reading challenge just to get some of these books read and off my shelf.

    You did great at the fair!

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  2. AnonymousOctober 25, 2008 at 9:08 PM

    I don't know how you restrained yourself at $1.00 each. I've got so many books in my TBR pile right now, I'm trying to stay away from temptation.

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  3. Marie CloutierOctober 26, 2008 at 7:35 AM

    book fairs are so fun. good for you and your haul! :-) and i think it's worthwhile even with all the arcs we're all getting, because at the fairs you find the obscure things, and the older things that you might not get any other way. :-0

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  4. DarleneOctober 26, 2008 at 11:10 AM

    Great list of books. I love book fairs and you're right the money goes to a good cause. I loved Patron Saint of Liars-it was quite good. Can't wait to see the rest of your list. Happy Reading.

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  5. ShanaOctober 26, 2008 at 1:01 PM

    Wow Avis - books for $1? And for a good cause? I'd be in so much trouble if I had access to a sale like that.

    You got some good ones. The House at Riverton is on my must, must read list and Love Walked In and The Patron Saint of Liars too.

    Shana
    Literarily

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  6. IlianaOctober 26, 2008 at 7:59 PM

    How fun! We have a big book festival next weekend so I'm looking forward to that although there won't be any bargain books I'm afraid.

    Looks like you found some great stuff... Love Walked In was a sweet book. Curious to hear more about The Literary Murder one. Enjoy your finds!

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  7. Sheri S.October 26, 2008 at 9:03 PM

    Yay for the McGill Book Fair! I went also but on the 2nd day and I'm guessing a lot of the "good stuff" was already bought! I did end up with Marian Keyes' "Last Chance Saloon" and "The Best Awful" by Carrie Fisher. Oh and I also got "Vanishing Acts" by Jodi Picoult at the McGill Bookstore's special sale.

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  8. TaraOctober 27, 2008 at 12:48 PM

    This sounds like a great book sale! You got a lot of good books - I've been thinking of starting The Secret River myself.

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  9. avisannschildOctober 29, 2008 at 12:03 AM

    Thanks, Ti! And that's only the highlights of my haul!

    Kathy, missing the book fairs was unthinkable, but I did have to promise not to bring too many more books home...

    Exactly, Marie! I scored a few books that fit into mystery series too, stuff like that, that I couldn't get as ARCs...

    Dar, someone told me (at the book fair) that The Patron Saint of Liars was her second-best book, after Bel Canto. Have you read it too? Would you agree?

    Shana, I was so thrilled to find The House at Riverton, which I've wanted to read ever since it was offered as an ER book on LT (back before Canadians were admitted to the program), that I broke my no-hardcovers rule to buy it!

    Iliana, I hope you will post about the book festival!

    Sheri, I used to always go on the first day, first thing, but it's so mad, what will people climbing under tables to get at the books in boxes, etc. But it's true that a lot of the good books go really fast. I haven't heard of the McGill Bookstore's special sale before!

    Tara, we'll have to compare notes (eventually...)!

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