these days i try to borrow stuff from nearby public libraries and avoid buying any new copies of old books. hurray, funded public services. hurray, socialism. i export a big csv file of books i am interested in reading from goodreads, then run a horrible little python script that pokes my local library website with requests to discover what books from my list are available on the shelf.
in the past i have had success finding cheap second hand books using this search engine: https://www.gettextbooks.com/
That python + good reads + library script is a great idea!
I'll second using local libraries. They are really a terrific resource. Between hard copies, ebooks, digital copies, and inter-library loans, it's really rare I can't get my hands on a book I want.
I usually get mine second hand from Amazon. some of them are prime and I can get the next day (UK). Some however are from the US so that can be a long wait. I've not really ventured out from them though.
I recently noticed that bookdepository (belongs to Amazon btw) has different prices depending on your region. In other words, their "free delivery worldwide" cost is being hidden behind the different prices per country. So, by using VPN and ordering a book let's say from the US (even though you live in Europe) you might be able to save quite some bucks. I saved $15 recently when buying a technical book.
Also, in abebooks.com you can sometimes find textbooks at much lower prices, even if you include the shipping fees compared to amazon/bookdepository. Most likely these textbooks are much cheaper because they are supposed to be sold only in India. Still, some sellers ship them all over the world.
You can find a multitude of free and new books on b-ok.org, but I guess it would be illegal to use in most jurisdictions.
Lastly, wherever I've bought a book from, I always refer to Amazon.com for reviews.
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[ 2.6 ms ] story [ 51.2 ms ] threadin the past i have had success finding cheap second hand books using this search engine: https://www.gettextbooks.com/
e.g. i have my eye on a new Peter Watts book, here we go: https://www.gettextbooks.com/isbn/9781616962524/
I'll second using local libraries. They are really a terrific resource. Between hard copies, ebooks, digital copies, and inter-library loans, it's really rare I can't get my hands on a book I want.
Also, in abebooks.com you can sometimes find textbooks at much lower prices, even if you include the shipping fees compared to amazon/bookdepository. Most likely these textbooks are much cheaper because they are supposed to be sold only in India. Still, some sellers ship them all over the world.
You can find a multitude of free and new books on b-ok.org, but I guess it would be illegal to use in most jurisdictions.
Lastly, wherever I've bought a book from, I always refer to Amazon.com for reviews.
I'm learning to check there first to see if that "new shiny" book is there first.