If you are a banglorean and a book lover you have got to visit Blossoms on Church Street. Its a book store that deals with both secondhand and firsthand books at amazingly low prices. I first heard about it through a non banglorean who was here on a visit. And he was surprised to know that I hadn’t heard about it. Well, I did find out today that they opened in Jan this year, considering that I was not living in Bangalore that time, its not really my fault is it?
Anyways, they seem to have books of all genre and I got everything I wanted to buy so I think they have a decent collection. The staff is also very helpful and they do seem to know where to find what book. Unlike people at Landmark, who with all their computers and smug attitude couldn’t find a book I was looking for.
I ended up buying
* Contact - Carl Sagan
* Doctors- Eric Segal
* Picture of Dorian Gray- Oscar Wilde
* Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen
* The Monk who sold his Ferrari- Robin Sharma
And don't know what to expect from this
* Kiss the girls- James Patterson
Its a strange feeling reading second hand books. Old and tattered, knowing that it has been in somebody's hand, you already have something common with that somebody, like you share a bond with someone you haven’t met and will probably never meet. Strange, until you start reading the book and forget about everything else. But being in a place that stocks old and dusty books poses a problem if you are allergic to dust. I was just about to get my hanky out when I entered the place but everything was under control. No disasters of the respiratory kind!
Have already started reading Pride and Prejudice, though not an Austen fan I think I'll like this better than Sense and Sensibility.
Books make me happy. Shopping for it makes me happier. I am happy today. Also had a good dinner today. I think Mark twain missed out Good food when he said
' Good friends, Good books and a Sleepy conscience - this is the ideal life.
If you are wondering whether this is the only quote I know, then yes.
9 comments:
guess any bibliophile worth their salt must visit Blossoms (n i think it does find itz way to many a blog since i've also written 'bout it)
thanks for letting us know about this.. i am surely going to visit it this weekend. Do you know if its open on Sundays?
Nice blog :)
Truman, Thanks for visiting my page, I am not sure if its open on sundays but I think it will be. It is opposite to Amoeba. Do check it out. :)
Prashant...U said it... It definetly rocks! Yeah I wasnt aware of the place untill recently. So doing my bit to spread the word :)
Thanks for the tip Shradha...Next visit to Bangalore will have Blossoms on my intinerary.I have always scouted for places like this in every city I have been to, where you can pick up all the books you want and feel exhilirated that I was able to pick up so many books for just 1000 bucks.
Saraansh Do check it out when u r here...I wud visit it again but I already have loads to read! Have to put off book shopping for a while...
That's the thing-I have such a backlog too of reading to finish and yet the desire to pick up more books doesnt cease.
Hey Shradz...
You get similar stuff outside Churchgate station in Mumbai. They've got huge collections of second hand books too. When I was in Mumbai, I bought books worth around a 1000 bux there (all second hand, so you can imagine). I havent read any of them yet (LOL!!) but will get on to doing it with my new checklist. I've started with "THE PLYMOUTH ADVENTURE by ERNEST GEBLER".
I used to hang around at the raddiwaala (Kabaadiwaala or scrap dealer) near my place every week to try and find good books. I often bought books for as low as 3 or 4 rupees !! Can you believe it? I once got an amazing book of short stories (by all my favourite classic authors) though it was a little moth eaten for 3 rupees. Its the best I've ever read.
Since I've started earning, I've been going to CROSSWORD and buying new books, original ones. They are anywhere from 150 to 300 bucks but once in a while, its good. I got The Invisible Man by H G Wells a while ago. I had read that in school but wanted to read it again.
LOL, long comment as usual. Why dont you write similar stuff?
-PeAcE
--WiTh
---GuNs
Guns, I visited that place twice after this post. I bought some 'heavy duty' books but I dont have the guts to open them. I havent done serious reading in a long time!
Write similar stuff? What exactly?
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