France-tastic

Some of you may know that I have an unfortunate tendancy towards book hogging. And now that I have neither television nor two nuggets to distract me, never mind the close-to-zero temperatures outside inspiring inside, sofa-sitting activities, the need to feed my addiction has only been growing stronger.

I thought I was going to get a good fix at the American Library in Paris, apparently the largest english book collection on continental Europe (or rather all of Europe minus an island or two across the channel). However I was sadly disappointed to find that this very americo-centric institution is, how can I put this delicately... a bloody rip-off. Just to look at their collection, as one might want to do before joining, given the €100 joining fee, commands an €11 "day member with no borrowing priveleges" fee. I will point out that this is one little euro short of DOUBLE the "day member with no borrowing privileges" fee to look at a rather more famous Paris collection, namely the Louvre.

Not for borrowing.

Luckily for me, I have just learned some very important french. Having seen lots of shops selling livres d'occasion (livre being book) I thought it strange that there was such a market for "occasion" books here. Must be for special occasions, maybe for presents, or books about Christmas, or even books that were only occasionally books. A good example of a faux ami indeed, because in this context occasion means second-hand!

And down the road from uni there is a fine livres d'occasion outlet with english novels for around €2! Much better! One trip yielded me five books in three languages (the third actually being an italian cookbook in norweigan!) for the grand total of €9.90! I have also found a GREAT bookstore selling only english second hand books. I think this might be the second largest collection of english books on the continent and HEAPS of great stuff. Unfortunately a little pricier than the first, with books around the €5 mark, but a fantastic collection.

# posted by Jenny @ 13:30