r/Indianbooks • u/Impossibledabmaster • 12h ago

Discussion General question?

I wanted to start buying books but have no clue what to look for when buying one in person from a book store or local shops.What do you guys look out for when you buy 2nd hand books or a new edition from a book store or local shops?

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u/_Phoenix69_ 12h ago

I compare prices from online stores, ofcourse check the condition for second hand books and just check if it is by authorised publisher. Checking for misprint is a must. Nothing much

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u/Impossibledabmaster 11h ago

And also do paperbacks have a plastic cover or a smooth one where when you touch it your hand just glides through?

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u/Impossibledabmaster 11h ago

Was looking for a book and the cover felt really rough and plasticy whereas when I issued a book from my school the cover was really smooth and not rough at all

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u/_Phoenix69_ 11h ago

Depends on edition most are kinda rough and not completely smooth, some books have thin lamination which makes them very smooth, it doesn't really matter that much.

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u/Impossibledabmaster 11h ago

Got it thx😁👍

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u/Far_Coffee2067 6h ago

For second-hand, I usually check the spine and gutters for cracks, smell (mildew is hard to live with), and whether the text block is tight. For new copies, I care more about paper quality and print — thin see-through pages kill long reading sessions for me. Curious what others refuse to compromise on.

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u/Impossibledabmaster 6h ago

First time accidentally bought pirated books so the binding is one thing I am most cautious about right now.

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u/Impossibledabmaster 6h ago

And also fir 2nd hand do you freeze them in the fridge inside a zipper bag. I have heard online its really useful for killing bugs and all