muahahahaha. yess!! bought a lot of books today! hopefully i will be able to read them … but yess they’re expensive (as a bundle : S$ 200.00 today alone!) but, when i buy books, im happy.
albeit the fact that they are … “boring” books. haha. but, i see buying books as self-investment laa and im lucky to have parents who encourage my reading rather than complain that i “waste money” when i buy books (my dad himself spends so much on books everytime he goes to a bookshop!!!!! ok, so he buys specialised books which cost a LOT, but still!!!!!)
so where did i go book shopping?
first stop: 草根书局 (a.k.a. Grassroots Book Store)
“草 根书局虽然和书城地点不同,然而它还是保有传统书店的特色,窄窄的空间堆满了书,而且种类繁多,能满足中文爱好、研读者、中文系生的需求。不过最令我影响 深刻的是位于书城的今古书画店的风格,推开门,室内的光线微微昏暗,也许是书太多,空间太窄小的关系。然而就是这种气氛,令我对它产生些许遐想,幻想着在 这城市的一个小小角落,书店老板在苦心经营着看似简陋的传统书店,这份坚持来自对中华文化的热爱、旧知识分子残留的崇大使命,老板也许对这些书产生了感 情……再想下去,可以写成小说了。这类传统的小书店,尤其是售卖中文书籍的,背后若不是靠一份对文化精神、使命感的坚持,在这个岛国城市里,恐怕早就一间 一间绝迹了!
草根书店的门口写着令人心动的一句话,“爱书人的书室”。
taken from:http://windsky28.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!62C7016259AFE23B!1470.entry
草根’s is a place that seems to be forgotten by many in this anglicised society of Singapore. You can be assured of the quality of the books that you find here. in any case, it’s a bookshop that has a lot of research books if you’re looking on those on Chinese Literature, Language, History and Philosophy
it’s a great place for Chinese Specialisation students like us to shop
the first time i was there, daddy brought me
(p.s. dad noes almost every old bkshop in bras basah area so i cant do aniting stupid/bad/aniting of tt sorts ard tt area :S)
the owner of the shop is an established local author (i own a few bks of his) who noes quite a few lecturers of ours (:S) hahhahas. (i am really not in the right state of mind to be doing things like this haha) he’s a great guy who will kindly introduce books to you if you ask for it, and he’s a chatty guy too
hahaha idk. (he chatted abt dad. -.-”) in any case, i splurged $102.00 here!!! haha. bt i think it’s well worth the money.
second stop: 长河书局
it’s a bookshop that is a full utilisation of the minute space with books stacked on shelves and the floor, leaving only little channels for walking (so dont bring gigantic bags!!!
) it’s like a treasure hunt to find exactly the book you are looking for, so, a lazy way out is to just ask the owner if he has the stocks for the title you want, or, you could ask for recommendations too!!! =) me loves recommendations hahaha. im just lazy or sth
the reason i like these two bkshops? i like it that it becomes very personal i.e. the r/s you build with the bosses of the bkshops, and, they are very willing to help you out if you need aniting. all you got to do, is ask. this old-world kind of relationships is very hard to come by these days in any store. it is, somehow, more personal than business (if you are a regular or goes with someone who is).
personally, i prefer grassroots. it’s like a quiet spot, an oasis in the desert of metropolitan society. the owner is so friendly
(altho it freaks me out whenever he says: ohh ur lecturer was just here yesterday. or sth to tt effect. it reminds me of the nj conductor and my sec sch conductor who always go: ohh i just went for coffee with him the other day! whenever i see either one of them :S) it’s stressful when you know a person who knows a person who knows you. :S
you can get more information about these two bookshops (esp grassroots n its owner) here. (or just google-search the names of the shops!)
and today’s been a super unhealthy day lol. i had 2 kong ba bao for breakfast, and Devil’s Cake and Oreo Mocha Frappé at TCC for lunch! ohh and steamed chicken rice for dinner. dots!
and now, i think i have stomach flu. or maybe, it’s the virus/bacteria infection again! gawwwwwd.
and I’M HAPPY!!!!!! =) cos i bought books =) i’m a bookaholic ;P