Now, I must admit that I normally loath suburban bookstores - the poky size, the crap range, the copies of 'The Secret' everywhere. But the other week, with time to kill while my bicycle was being repaired, I went into Books Unlimited in Donaghmede Shopping Centre, albeit against my better judgment.
And I have to admit that I was mildly surprised. Mildly pleasantly surprised. Not schocked; they hadn't added a SF wing overnight or anything. Books Unlimited is still the small local bookshop that sells manly school textbooks. But what they did have, and perhaps they've always had it but I've never really noticed it before, was a pretty big second-hand book shelf.
Admittedly, these second-hand books were a good deal more expensive than in your local charity shop. Vincent's sell paperbacks 3 for a euro sometimes, but nevertheless, three books for a tenner from an actual profit-making bookshop still isn't bad going. And Books Unlimited have a lot more range than any charity shop I've ever been in.
But still the ubiquitous Thomas Harris and Frank McCourt books. Has anyone ever noticed that? I guarantee you, go into any shop that sells second-hand books and you're bound to find 3 or 4 copies of 'Red Dragon' and 'Angelas Ashes'. Try it yourself.
So yeah, if you're around Donaghmede, give Books unlimited a quick go. read more