Do you buy used books?

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My friends think I'm poor if I buy used books , even though I'm middle class.

I prefer used books. I especially like older books, older editions. I love shopping in used books stores. I could get lost for days. There's something romantic/nostalgic in a way, that other people have held and read these books before. I do buy new books too, but prefer older ones.

I often get so excited when I see books about mathematics!

No sense paying full price - you can find some treasures in used bookstores. I like the library too.

yes, they smell better

^ Oh ya

I love old books, as long as their still in good condition. I won't buy a book that's torn up, highlighted, or written in. You can buy older versions of many of the really expensive textbooks for really reasonable prices online. I like to buy old science books. You shouldn't have trouble finding mathematics books. Especially with mathematics, very little will change from version to version of a text.

If your reading mathematics texts for fun, social class probably won't be an issue for you later in life. ; )

Do school kids not use Kindle yet?

I hate kindle! Almost as much as I hate the Eucalyptus tree from which we have gotten a new source of paper that doesn't turn yellow with age; this is the sole reason I buy old books almost exclusively. On a similar note, does anyone like the smell of an old book? Or perhaps a new one?

yes, as long as they're in a good condition. The information in the book isn't any different whether its used or new, so I don't think there's any point in paying at least $100-$150 for each book, when I could buy a used one that's a lot cheaper.

Yes, I often buy used books.

Used books are like the animals at the pound.. if no one adopts them eventually they will be put down.

books only sit around so long before being sent off to be pulped in order to sell them for paper.

The OP's friends are consumerist snobs who need to freaking reduce/reuse/recycle.

I have upper-middle class friends who buy used books and then sell them back on after they use them.

I buy used books just because I'm poor; I like the old book smell; I like the highlighting and notes other people wrote in it, and it feels used... There's something about "used" that feels magical...

If it bothers you, just buy ";like new". It saves you $$ but it's like new (minus the plastic wrap).