Page One Bookstore in Taipei 101 is awesome. The English language selection is about ten times all the other bookstores put together.
Stacks and stacks of novels, actually ordered by author rather than American Literature, British Literature etc. Seperate sections for popular fiction, science fiction and romance (although not clearly labelled as such).
The sci-fi fantasy selection is enormous. Much much better than Silex.
Non-Fiction has a huge selection in a lot of different areas. Again many times what you see at other Taiwan bookstores.
The only thing they lack is Taiwan-published books, so the Taiwan studies selection in Caves is still bigger.
They are pricey though. Don’t go unless you’re flush or you’ll get a bit depressed like I was wanting to buy a big sci-fi collection I’ve wanted for a while, a bunch of novels, a couple of film books, a couple fo history books and ALL the Flashman books. I could have spent about 20000 there just on those.
I went today - it was like returning to civilization If we hadn’t been dragging along the anklebiters I could have stayed there for hours…
I also found it a bit pricey - for novels there seemed to be a ‘cheaper’ price point of around NT$300 and a more expensive one of around NT$440. New non-fiction around the NT$520 mark. Not too bad compared to Sydney prices but still, ouch! Won’t stop me from going back and spending way too much money on books though
I only really got a chance to look at the novels section - definitely some hardcovers of newer novels, and hardcover children’s books. I wouldn’t say there were a huge number, but then I wasn’t paying a lot of attention to them!
ImaniOU… from what I understand the new PageOne has comfy chairs for you to sit in, just like many of the large bookstores back in the states - Barnes & Noble, et. al. However, I didn’t see any, as I walked in there and had a literary overload with all the English-language books they had. I had to walk out, as I was starting to hyper-ventilate. :shock: Plus, I realized I hadn’t brought enough money with me. So, I plan to go back there next Saturday, encamp myself in the store and spend hours browsing. Since the bf is in the US on business, I’ll have the freedom to do so for the day.
I was really amazed at the selection of sci-fi/fantasy related books, which there seems to be a lack of anywhere else around Taipei. What I also like about it is that all the English language books (which there seem to be tons/tonnes of - I thought I remembered reading in a TT article 120,000 titles?) were all in one big section. So, no skimming through the stacks trying to find the spines (of the books) with English titles on them, like in Eslite.
I’ll be in book-hog heaven. Of course, now I’ll have to go out and buy more bookshelves.
Hey… does anyone know of a used bookstore in Taipei that buys books?
ImaniOU… from what I understand the new PageOne has comfy chairs for you to sit in, just like many of the large bookstores back in the states - Barnes & Noble, et. al. [/quote]
From what I saw they had little ‘reading nooks’ with two long padded benches kitty-corner in various sections of the store. Looked pretty comfy, but not quite as comfy as armchairs
[quote]So, no skimming through the stacks trying to find the spines (of the books) with English titles on them, like in Eslite.
[/quote]
At the risk of whining I always wanted to ask what the hell the POINT of doing that was? I hate Eslite for precisely that reason. If your English is good enough to read books in English, you should have no problem looking for the book you want in an English-only setup. If you can’t, is it really likely you’ll be looking for a Chinese version, spot the English one next to it and think ‘gee, I think I’ll buy that one instead/as well’. Whereas it positively gave me eye strain trying to pick out the one in fifty books that I could actually read. Just saying
How much do you think the monthy rent there is, and will it last?
Today’s China Post says:
It’s posh and tastefully furnished, but Page One’s monthly rent could be a killer, writes Mary Felliciamo.
“You have to negotiate well,” PAGE ONE CEO Tan says, when asked if the Taipei 101 Mall shop was worth the hassle and his precious dollars.
“Of course, you have to have a good concept. If you plan it well, business will come.”
The executive adds that he keeps a symbiotic relationship with his landlords.
“The landlord does not just provide space and collect rent. That’s not the point. The landlord wants you to pay the rent and make the complex famous at the same time. You need to bring in the crowd. Even if the landlord gives us free rent, we won’t come in if we can’t add value to the place.”
Some complexes that Page One helped make famous had, in some occasions, hiked their rates 30 to 40 percent, he says.
“If your lease expires, chances are your landlord will raise your rent,” says Tan. “We have a shop in Hong Kong and the rent went up 30 to 40 percent overnight. Page One didn’t get (the more expensive rates) because the landlord knew that if he raised it, we would say bye-bye, and the crowd would follow us wherever we went. So, it’s a two-way street between the property developer and us. We have to cooperate to make the whole complex successful.”
Hi,
UPDATE to Books thread
went to Silex Books (the one on Jinhua Road) today, only to discover that the sci-fi etc is no longer there. The manager said something about the chap who organised the section not having time to do so anymore, and then gave me his business card.
Also, probably on other threads, but Banana Comics is one place to go for US comic books, (they import form Diamond in the US) and trade paperbacks. They can also oder for you.
Their address is curerently (April 2005) 1F #6 Lane 86 Xin-Yi Road Sec 2
Taipei. That’s on the southern side, and is the first lane walking from the Jinshan Road corner back towards the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial.
I really don’t want to stuff my bags with heavy books but I need access to newly published Political Science books/novels/biographies. So nothing mass-media, but not exactly obscure. They’re definitely talked about in the NYTimes.
Is acquiring these still difficult in Taiwan? I saw a post saying it was where everyone was basically shouting to bring books, but it was an older thread.
Where can I find them and if there are no stores, how is Amazon with shipping to Taiwan?
Getting any sort of book is not a problem, for example in Taipei, there is a famous building called “Taipei 101” which has a western book store that is a more books than any Borders I have ever been into (which is not many)
American Airlines charged me $30 for an extra (2nd) suitcase, from Leon Mexico to Taibei. Check with your carrier on their fees, but if similar, that’s WAY cheaper than how much it would have cost me to mail its contents to Taiwan, and WAY cheaper than Amazon shipping for 18kg of books. Be sure to check on the fee, though, as I’ve also heard rumors of exhorbitant fees on some carriers.
Yes, Amazon does ship to Taiwan, but it can add quite a bit to the cost of the book. You can place a test order, getting as far as seeing the shipping charges, without final confirmation of the order so you can see for yourself what it costs.
There are some big bookstores like Page One and Eslite here with English books. The selection was okay overall, last time I went, but I have heard that the English section shrank. No idea what their PoliSci selection is like.
By the way, if your suitcase is past its weight limit, move the heaviest items to a rolling carryon and a handbag or small backpack.
Consider getting a Kindle. But in general you can order anything you want. I found that if I ordered 3-4 books the shipping cost was spread out enough that the price was fine. Page One does not have a very good selection anymore.
The two largest Eslite stores – near Taipei City Hall and Dunhua-Ren’ai – are terrific stores and both have pretty good selections of such material. But I get the impression that much of it comes in by sea (slow) rather than air (expensive). So for titles other than the likes of Harry Potter, you may need to deal with a bit of a lag between the date of the Western release and the arrival in Taiwan stores.
In general, no problems getting things from Amazon. For special orders of Western titles I would go ahead and use Amazon or the like over ordering something through a bookstore here.
[quote=“pqkdzrwt”]Getting any sort of book is not a problem, for example in Taipei, there is a famous building called “Taipei 101” which has a western book store that is a more books than any Borders I have ever been into (which is not many)
See here: pageonegroup.com/1/taiwan.html[/quote]
Holy HELL! The newly-arrived Non-fiction books are upwards of $30USD!! Even for tradecloth thats RIDICULOUS.
Awwwww maaaaaaannnnnnn I’m too poor for that
[quote=“Dragonbones”]American Airlines charged me $30 for an extra (2nd) suitcase, from Leon Mexico to Taibei. Check with your carrier on their fees, but if similar, that’s WAY cheaper than how much it would have cost me to mail its contents to Taiwan, and WAY cheaper than Amazon shipping for 18kg of books. Be sure to check on the fee, though, as I’ve also heard rumors of exhorbitant fees on some carriers.
Yes, Amazon does ship to Taiwan, but it can add quite a bit to the cost of the book. You can place a test order, getting as far as seeing the shipping charges, without final confirmation of the order so you can see for yourself what it costs. [/quote]
I’m on Air China from JFK. Over weight is a flat fee of $65USD. Not bad but considering that my bag probably couldnt carry more than 10lbs extra, it probably won’t be worth a flat $65. An entire extra bag… $195USD :X
[quote=“Lili”]I need access to newly published Political Science books/novels/biographies. So nothing mass-media, but not exactly obscure. They’re definitely talked about in the NYTimes.
Is acquiring these still difficult in Taiwan? … Where can I find them and if there are no stores, how is Amazon with shipping to Taiwan?[/quote]
Getting newly-published nonfiction here can be quite difficult. If you typically go into a bookstore without a clear idea of what you want, and buy what you like the looks of, then you’ll probably be fine in Taipei: the bookstores are a decent size. If you’re looking for specific recently-reviewed nonfiction titles, you’re probably going to be out of luck: I’m now using my Kindle for those kinds of items.
Amazon works well. The website says shipping will take 3-4 weeks, but it usually takes around two; my most recent order arrived in 12 days. For amazon.com books, it’s $5 per shipment, plus $5 per book. If you’re ordering a few books, Amazon usually works out cheaper than buying in the Taipei stores, assuming you can even find what you want here. I’ve never had problems with a shipment.
(Page One shrank 3-4 years ago; it used to be that whole corner of the building. All of the eslites have fewer English books and more overpriced stationary than they used to. But that goes for any bookstore in the English-speaking world, I think.)
Thanks a lot everone!!! Its appreciated beyond measure because my books are very important. Clothes, toiletries, laptop, and books. Necessities that I need to figure out how to get over to Taiwan.
lostinasia: Thanks for giving me the fee listing. I always buy used books (even a newly released is usually always available used) but those prices to ship are… really expensive. Still cheaper than the books listed on PageOne, but still. I’ll be using Amazon.com direct with those prices. Decent enough.
There’s also the public library system – and academic libraries, if you have access. Again, though, there will be a lag between publication time and when the book appears on the shelves.
As Muzha man said consider getting an e-book reader of some description, far more portable and a lot lighter. But older books may not be available in e-book format
Hahah, I meant “Western” as in American, English, etc.
People more along the lines of Kissinger, Collier, and McCollough
Well… I have a few issues there…
One, I don’t want to spend the money on an e-Reader
Two, I write lots of notes and highlights for analysis and such. I doubt an e-Reader will be able to give me the necessary freedom and ease of scribbling in my notations.
But thanks for the suggestion! It would definitely be a much faster, space-saving, and economic solution. But I’ve got those preferences that only a hardcopy can provide me with
[quote=“cranky laowai”]There’s also the public library system – and academic libraries, if you have access. Again, though, there will be a lag between publication time and when the book appears on the shelves.
The used book market is negligible in Taiwan.[/quote]
Actually, I was at my local library yesterday and had the same idea! I forgot that I’ll have access to the NTNU library and since they have a PoliSci/IR program, chances are they will have those topic books in English- and in a decent timeframe, too. Maybe the librarians can even help me get my own copies.
If we hadn’t been dragging along the anklebiters I could have stayed there for hours…
