The annual National Book Store Cut-Price sale is on!
I’ve been shopping at the NBS cut-price sale since I was in college, and I always manage to take home a great haul over the three-week sale season. I’ve even developed a strategy for it over the years — I’ve learned to pace myself, because otherwise I’ll just go crazy (not to mention broke).
I spend the first week scoping out a couple of branches, and I usually don’t buy anything (unless it’s something I absolutely must have for my collection); I just check out the books on sale. And then I do my first round of shopping at the one branch, where I do the bulk of my cut-price purchases. Over the next few days, when I have the chance, I drop by the different branches, and see if there are one or two books I still want to buy. And then, at the tail end, I drop by another branch and scrounge for more books — sometimes the prices drop towards the end of the sale!
Today was roughly the second week of the sale, and I knew I was due for some shopping. I mulled over some branches and decided on the Harrison Plaza branch. The mall is rundown, but I love the NBS branch there because they have a bargain area all year round, and it’s ten times better during the cut-price sale. And then after Sunday mass this morning, I craftily conned my siblings to do the groceries at the hypermart at that mall so I could go book shopping (*evil grin*).
I made the right choice — it was awesome. There were at least seven bargain tables there, one long back to back shelf out front, two smaller shelves in the main bargain area, and another shelf by one of the counters!
In ten minutes flat, I had a stack of books in tow!
Check out my loot:
The Alphabet of Dreams by Susan Fletcher —
I’ve been eyeing this in the bargain bins for over a year now!
Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson,
the book that comes after Peter and the Starcatchers
Trade paperback boxed set of The Giver, Messenger, and Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry —
I’ve always wanted to read this series!
Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss and Bonnie Timmons,
companion to The Girl’s Like Spaghetti
the beautifully-illustrated The Little Red Fish by Taeeyun Yoo
and The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl
And then because I went past (hahaha way past?) the P500 purchase, and it was raining cats and dogs outside, I couldn’t resist getting availing their golf umbrella, too. Haha, my first bookstore umbrella! And it’s delightfully huge!
Happy day! I went home grinning from ear to ear.
From what I’ve seen so far, they’ve got quite a lot of good titles on sale this year. I’m glad I still have a couple of weeks to do the rounds!
Congratulations on your new acquisitions, Blooey! The Giver is a great, great book. Lucky you for getting it along with the two other books in the series in a neat boxed set.
I got quite a few contemporary fiction hardcovers for P99 each, but what I consider the highlight of my recent NBS raids is my purchase of the trade paperback edition of David Mitchell’s The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet (which is shaping up to be my favorite book of the year) at 20% off, which costs less than half the price of the hardcover available at Powerbooks.
Thanks, Aldrin! I’m a big fan of boxed sets. It’s rare that I get a chance to buy boxed sets so I jumped at the chance :)
Looks like you got a nice haul as well. What’s The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet about?
I need to read The Giver, but it’s one of those books that I know will always be in the stores so I never felt the need to get it immediately.
Oh and yes, I’m loving this sale, too — I said I don’t want to buy books yesterday but I ended up getting some still because they were only P99. Hee. :D My friends and I are visiting NBS Cubao (or Mother National Bookstore, as we call it) this Saturday to take advantage of the sale again. Hee can’t wait. :)
@Tina – I’ve always wanted to read it, but I kept seeing the mass market paperback version, and individually the trade paperbacks are about P400 apiece. I got the boxed set for P400+.
i agree aldrin though powerbooks still on sale til the 15th (w/c started jul 30th) nbs still have their books price lower. men and dogs by katie crouch (her latest) is at 532 php already 20% disc on powerbooks but on nbs i’ll be gettin it only 471.25php already at 20% disc. however there are still titles not yet avail at nbs but could be found on powerbooks already haay
@Ella- I think the Powerbooks sale is over. If you’re looking for a new release, try one of the bigger National Book Store branches. Or go to customer service and ask about the book.
Lois Lowry trilogy – absolute winner. She’s my number one children’s book author. I’ve loved her books since I discovered the Anastasia Krupnik series at age 8. Apart from this trilogy, Taking Care of Terrific is my favourite.
I love Anastasia and the rest of her family!!! Myron and Katherine are the coolest parents, and Steve Harvey is dreamy…
I discovered the Anastasia books when I was eleven, I think. Outside of her Anastasia series, I’ve only read Lowry’s Number the Stars. Will look for a copy of Taking Care of Terrific, I don’t think I’ve seen it anywhere yet.
It’s old – published in the 80s, so you might try Bookmooch – if I ever see a copy in Booksale, I’ll grab it for you :)
I’ve been particularly avoiding bookstores these days because of the drought to my umm..financial well, so to speak. Sana broke din lahat ng tao para I still have a chance to raid NBS bargain bins. And I’m sorely tempted to book a flight to Manila this September for their annual sale (umm..tama bah? September?). Last year, I found some really cool titles in NBS Harrison sa may Malate. Too bad I couldn’t bring much home kasi nag-go lite kami. Hehe
Gratz on your great haul, Blooey. I have read the first book in the Peter and the Starcatchers series and I am a fan. Kaso, I haven’t found the sequel/s yet. ^_^
Now I’m broke, too! Haha. May book fair pa in September. Let me know ha, if you’re gonna be in Manila.
@Iya – Thanks!
hi! ive been reading your blog for quite some time now. its really impressive. akala ko walang mga pinoy na mahilig magbasa. kasi i seldom encounter people who really loves reading. madami pala tayo. anyways, i also bought books from national bookstore’s annual sale and i also buy books from booksale. i hope we can be friends and share our experiences in reading. Thanks!
Hi Pertz. Thanks for dropping by.
Actually I beg to disagree — a lot of Filipinos read, judging by the number of Filipino book bloggers online, as well as the different book clubs on social networking sites.