I never had a problem learning to read, unless you count when my mom told me to read in my head.
My mom had a lot fewer headaches after I learned to read silently, and my terrible book addiction took hold. If you're poor, like me, you'll understand the need for cheap books. Here are some places around Albuquerque to find them.
Savers, 3300 San Mateo Blvd. N.E.: No longer simply the headquarters for funny T-shirts and weird appliances, Savers has a medium-sized book section with reasonable prices. The section offers lots of soft cover romance novels and plenty of books in the Michael Crichton/John Grisham/Robin Cook vein, but you can find some unusual books if you look closely. On my last visit, I bought a copy of Christina Crawford's "Mommie Dearest," complete with wire-hanger scene and all, and a book of short stories and essays called "The KGB Bar Reader," which was signed by the editor. Books are usually under three dollars, and most paperbacks are 99 cents or less.
Thrift Town, 5120 Lomas Blvd. N.E.: The book section at Thrift Town is certainly more diverse than that of Savers. It has lots of older cookbooks and strange '60s style self-help books. My best finds at Thrift Town were a soft-cover copy of Susan Faludi's "Backlash," and a health class textbook from the 1950s that I cut up to make a 'zine. Books are a little more expensive here, but the prices are still reasonable, and most books aren't over four dollars. Thrift Town also has an extensive magazine section.
Page One Too, 11200 Montgomery Blvd. N.E.: No story on used books in Albuquerque would be complete without at least a mention of Page One Too, the massive used bookstore across Juan Tabo Boulevard from Page One. The selection is massive, and the books usually run half of the cover price, depending on the condition of the book. The best thing about Page One Too is that you can take in books you don't want anymore and sell them for cash or store credit. This includes those books that aren't really textbooks that you only needed for the first two weeks of class. Page One Too has a huge mystery section, and its books are categorized, making them easier to find and browse through.
If you know specifically what book you want and are willing to wait a few days, you can always look on half.com or eBay.com. You work directly with a seller, rather than having a bookstore as a middle agent, and you usually pay shipping costs. Both sites have information on the condition of the book, so you can find anything from a mint copy of the new Harry Potter book, which will be more expensive but less than list price, to a copy of "To Kill a Mockingbird," that barely has its cover but still has all the pages.
The sellers have ratings on both sites, too, so you can see the feedback from buyers before you give them your money. You can sell books online, too, and make a little cash. And, whether you're buying or selling online, all you need is a credit card.
And, of course, you can always get together with your book-inhaling friends and trade, but somehow that doesn't seem as fun as spending an entire afternoon trying to find that one perfect book.
