I buy almost exclusively from Amazon or, mostly actually, second hand through Amazon.

I was pleased that Amazon continued to give Book Depository customers free postage after the take over. Although I don't mind second hand books for myself, I like to send new ones to people as gifts. Being able to send a book etc. directly to the recipient has been handy too.

Thank you all for your replies and support for Amazon. Having never ventured into the Amazon world, I needed some assurance that it is, indeed, as good as it's advertised to be. Nothing speaks louder than actual customers' experiences.

Vee...I'm not disappointed at all. After touring around through the Depository website and Amazon last night, I discovered that the Depository is now an Amazon company. But, as Ann notes above, Amazon has [so far] kept the Depository's generous shipping attitude which I consider a very smart decision on Amazon's part.

I buy new because I've either exhausted the older, used books of authors I enjoy or finding another source for clean used books has been almost impossible for me. I used to buy used books from my local library in large numbers but since I've given up driving, that's become difficult to do. And, I don't use Nook or similar equipment. I've kind of worked myself into a corner since my old car went boots up but I'm slowly adjusting to other means of shopping. I just need to educate myself on what's available to me in this realm. I, too, have a vast collection of books that I'm now trying to whittle down and donate. I'm reaching the point where I have to consider that I won't be living in this large space forever and I don't want to burden my heir with the task of cleaning out my library. I keep the books worth keeping. The rest I find other homes for as soon as I've read them.

Amazon has built here in CT, too. And, although I've never seen the facility... it's purported to be huge, as well. I'm just very glad that it's in another part of the State and not near me. I moved to this bucolic area thirty plus years ago to get away from the hustle and bustle of the business world and all its related structures. I'd like this area to remain bucolic.

Again...thank you all for your input. I'm a tad shy of buying used books unseen, but I shall give it a try if I find that's an option for a book that I want to read.

Winter, I'll also add my vote for Amazon. The selection of gently used books is astonishing and, as Vee said, you can often get nearly new for a penny plus shipping. We do have Amazon Prime for our household, so shipping (on most things, though not second hand books) is paid for with the cost of membership. Given the amount of stuff we order other than books, it has paid for itself. I've found that the descriptions of the used books on offer are usually accurate, and you can see the rating of the seller and number of books sold by him/her before you buy. You also have the option of leaving a review or contacting the seller if there is ever an issue.

While Amazon is quite convenient, I do miss being able to browse in a proper bookstore, B&N being the last one standing in these parts (I'm also in CT). We lost our small, quirky, locally-owned bookstore ages ago due to the rise of Amazon and the mega-bookstores.

Winter, you are more considerate about your heir than I am with mine! When I am no longer able to dispose of my goods, they will have to do this for me as part of being a family! As I live in a retirement village, this happens, sadly, quite a lot with residents over the 15 years I have been here.

If I manage to leave some money, that will compensate for their time and trouble! I refuse to declutter, so "The Best of British Luck" to them both...

Sheri...Thank you so much for your Amazon encouragement. I know I should have done this a long time ago but when I still had wheels...I found bargains locally. Now I'm forced to adjust. :-) If it weren't for the kindness of you all...I'd have to continue to accept poor service from my only book buying source. My little corner of the world used to have two or three little book stores but like your area, Sheri...they're long gone. They just couldn't compete with the likes of Amazon and some of the bigger, better funded stores. It broke my heart to see them close. I so enjoyed the owners and I could always find a "treasure" here or there tucked away on their shelves. If B & N doesn't improve their customer relations soon...they, too, will be a store of the past. Their financial position is very shaky these days and they're scrambling to stay alive. Unfortunately...IMO...the customer is suffering rather than benefiting from their CEOs ideas for survival. The buying public is too savvy these days to be lulled into complacency with hollow offers. And Amazon is just too large and too competitive. I know...if I had taken this plunge years ago...I would have saved hundreds of dollars. Perhaps loosing my old wheels wasn't such a bad thing after all. LOL As I become more familiar with Amazon and their merchandise...I shall give a Prime membership some serious consideration. I'm beginning to see that they could save me a lot of money in other areas, as well. But...that said...there's something to be considered over the loss of business personalization and friendly faces. I know I must adjust to the virtual age but a part of me continues to miss the good old days.

Ann...thank you but I'm not so sure it's all consideration. :-) I'm running out of shelf space. LOL I'm a very prolific reader and if I weren't to take measures to keep this place in relative order...I fear there wouldn't be room for me. I used to donate hundreds of books a year to my library and other organizations but none of them will pick up donations these days so I'm left to find other means to keep my collection from overtaking my realm. I've managed to convince my step son that he needs to read some of these tomes but his entire family read with the aid of Nooks or the like so I can only pass off so many to him. Fortunately, he visits from out of State from time-to-time and is willing to tote me around to Goodwill and the likes so I can "unload" on them once in a while.

He'll get this town house with contents when I give up the ghost but that's about all he'll get. Of course, if he heeds my advice and prudently sells the contents...therein lies the big money. Otherwise...I manage to use what's now available just to retain my independency. This aging process is definitely not for the faint of heart.

Winter, your last line reminds me of one of my favorite quotes. I forget who it was who said "Old age is not for sissies."

I have not been in a B & N in quite some time. Luckily for me, there is a quirky little independent book shop here in downtown Charleston, "The Blue Bicycle." I enjoy browsing there. My favorite city for independent book shops was Charlottesville, VA -- there were so many!

I now own so many books that I never buy new ones. Rarely, I will find used books like new at library sales, rummage sales, and the like, most within walking distance from my building.

Winter, I don't drive anymore, either. When I relocated from VA to Charleston, I gave up my car and bought a bicycle. This city is very bike-friendly.

Oh Wood...I would love to bicycle here but it's just too hilly. I've given it some thought, though. It would be wonderful exercise and I love being outside. I just don't think I could manage all the hills in this rural area. If I lived closer to town...I'd have gotten a bike long ago. I'm envious! :-) I need to move!

I've tried sating my reading habits with many of my older books but I have close to an eidetic memory and it often spoils revisiting old printed friends. Although...if I wait long enough aging often changes my disposition to the point that I see a work in an entirely new light.

I love the name of your bookstore. :-)

I don't drive so I rely on public transport. After some lobbying of the local politician, we now have a regular service and a handy bus stop. I can easily access two libraries locally and the City one if I want to use that. Our buses are able to take disability vehicles so seniors who use them can go anywhere and we get free transport in off peak times. The world is open to us!

Winter, sadly I no longer have a home to pass on, we sold the last one and blew the proceeds during a long stay in the UK. I now only rent a small place in a retirement village but that is a blessing in a way as I don't have a householder's problems. If I need any maintenance, I just fill in a form!

I would have no problem with donating books. The local library takes them for their sales, held every few months. However, my daughter usually takes any I do want to give up!

I have the availability of a similar bus service here, too, Ann but one has to make an appointment to get a ride to where you need to go. The demand for service for seniors here has risen so greatly in the last several months that reservations need to be made, often, a week to ten days in advance. I use the service for doctor's appointments but I make my appointment reservations months in advance so I can be assured of the service. I've given up on using it for regular around-town missions. I could probably get to the local library but I might have to wait quite a while before the bus would return to bring me home. It's gotten very frustrating. So much so that I've finally subscribed to a personal shopper service to do most of my grocery shopping. Beyond that, I save specialized trips...like to Goodwill...for the times my stepson will be visiting.

Some days I wish I could sell this townhouse for the money invested in it to live as you are. But the feeling doesn't last long. I've grown quite accustomed to living alone and a bit spoiled with what it affords me. I love to bake and I'd lose the freedom to do that when the mood strikes me. Plus...I'm not sure I could get used to a smaller space. But it's always a thought in the back of my mind that it may become necessary in the future. So far I'm blessed with good health. My knees don't always like the stairs but they eventually agree to rise to the challenge. At 80 I've learned to be quite patient with all my [still] moving parts. I give them ample encouragement and they give me continuing service. It's a good deal all around. :-)

Winter, I am living in an independent residents retirement village so I have a self contained one-bedroom place with the usual facilities you would find in a normal house. I can cook, do my own laundry and even clean excepting I have a cleaner provided who does the vacuuming and bathroom and laundry areas wiping down and mopping for me.

The bus service I use is the general public one. There is a special shopping bus service with fixed "pick up and return times" but I don't need it, or the volunteers who take seniors to their medical appointments yet. I can get grocery shopping done by the agency which sends the cleaner but I prefer to do my own. It makes me go out regularly!

Winter, I'd like to suggest you check out bookmooch.com. It's a book trading website. You earn points from sending out books and can use them to pay for books you get from others.

Amazon.com or ebay and sometimes Abebooks.

I am a HUGE Amazon fan, but for far more than just books. So, I would definitely recommend Amazon :)

Two other book sources I like are Book Outlet andHamilton Books.

Ann...There's nothing quite like that in the area that I live now, ...but I wish there were. Although...it would probably be cost prohibitive for me. There are couple of what are called "assisted living facilities" within the region but they are often a few thousand a month in the initial cost with added dollars for any amenities such as you enjoy.

I understand that one can buy apartment type facilities...which probably duplicate what you're enjoying...but they're beyond my price range...starting in the high thousands of dollars. Even if I sold this town house and used the money to set myself up in that type of arrangement, I'm concerned that I might outlive the financial requirements and be left wanting.

This State is just beginning to realize the need for facilities such as you enjoy and in some cases, they're dragging their financial feet to build them. If they're here, they're privatized and very costly. One was finally scheduled for construction recently and the estimated monthly rent ranged from $4,000 - $7,000/month. There's a plethora of low income housing...but in most cases, it's not a safe, secure atmosphere.

Having lost financial security during my husband's long battle with pancreatic cancer, I subsist solely on Social Security. My home is the last financial investment that I have and I'm loath to give it up without some guarantee that cashing it in will assure me of some equally comfortable arrangement. So...me and my knees meander on...taking each day at a time and enjoying each new book. I simply refuse to be annoyed by the situation. I'm as content...probably more so...than most people I see and know. There's a lot to be said for that. :-)

Thank you, Netla. I've saved the site and will check it out. I'm not sure I'd want the expense of mailing my books but it's certainly an option to consider.

YoYo...I'm glad to see that you recommend Amazon, as well. I've never gotten the hang of Ebay and am too chicken to try but I admire those who do use them. I know my stepson and his wife have sold items through Ebay. I shall have to query him on his experiences. There used to be a young lady in my area who acted as an agent with Ebay. She would do all the item listing, etc and charge a small fee once the item sold. I thought of using her services a couple of times to sell objets d'art but by the time I'd made up my mind to do so...she'd moved from the area. A fortuitous act perhaps.

I shall look for AbeBooks. Thank you.

Simm...I use Hamilton Books. :-) What a small world. I rarely see references to him. Although...I have all but discontinued using his service. His prices have risen and I'm sorry to say that the quality of the books that I've received have decreased immeasurably in the last year or so. His offerings are no longer the bargain they used to be. Perhaps his service is in such demand these days that he's sacrificed quality for quantity. It seems to be happening in many marketing areas that I use. I just received his September catalogue so I'll give it a look. I prefer his website because I can increase the font size. His catalogue is a sight challenge. LOL And I'll give the Book Outlet a look, as well. Thank you.

It looks like Amazon is the overall winner in my quest. I spent a good hour moseying around the site last night...until my vision blurred. LOL I signed up and will be using them for my future book buying. The savings are significant enough to make it my primary book store. While I was there, I checked several categories to compare pricing and found that in most of the products I checked...the savings would be so minimal that it might not be worth it. But that's just a preliminary opinion. I have...as is said...miles and miles to go...before I conclude my journey.

Again...thank you all. I appreciate your time and kindness.

Winter, my area is crowded with retirement villages. The land was cheap once and many charitable organisations built here. My village was originally modestly priced rentals but later the rest of the land was used for Lease for Life larger places. Residents paid about half the price of a house and then a monthly maintenance fee. Some people love this arrangement but I have come across others who now feel tied as the fees rise but can't sell and buy another place as house prices rose enormously.

I pay a modest amount which is also subsidised by the Government as well as getting the Age pension. As I don't have the expense of a car, I manage well enough. In some ways, I would like to own a home again but that doesn't seem likely. As you say, we are thankful for what we have and put up with what we don't have!

Ann...The area I'm in must start to build better housing arrangements for the elderly and they know it. But they're dragging their feet because the current tax situations...state, local and federal...are so bad right now that no one wants to step forward. Federal and State grants are almost nonexistent these days. When private industry steps in...the price tag for this type of housing is enormous and they build for the rich with little to no concern for the maintenance expenses that will accrue as time goes on.

My town house is part of a condominium complex and the entire complex is tucked away in a very bucolic, rural location with a low density. We bought here in the late 80's paying top dollar...planning to sell and move to private property within five years. But the bottom fell out of the real estate market...and...here I sit...thirty years later and alone. I pay a rather high [in the hundreds] monthly maintenance fee which relieves me of the exterior maintenance/repair expenses that I'd be responsible for were this a private home...as well as grounds maintenance and property upkeep. It's like a private property tax...and it's burdensome. I have two floors [the s-t-a-i-r-s...oh those stairs] with almost 1700 sq.ft. of living space...plus a small exterior balcony. It's very comfortable but I know if it became necessary that I could adjust to lesser space. I'm just spoiled. I'm not entirely content with the area these days but I live as though my home were private and on occasions I tolerate the annoyances of lesser considerate neighbors. As you say...we put up! :-) There's a wide generational mix here these days and that accounts for some of my occasional dissatisfaction. I'm a dinosaur in a jet age and it shows once in a while.

Winter, I am opposite to you as I would love to have more space! I am used to at least two bedrooms to spread my stuff around and a bath to wallow in. These places are very compact and just have a shower. We have a heated outdoor pool but it is only open in Summer.

One advantage here is that it is for over 55s and the residents are generally quiet. Parties for special occasions can be booked and held in the Club Room and outdoor barbeque area as well as the monthly dinners and other events run by the Social Committee. There have been a few disruptive residents and they have been counselled by the management. Renters can always be given notice to quit of course.

Re your stairs...my grandparents found the stairs in their place a trial eventually, so they made a downstairs room into a bedroom.

We're still alike, Ann. :-) I love all my space and I won't give it up willingly. I just know that the time may come when I'll have to and I keep reminding myself of that fact so I'll be able to accept it with some grace. In the meantime, although I don't enjoy these stairs, they're probably the reason I'm still mobile. The exercise strengthens the muscles and tendons around my knees and despite all my moaning and groaning, these stairs are very therapeutic. So I shall continue to put one foot in front of the other until some other malady or financial hardship forces me from here.

Just adding that I find AbeBooks the answer for me. Many times there is free shipping, so I look for that. They have a huge variety since they serve many book stores, even from the UK to the US. I find that their descriptions (condition, etc.) are good, although I'm not picky in that area.........just want a good read. I have done series books this way, without it costing an arm and a a leg.

Thank you, Phyllis. Both you and YoYo recommended this seller and I've just done some comparison shopping using AbeBooks vs Amazon...for Ken Follett's "Column of Fire"...which I'm reading now...and for which I paid dearly through B & N. Screech! Even though Amazon's copy was new, AbeBooks's price for a nearly new copy of the same book...S & H included...was dollars below Amazon's price. Granted, I might have to wait a few days for delivery...but considering that I order books at least a few weeks in advance of my desire to read them...that's not a problem. I'm flabbergasted at the savings. It's very obvious I should have asked this question long, long ago. Given all the wonderful advice and seller sites that I've been given...I may actually have a few more coins in my pocket soon. That's a BIG plus. :-) Again...thank you.

Where do I buy my books? Everywhere I go.

That includes Amazon, which by the way owns Abebooks. I also shop at Biblio.com, which I like a lot, and last I heard was still independent.

And I shop at both independent and chain book stores.

I used to shop at Friends of the Library used book sales, but not so much these days. I just stopped finding much of anything I wanted there.

You're very fortunate to be able to access all those book stores, Rose. I did, too, at one time but I don't have that option anymore. Ergo...my shopping is reliant on the internet and I wanted experienced advice/opinions. Thank you for yours. I wasn't aware that AbeBooks was owned by Amazon. But, then, is there anything they don't own these days? Or plan to own in the near future? [A specious question or two not requiring a reply.]

Winter, you hang in there! Good idea to use your stairs as exercise. I had to climb a steep street recently and realised how unfit I was! I had to pause a few times to get my breath.

Has anyone mentioned Better World books? I have used them to get old out of print mysteries which were part of a series I found had started in the 1990s. They are a charitable organisation and donate books to the less fortunate.

Winter, you are now spoiled for choice!

There are no independent book stores near me, but we do have a Barnes & Noble. I do most of my book buying from Amazon but I buy some from B&N and a few online from independent stores (for example, I bought Megan Whalen Turner's most current book from an independent store where she does book signings).

I don't buy very many books anymore, but right now I have a B&N gift card burning a hole in my purse. I see there is a new Charles Todd out, so I expect that is where it will go.

the problem with independent booksellers is that they rarely have the book I am seeking, unlike the online sources where I can always find it .

Astrokath - I'm with you. Before turning to the Internet, I almost always try to make my purchases (including books) in local stores, because if we don't give them our business, they will eventually disappear. If we love browsing in book stores, then we need to help them stay in business.

I agree wholeheartedly with you AstroKath and Kathy. I've lost three local bookstores because they could no longer compete with the virtual world. It broke my heart. Each one offered a specialty that I enjoyed beyond words and I miss them....as well as their owners and staff...dearly. Now I'm in a position where I can no longer reach the remaining book store in a neighboring town so I'm forced to use the internet to satisfy my insatiable need for reading material. Am I pleased about it? No! I find one on-line store to be less than what I consider ethical in their dealings and for the second time in years, I'm severing myself from them.

As for Amazon, I'm not convinced they're the panacea either. I have the time to do a lot of comparison shopping these days and Amazon is not always the bargain people seem to be convinced that they are. They're succeeding on their "hype" from what I can see and people should spend a little more time investigating the costs of their purchases. I intend to be very prudent in my use of their services.

Thank you both for your support of local businesses. It pleases me beyond words. The internet has a way of taking the humanity out of our lives these days and that scares as well as saddens this old lady.

Thought of you all this morning when I went to the local Binghamton University booksale on campus ! The selection of literature was wonderful . I found several books that I know I'll enjoy reading as well as an 1896 copy of Cape Cod by Henry David Thoreau for $3. A quick search once I got home revealed that it's value is somewhere around $125 !

I take advantage of the FoL sales twice a year. Everything is .50 cents or a dollar so I typically buy 30-40 books at each one. The Library has a couple of shelves of sale books year round and a third for children's books. Our Restore has an impressive book section that is separated by genre and alphabetized by author. They actually have a volunteer who takes care of the book section full time. Mostly these books are .50 cents each for hardcover and .25 for paperback. It's easy to spend an afternoon there. Otherwise I use the Library and borrow most of the books I read. Our ILL system is excellent and free. I do make a donation to help with postage which is still a bargain. When I do buy a new book I go to our local bookstore and pay full price instead of Amazon or other. I know they are not staying afloat due to my sporadic business but I'd like to think that I contribute. Can't beat the customer service either.

Two more resources while I think of it. Some local businesses and restaurants (including our Senior Center) have a "drop and swap" shelf. Take one book, leave one book. The Library has a paperback section that is not cataloged in meaning you can take whatever you want for as long as you want, then bring it back (or a different one). Quite a number of choices for such a small town.

YoYo...That's a beautiful area! When my husband was alive we often drove through Binghamton on our way to Copake when we drove up from the City. And after we moved to CT...drove the reverse...from CT to Copake to Binghamton on a leisurely Sunday drive on our way back to CT. As a matter of fact, we were married in Copake. Lots of memories there. I love the area and dearly miss visiting it.

What a fantastic find of Thoreau's book on Cape Cod. I love old books but rarely did I come upon a treasure such as that. Lucky girl!

Skibby...My local library has the same arrangement with used books and I plan on arranging a trip there in the very near future. I've donated hundreds of books to them over the years. My problem these days is that I've often read most of the available donations. But, I've also found some wonderful treasures there over the years in terms of authors that were unknown to me but became welcomed friends once I discovered them. Borrowing is out of the question because I have no means of returning the books.

Another source of good used books here is the Goodwill store.

I'm hampered by the fact that I no longer drive, Skibby. Living in a rural area, the lack of "wheels" limits one considerably. I've solved most of my home/maintenance and pantry needs by subscribing to a shopping service who utilize whatever local market I select. But...so far...that's the extent of what they offer. We have a senior bus service but it hasn't been readily available for library trips lately. Though, I do use them when I can. They've been a Godsend for semi-annual medical check-ups. Also...as in your case...the senior center has a small book resale table but it's very limited.

I don't expect to be keeping Amazon in business by any stretch of the imagination, but there's no denying that their availability is convenient for someone in my circumstances as are the other on-line book sellers mentioned above.

Public library sales are held regularly around here and are great places to pick up books. The cost is 50 cents for a hardcover and in the last hour you can take a grocery bag full for $2.00.

My local library has an occasional sale of donated and withdrawn library books but they are quite expensive compared to some charity shops. I mentioned this to a staff member, in particular citing the children's section. However the Librarian retorted with a smile that I didn't have to check their carefully selected books for teethmarks or scribble! That is true!

You're very kind, Ann. I don't think I would have cared for her retort. Although...manners and all, I probably would have smiled sweetly and then never returned. :-) I'm more than willing to pay higher prices for used books if the library is in dire need of funds. But, I would do so more readily and more agreeably if I was told there was such a need. Maybe I'm just becoming a grouchy old lady who's rapidly losing patience with the growing tactlessness of society these days. Yup! I'm sure that's it.

Winter, I felt it was a fair comment and not made rudely. I am on good terms with the staff and I worked in an affiliated library many years ago. I use this nearby branch frequently so going off in a huff wouldn't suit me even if someone there was curt. I pick my battles and rarely go to war!

I will pay a steep price for a secondhand book if I have to, perhaps an OOP but not for children's books. There are plenty available at charity shops for 50c , just check the item for the condition...

My apologies if my comment offended, Ann. It wasn't meant to. Her comment to you just pushed one of my buttons having experienced something similar with a less than accommodating library aide...and not knowing your background with her. She had a definite point. I've spent several hours throughout my library years cleaning and refurbishing books that I borrowed to read so I can appreciate her reminder to you that the books come without teeth marks or scribbles. Although...I kinda like a scribble or two once in a while. They can be cute and personalize a book but if I were to give it as a gift...most definitely not.

I, too, pick my battles...if I must have one...very carefully. I don't have the energy nor the desire for negativism in my life. Please...accept my apologies for my blunder.

Dear Winter, no apology necessary at all!

Like you, I don't have the energy for getting into arguments and I never did have. I think it gave people a shock when I did actually care enough to stand up for myself!

I suppose it is fair enough if people write in books of their own which get donated but I get annoyed when it is in a library book! Especially if it is an inaccurate correction of some kind....and in INK!

I only came upon one library book that some inconsiderate reader had annotated in ink. It was so distracting that it spoiled my attempt to read and enjoy the book. In one of my rarest of moments, I brought it to the attention of the library staff and the book was promptly removed from their catalog. I fussed...to myself...for days, I was so annoyed. I simply couldn't accept the lack of respect for public property.

I don't mind a pencil doodle here or there in a child's book if it has some character. I was scolded severely as a child for doing same but I remember how interested I was in the book and the character that I simply had to personalize the book. When I see minimal pencil contributions of that nature...it brings back a lot of memories. My whole world began in books and I can understand the exuberance of a child doing exactly what I did. But minimally...and never to a book that doesn't belong to the parties involved.

I have come across instances where people choose a number, and then circle that page number which indicates if they have read that library book! A reader told me about this and was quite unrepentant about the practice, explaining that it saved her borrowing a book she had previously read, thus leaving it in stock for other readers! Of course, that wouldn't work for multiple copies.

It did explain the pencilled circles I had noticed and often rubbed out.

LOL Good for you, Ann. I wonder how many times the "circle-rs" reread those books. It's giving me a jolly good time just thinking about them. Thanks! I needed that! :-)

On the other hand...I'm appalled by the lack of respect that I see all too frequently nowadays. It often makes me wonder what's in store for all of us in the near future. At first I thought it was a generational "thing" but as time goes by, it seems to have permeated all age groups. Perhaps that's why I increasingly enjoy my solitude these days. Not that I'm antisocial. I just don't go marching off looking for company when I have a stack of good books awaiting my attention. Without circles. :-)

I like Susanna Kearsley's books and had not been able to find a copy of Named of the Dragon. Reduced to having to buy one in order to read the book, I came upon a section in Abe Books (which was bought by Amazon some time ago) that listed a lot of books for $3.49 with no shipping charges, the proceeds from which are used for charitable purposes. It included the Kearsley book and described it as gently used. Pouncing on it, I received it last week and find it looks brand new. It won't even lie open to read. I have started it and am enjoying it immensely. What a bargain, but unfortunately I don't know how to access the site again. It wasn't directly through Abe.

Was your purchase from Better World Books, Carolyn? See if this link will help you.

https://www.abebooks.com/better-world-books-mishawaka-in-u.s.a/51315977/sf

When I want to read something in Italian I prefer to go in a book-shop, because you can touch them , smell them, sit in a armchair and read some lines. When I want to read something in English I bought them trough amazon, because in Italian book-shops there are some shelves with English language, but not a long one

My husband and I ran out of reading material when traveling in Italy one year, but found a lovely bookstore in Florence with a large selection in English, maybe a quarter of the store. No doubt they were catering to tourists. I bought a copy of The United States of Arugula there and enjoyed it greatly. That probably tells everyone about when it was that we were there, as it was a new book at the time.

Yes, Winter! Thank you very much. I have bookmarked the site.

Very glad I could help, Carolyn.