Buying ‘Bargain’ Commentaries

September 24, 2008

Quite soon I’m going to be purchasing a new batch of commentaries – not least a few from this excellent list. So I’m wondering: where do the most ‘penny-pinching pastors’ go to buy their study books?

Is there a special online place which you find best value for money? Or some backstreet second-hand book store that offers that rare bargain?

Any overseas perspective would be interesting. Any UK contribution would be invaluable!

UPDATED *comments*

http://www.icmbooks.co.uk is comfortably the cheapest in the UK that I ahve been able to find. James Dickson books in Kilsyth has an extensive second hand list much of which is viewable online. by Scott Hamilton September 24, 2008 at 10:55 am edit comment
Yes ICMbooks as mentioned above (quite local to me so I save postage too!)…superb range (and by that I mean almost everything available) and excellent prices usually. Also keep an eye for specials. by Paul September 24, 2008 at 11:20 am edit comment
hey colin (and scott) – here are my 2p
new:
icmbooks is good
booddepository is quite often cheapest (with free shipping)
amazon of course (sometimes ordering from .com and paying a bit more in shipping is still the cheapest, as with the esv study bible i believe)
the free presbyterian bookroom is glasgow can have some good prices, and i think you get minister’s discount (10 or 20%, i forget)

used:
dickson books, kilsyth (http://www.jamesdicksonbooks.com)
gowan books, n ireland (http://www.gowanbooks.com/)
geneva books, london (0207 627 4070)
these 3 would be fairly similar in price and all are a treasure trove of good stuff. if you want to journey to dickson sometime let me know. it’s also an enjoyable visit.
it is also worth searching used.addall.com for anything, especially harder to find titles.
that’s all for now. also i’ve started a new blog if you are interested (luehrmann.wordpress.com).
cheerio

by luehrmann September 24, 2008 at 11:20 am edit comment
Should have mentioned Gowan Books for secondhand, rare and antiquarian.http://www.gowanbooks.com/ by Paul September 24, 2008 at 11:21 am edit comment
Give http://www.bookfinder4u.com a whirl. by James September 24, 2008 at 11:55 am edit comment
Book Aid is not only an excellent place to dispos of unwanted books, but has a bookship in South London open on Thursday mornings. Not so good for buying modern commentaries – any that come in would go abroad but good for older stuff, and very reasonable. (I’ve come across at least one of the dealers already metioned buying stock there so….)Worth a visit if you are ever in South Lordon on a Thursday morning!Their details are at: http://www.bookaid.org/cms.cgi/site/contact.htm by Graham Culver September 24, 2008 at 11:58 am edit comment
I use most of the above but tend to check with http://www.booksprice.co.uk which checks Amazon, the book depository and a number of others, and then compare it with icmbooks.It saves some time and can includes the amazon market place sellers too. by Alastair Gooderham September 24, 2008 at 12:17 pm edit comment
Not sure in the UK but I usually go to http://www.bestwebbuys.com/booksThey search the top 40 or so book selling websites (amazon, half, abebooks, etc) and sort all those by price including shipping. Worth a look if you don’t already know about it. by mattdabbs September 24, 2008 at 1:20 pm edit comment
The Evangelical Bookshop in Belfast is definitely worth a look, if you are ever over there. They always have an outstanding range of books, and regularly have special offers on new and imported books too. Through in their back room they have plenty of second hand stock as well. by That Hideous Man September 24, 2008 at 1:36 pm edit comment

10. You should also try Amazon and ABEbooks. Both have UK sellers listed and you can find so very reasonable prices.

by Martin Pitcher September 24, 2008 at 2:21 pm edit comment

11. Here in the States I go to Amazon and then check the “Used” section — on numerous occasions I’ve been able to get absolutely brand new (but slightly shelf-worn) commentaries for a fraction of their list price. I’m sure they’ve been sitting on some book store’s shelf for a while, and they just want to get rid of them.

by Bob September 24, 2008 at 3:28 pm edit comment

12. Eerdmans, The Bookstore, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Though it has been some time since I was there, they often have incredible deals on Eerdmans titles.

by Chris Brauns September 24, 2008 at 5:50 pm edit comment

13. I’m glad to see you noticed Derek Thomas’ excellent list. His book is on Amazon and well worth it. Right now, Best Commentaries is pulling Amazon and B&N prices, but I hope to add more pricing options in the future so you don’t have to check so many sites… by John Dyer September 24, 2008 at 8:17 pm edit comment

14. You should definitely check out the prices at Christian Book Distributors .

by Alan September 25, 2008 at 12:26 am edit comment

Posted in Preaching |

16 comments

http://www.icmbooks.co.uk is comfortably the cheapest in the UK that I ahve been able to find. James Dickson books in Kilsyth has an extensive second hand list much of which is viewable online.
by Scott Hamilton September 24, 2008 at 10:55 am

Reply
Yes ICMbooks as mentioned above (quite local to me so I save postage too!)…superb range (and by that I mean almost everything available) and excellent prices usually. Also keep an eye for specials.
by Paul September 24, 2008 at 11:20 am

Reply
hey colin (and scott) – here are my 2p
new:
icmbooks is good
booddepository is quite often cheapest (with free shipping)
amazon of course (sometimes ordering from .com and paying a bit more in shipping is still the cheapest, as with the esv study bible i believe)
the free presbyterian bookroom is glasgow can have some good prices, and i think you get minister’s discount (10 or 20%, i forget)

used:
dickson books, kilsyth (http://www.jamesdicksonbooks.com)
gowan books, n ireland (http://www.gowanbooks.com/)
geneva books, london (0207 627 4070)
these 3 would be fairly similar in price and all are a treasure trove of good stuff. if you want to journey to dickson sometime let me know. it’s also an enjoyable visit.
it is also worth searching used.addall.com for anything, especially harder to find titles.
that’s all for now. also i’ve started a new blog if you are interested (luehrmann.wordpress.com).
cheerio
by luehrmann September 24, 2008 at 11:20 am

Reply
Should have mentioned Gowan Books for secondhand, rare and antiquarian.

http://www.gowanbooks.com/
by Paul September 24, 2008 at 11:21 am

Reply
Give http://www.bookfinder4u.com a whirl.
by James September 24, 2008 at 11:55 am

Reply
Book Aid is not only an excellent place to dispos of unwanted books, but has a bookship in South London open on Thursday mornings. Not so good for buying modern commentaries – any that come in would go abroad but good for older stuff, and very reasonable. (I’ve come across at least one of the dealers already metioned buying stock there so….)

Worth a visit if you are ever in South Lordon on a Thursday morning!

Their details are at: http://www.bookaid.org/cms.cgi/site/contact.htm
by Graham Culver September 24, 2008 at 11:58 am

Reply
I use most of the above but tend to check with http://www.booksprice.co.uk which checks Amazon, the book depository and a number of others, and then compare it with icmbooks.

It saves some time and can includes the amazon market place sellers too.
by Alastair Gooderham September 24, 2008 at 12:17 pm

Reply
Not sure in the UK but I usually go to http://www.bestwebbuys.com/books

They search the top 40 or so book selling websites (amazon, half, abebooks, etc) and sort all those by price including shipping. Worth a look if you don’t already know about it.
by mattdabbs September 24, 2008 at 1:20 pm

Reply
The Evangelical Bookshop in Belfast is definitely worth a look, if you are ever over there. They always have an outstanding range of books, and regularly have special offers on new and imported books too. Through in their back room they have plenty of second hand stock as well.
by That Hideous Man September 24, 2008 at 1:36 pm

Reply
You should also try Amazon and ABEbooks. Both have UK sellers listed and you can find so very reasonable prices.
by Martin Pitcher September 24, 2008 at 2:21 pm

Reply
Here in the States I go to Amazon and then check the “Used” section — on numerous occasions I’ve been able to get absolutely brand new (but slightly shelf-worn) commentaries for a fraction of their list price. I’m sure they’ve been sitting on some book store’s shelf for a while, and they just want to get rid of them.
by Bob September 24, 2008 at 3:28 pm

Reply
Eerdmans, The Bookstore, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Though it has been some time since I was there, they often have incredible deals on Eerdmans titles.
by Chris Brauns September 24, 2008 at 5:50 pm

Reply
I’m glad to see you noticed Derek Thomas’ excellent list. His book is on Amazon and well worth it.

Right now, Best Commentaries is pulling Amazon and B&N prices, but I hope to add more pricing options in the future so you don’t have to check so many sites…
by John Dyer September 24, 2008 at 8:17 pm

Reply
You should definitely check out the prices at Christian Book Distributors .
by Alan September 25, 2008 at 12:26 am

Reply
https://www.eisenbrauns.com/ECOM/_2H10WTY18.HTM

make sure you check their used books section, or when you search for a book.

You really can get some bargains here!! ( i have bought some books at a real cheap price as they were ‘used’ and they arrived brand new!)
by 68guns September 25, 2008 at 7:25 pm

Reply
I find that http://www.10ofthose.com will generally be the cheapest, even when buying individual books. It helps to find places that are ministry focused.
by Ben Carswell September 30, 2008 at 7:17 pm

Reply