Details Written up
In Computer Active's Excellant Webguide
Books Unlimited
www.booksunlimited.co.uk |
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| Books
Unlimited is the work of the Guardian Newspaper group and as a result many
of the articles and reviews are pulled from both The Guardian and The Observer.
But don't hold this against the site; the book reviews are thoughtful and
well written and there's a good selection of excellent background features
and interviews with authors. The Pass Notes could prove handy if you don't
fancy having to work your way through books such as Gormanghast, the top ten
lists also make interesting reading. And if you're feeling suitably erudite
you could contribute to the online chat areas which discuss a variety of
authors. |
Good Book Guide
www.good-book-guide.com |
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| This
online book magazine is a comprehensive and impressive guide to books and
authors. The content includes interviews with top authors and the latest news
on who's writing what and what books are expected out when. Every week a
handful of books across different genres are selected as recommended reading
and you can also search the archive of book reviews, some of which include
online extracts from the books. The Author's Choice section of the site makes
compulsive reading, here authors pick out their own favourite books and explain
why they love them so much. |
Atlantic Unbound
www.theatlantic.com/books |
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| You'll
find weighty and learned reviews of the latest books at Atlantic Unbound;
the online version of the high-brow US arts magazine. So you'd better make
sure you've read more than the latest Maeve Binchy and Jeffrey Archer novels
if you plan to take part in any of the literary discussion forums on the site.
You'll find interviews with authors, book excerpts and thought provoking features
on the site, which covers poetry as well as books. Just don't expect to see
a review of the latest Jackie Collins' blockbuster. |
The New York
Review of Books
www.nyrev.com |
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| The
complete 1963 first edition of this authoritative literary journal is now
online, complete with the original illustrations and advertisements - make
sure you visit that area of the New York Review of Books site. This journal
treats books very seriously and has introduced lots of influential writers
to an unsuspecting world. You can search the archive of book reviews, author
interviews and features - the information stored there goes back to 1995. |
Penguin Online
www.penguin.co.uk |
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| You
can't buy books online from the Penguin site but it's still well worth a
visit to get more information on Penguin books and authors. Every author gets
their own biography, along with an extract from their latest book. You should
also peruse Penguin's online magazine, snappily titled read.me, which includes
news on the latest Penguin titles, special offers and chooses a book and
author of the month. And if you're so inspired by the website that you fancy
working at Penguin just click on the Jobs button. |
International
Book Collectors' Association
www.rarebooks.org |
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| This
site is a treasure trove of information for anybody who collects books. You'll
find all the resources you need to dig out those elusive rare tomes including
links to literary search engines, a rare book classified ads section, a directory
of rare book dealers and a guide to valuing your books. There are also plenty
of useful background articles covering topics such as who are the most collectible
authors and how to identify first editions. It's fascinating stuff and could
be the start of a whole new hobby. |
Barnes &
Noble
www.barnesandnoble.com |
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| Barnes
& Noble is a huge bookstore in the US but it's yet to make it big in the
UK. However its Web site is still well worth a visit. There's an enormous
selection of books here including specialist books such as academic tomes
and there's a special Out of Print section for those rare books. Barnes &
Noble also sell a good selection of Collector's Editions and signed books. |
Salon Books
www.salon.com/books |
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| Salon's
literature coverage is a prime example of something the Americans do extremely
well: produce intelligent, insightful essay writing, without lapsing into
the crusty tones of many of their British counterparts. The quality of the
site speaks for itself, with its spacious layout and easily navigable menus.
No complaints can be lodged where the content is concerned either. It is
updated daily and approaches the literary from a variety of different angles:
lengthy reviews that rarely outstay their welcome, in-depth interviews with
authors both young and old, polemics and opinion pieces from columnists of
the calibre of Camille Paglia, amongst others. |
London Review
of Books
www.lrb.co.uk |
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| It's
not just the US that takes the literary high ground - if you want the UK version
of Atlantic Unbound or the New York Review of Books then check out the online
version of the political/literary magazine the London Review of Books. The
magazine was founded in 1979 and is published twice a month and it specialises
in long essay-like articles from distinguished authors such as Alan Bennett.
Many of these articles are available to read online along with an archive
of book reviews and reader's letters. |
Dusty Books
www.dustybooks.co.uk |
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If
you just can't find the book you're after in the conventional online book
stores and think it might be out of print then you should check out the range
of second-hand books at the Dusty Books site. Dredge through the online catalogue
or send off an email and ask them to dig out a specific book for you.
Dusty Books is a member
of the International Book Dealers Association so you know you're dealing
with a reputable company. |
The Title Page
www.titlepage.com |
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| If
you're looking for something a little unusual in the book line then check
out this site and you'll find lots of signed first editions for sale. The
authors represented include big names such as Isabel Allende and Michael
Crichton, and the site also boasts online interviews with many popular authors.
The only drawback is that the site is based in the US and so prices are in
dollars, however Title Page will ship to the UK. The condition of the books
is well described so you know exactly what you're getting. |
Waterstones
www.waterstones.co.uk |
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| Somewhat
surprisingly you'll find the prices are very competitive at Waterstones online
store - some bestsellers were selling for half the RRP. This site looks great
and has some nice touches - for example if you register and tell Waterstones
what authors and type of books you like, they'll email out regular book recommendations
to you. You can even create your own personal online library of the books
you love or would like as gifts. |
Alphabetstreet
www.alphabetstreet.co.uk |
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| Not
only does this site sell books but it also dabbles in CDs, DVDs and video
games. The book prices are very competitive - you're looking at 50 per cent
off the top ten list. Even better, delivery is free to any address in the
UK. Books are reviewed by Alphabetstreet customers so you can check out the
word on the street before you commit. An interesting feature of the site
lets you match your mood to books; if you're feeling a bit weepy then Alphabetstreet
will recommend a few good love stories or for the really depressed, a Shakespearian
tragedy. |
WH Smith Online
books.whsmithonline.co.uk |
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| Unafraid
of eating into its conventional sales WH Smith has gone straight in and whacked
off up to 50 per cent on the RRP of some of the books it's selling online.
As well as flogging books, you can also buy magazines, audio CDs, videos
and computer games here. If you're not sure what you want to read then check
out the Top Seller charts or the Read of the Week recommendation. Orders
are sent out within 24-hours if the book is in stock. |
BOL
www.uk.bol.com |
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| BOL
stocks a whopping 1.5 million titles and has new reading recommendations every
day if you're a real bookworm. You can browse the huge collection by subject
or if it's a gift you're after head straight for the Gift Ideas section.
Each book is well described and BOL also gets some big name authors in for
online interviews. Most books are dispatched within 24 or 48 hours and you
typically save around 30 per cent off the retail price. |
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