Second Hand Books - Online Secondhand Bookshop

Volunteer Loads 100,000th Book

2011-06-29T16:03:00.000-07:00

Roy has been with Brotherhood Books for just over a year now and still loves every day of his volunteering.

We sat down with Roy to find out a bit more about him, his love for books and his time as a Brotherhood volunteer.

How did you original find out about Brotherhood Books?Looking for books I came across the Brotherhood website where they were looking for book sorter
What made you want to join the team?
My love of books and the opportunity to contribute to a worthwhile project

How have things changed in your time with Brotherhood Books?
More helpers have come on board, processes have been streamlined and the project itself has grown enormously

What is your favourite part about volunteering with the Brotherhood?
Getting to handle so many interesting books – books that will hopefully find a new home

Have you made great friendships in your time at Brotherhood Books?
With such a large group, with varied backgrounds, age and what not, I like to think so

Do you feel you have learnt a lot?
Yes particularly with books, but I have also learnt that people can be as varied as books
You uploaded the 100,00^th book, what was it? And how did it feel?
Elizabeth Jolley – The Well. It was a nice feeling. Yet today I notice the number is getting close to 110,000. It is amazing just how many we are getting up onto the site now with more hands on board.

We are always looking for more volunteers, so if you would like to volunteer your time, even if it is just a few hours per week, we would love for you to register your interest by emailing volunteer@bsl.org.au

2011-03-16T18:09:00.000-07:00

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (Hyperion publishers)

Review by Michelle Hamer, journalist and author.

When I saw this book at my local op shop for $2 I was hesitant about buying it. I had heard about the story, and knew it was written by a US professor who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given just a few months to live. The last thing I wanted to read was a depressing tear-jerker. But I read the blurb and it actually sounded upbeat and positive so I decided to give it a try.

When the author Randy Pausch was told that he was dying from cancer he wanted to leave a legacy for his three young children. The book has lots of stories from his childhood and career, as well as advice for his kids (and all of us) to have fun and make our lives as enjoyable as possible.

The book is based on a ‘last lecture’ which Pausch gave at the Carnegie Mellon University in 2007. Every year professors at the university were asked to imagine what they would say to their students and peers if they really were giving their last lecture. Pausch was invited to give the lecture before he knew of his terminal diagnosis – afterwards it seemed like an ideal end to his academic career. In his lecture, titled Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams Pausch talked about the importance of holding onto the hopes, dreams and passions that fire our imaginations and working to make them a reality – even in some small way.

In his book, Pausch maintains a very healthy and impressive perspective on his final days and is very inspiring in his efforts to make the most of every minute he has left.

Despite my concerns there was nothing depressing about Pausch’s story and I managed to read it almost till the end before I got a bit teary.

The book was on the New York Times’s bestseller list for 102 weeks from 2008 to 2010 and is definitely worth a read.

Ahh Summer..

2010-11-08T21:12:00.000-08:00

The beach. The food. The long, lazy afternoons. What is better than a summer holiday? Nothing – except a summer holiday with a good book.

Summer holidays provide a chance to relax and enjoy. What is more indulgent than lying on the beach all day reading an un-put-down-able, utterly engrossing novel breaking only to dip in the water or to reapply sun screen?

With this blessed and much loved time of the year approaching, Brotherhood Books is on hand to ensure that your summer holiday will be as fulfilling and as enjoyable as possible with literally hundreds of good reads available – most of them for only a few dollars each.

Summer reading requires stories escapist and engrossing, but not too difficult to follow – especially if being enjoyed with a few glasses of wine. The following is a list of authors whose books reliably fall into the category of a good holiday read and a link to their novels that Brotherhood Books has in stock.

A popular choice for many readers on their summer holiday is a good, detective mystery. Brotherhood Books is choc-a-bloc with books from canonical mystery writers such a P.D James (books available) and Lynda La Plante (books available). When checking these out, don’t forget the woman who started it all Agatha Christie. With an incredible 80+ novels to her name, there’s sure to be one you’ve not yet read: (books available).

If you like a bit of a thrill, but would rather not spend the season of good cheer reading about murder mysteries, then why not catch up on Sir A. Conan Doyle’s perennial gift to the world: Sherlock Holmes (books available). If you’ve not read them, you don’t know what you’re missing out on.

If you’ve read all the Sherlock Holmes books, perhaps you would prefer to read a novel from former head of MI5, Stella Rimington - (books available) Rimington’s novels draw upon her experience as a woman in the predominantly male dominated espionage world. They follow the career of Liz Carlyle – a young, upwardly mobile spy. Whilst the novels do follow one another in chronological order, each book is a self-contained, utterly absorbing read.

Alternatively, you may like to read a John Grisham novel (books available) or his earlier, English counter-part Jeffery Archer (books available). Both authors’ books can be relied upon to deliver an enjoyable, but not too challenging read.

If you want something slightly more challenging, but equally as thrilling, what about a Robert Harris novel? (books available) Harris’ novels are thrillers based during well known, historical moments in time such as; WW2 London, or Pompei just before Mt. Vesuvius made the town famous for all the wrong reasons.

If historical fiction appeals, then surely you cannot go past Sarah Watters (books available) whose books, based in London, at different times throughout history are filled with characters that will live in your memory well after you’ve finished her books.

After something closer to home? What about a Tim Winton novel- (books available)
Reading his book The Riders will ensure you’re never short of a conversation starter. Everyone who reads it has a different take on the ending. If you’ve caught up on your Tim Winton, what about Nevil Shute (books available) the prolific author of several “quintessential” Australian stories published in the 1930s, 40s and 50s.

Unfortunately Shute’s work hasn’t stood the test of time the way that Agatha Christie’s or Sir A. Conan Doyle’s have. The racist and sexist undertones that haunt the pages of A Town Like Alice will make the modern day reader cringe. However, overall they are still good yarns that will not tax your little grey cells too much. However it has been argued that Shute’s On The Beach is Australia's most important novel – EVER! – so surely that makes it worth a read? (By the way: Gideon Haigh’s article in The Monthly in 2007 made this proposition about On The Beach because of the wide readership it had among US politicians at the time it was published).

If thrillers and mystery all sound a bit much, then what about reading an Alexander McCall Smith book? (books available) His gentle and endearing prose will keep you turning the pages without raising your heat beat. Similarly Anne Tyler's books will amaze with their ability to make ordinary characters and events quite extraordinary. (books available)

Finally, there’s always Maeve Binchy (books available) and Marion Keyes (books available). Firmly ensconced in the “Chic Lit” genre, these books will deliver a read as enjoyable and unchallenging as a Lemonade Icy Pole on a summer’s day.

So instead of forking out $20 at the local bookstore or at the airport, why not stock up from Brotherhood Books before embarking on your summer holidays?

Everyone loves a good book, but is especially nice when you know the proceeds of your book purchases go towards helping those less fortunate get closer to their own happy ending.

The Brotherhood of St Laurence is a community-based not-for-profit organisation working for an Australia free of poverty.

http://www.bsl.org.au/

[Book Review] Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less by Jeffrey Archer

2010-06-22T22:47:00.000-07:00

Written by Bernadette Chandrasegaram

Jeffrey Archer’s first novel “Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less” firmly established him as one of the most popular authors of the 1980s. If you missed this Jeffery Archer can be described as being a 1980s, English John Grisham.

Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less is a thriller. Its engaging premise is quickly and skillfully established in the first few chapters: the heroes four nice fellows are each swindled out every cent they have. The swindle has devastating implications for each of the characters and the reader cannot help but identify with their plight and to hope against hope that they will somehow get their money back.

Meanwhile the swindler, Harvey Metcalf, is the sort of anti-hero the reader loves to hate: unapologetically awful and confident of getting away with his never-ending litany of dirty tricks.

The four hapless heroes band together and, having nothing to loose, each hatch an outrageous strategy to swindle their money back from Harvey Metcalf. The book revolves around their trials and tribulations in executing these strategies. Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less delivers surprising and satisfying twists and turns right up until the very last sentence.

If somehow you have not read this book and you are looking for a good book for an upcoming train or plane journey, I couldn’t recommend this book highly enough.

Find the copy from Brotherhood Books HERE

[Book Review] The Don Camillo Omnibus by Giovanni Guareschi

2010-06-16T20:12:00.000-07:00

Written by Bernadette Chandrasegaram

The Don Camillo books are a series of hilarious short stories that are equal parts heart warming and heart wrenching.

Don Camillo set in an Italy still reeling from WW2. Don Camillo is a Catholic priest in a poor, little town on the edges of the River Po. Don Camillo likes being a Catholic priest and he likes his parishioners. Don Camillo also likes pasta, gambling, poaching and boxing. Don Camillo doesn’t like anyone knowing he likes poaching, gambling and boxing. More than that, Don Camillo does not like Communism.

Enter Don Camillo’s nemesis and main contender for the Hearts and Minds of the town’s people: Peppone. Peppone is the town’s Communist mayor. Mayor Peppone likes Communism and he like the people of the town. Mayor Peppone also likes pasta, gambling, poaching and boxing.

Each Don Camillo story centres around a stouch between the two protagonists who are inevitably pitted against each other for the town’s affections due to their diametrically opposed religious and political outlooks. The magic in these stories, however, is that as they unfold it becomes apparent that underneath their differences in dogmas, Don Camillo and Peppone have a lot in common. A grudging respect – even care – that each has for the other becomes apparent to the reader.

Don Camillo is everything a good book should be: a comical and entertaining read; comfort food for the soul and; imbued with a deeper meaning. It’s deeper meaning is a message of hope that people who believe in different things can still find common ground.　

Find the copy from Brotherhood Books HERE

Site down for maintenance

2010-05-20T22:31:00.000-07:00

Brotherhood Books is currently down for site maintenance and going to have a new look soon.
Please bear with us for a moment, we will be back next week!

Great Food for a Great Cause.

2009-12-08T16:27:00.000-08:00

Food brings people together and encourages sharing of new experiences.

With recipes and tips from some of Australia’s best known chefs, such as Guy Grossi, HEAT cookbook will not only help you reach your full potential in the kitchen, it will help positively shape the future of young lives.

Brotherhood Books proudly supports HEAT and 100% of the profit from sales goes to HEAT www.heat.org.au and Brotherhood of St Laurence to continue supporting young people succeed in life.

The way forward is good food – buy your copy now!

Progress Leader Tuesday 22/9/2009 - Booked for a good cause

2009-10-04T19:15:00.000-07:00

IF THE dust shopping for secondhand books gets up your nose, then a new online store might be a good option. And it's all for a good cause - the Brotherhood of St Laurence this week launched an online bookstore sourcing tomes from a large stockpile that has been donated over the years

through deceased estates, bequests, stores and bins. "Sometimes people donate their whole library to us," marketing manager for social enterprises Emma Hoppe said. An online store was a way to make the books available to a wider audience, not only Victorians but book lovers across Australia and worldwide, she said. "Also there are a number of books in there which are collectors items, the sorts of things people would love, rather than just novels or cookbooks - those type of books sell better in stores - but these have the ability to appeal to a wider audience." Popular comedian Corinne Grant helped launch the new site with a grade 5/6 class from Sacred Heart Primary in Fitzroy last week, with each pupil receiving a free book and a donation of more than 100 books made to the school's library.

Brotherhood Books: go to
brotherhoodbooks.org.au

[MEDIA RELEASE] Official Brotherhood Books Launch

2009-09-13T16:53:00.000-07:00

MEDIA RELEASE

Monday, 14 September 2009 For immediate release

Brotherhood Books set to launch with lots of laughs from Corinne Grant

Comedian and broadcaster, Corinne Grant has enthusiastically embraced her role as official launch personality for the Brotherhood of St Laurence’s latest social enterprise initiative, Brotherhood Books.

On Wednesday, 16 September, Corinne will join the Grade 5/6 class from Sacred Heart Primary School in the heart of multicultural Fitzroy to celebrate a wonderful new way to recycle and reuse secondhand books, while also supporting a worthy cause.

The lucky pupils will each receive a free book and a donation of more than 100 books will be given to the school’s library.
Corinne, well known for her roles as a stand up comedian, is currently narrator of a new TV show, Airways. She is best known for her long stint in ABC TV’s The Glasshouse and has also performed internationally. In addition to Rove Live, she has appeared on everything from Spicks and Specks to Dancing With The Stars to Good News Week. Her natural, down-to-earth charm and her quick wit have made her one of Australia’s best known and most warmly regarded performers. A strong supporter of the Brotherhood for many years, Corinne is currently working on writing a book of her own – about hoarding.
Brotherhood Books is an online secondhand bookstore that offers a wonderful range of unique books taken from more than 45 tonnes of donated books. There are books to suit all ages and tastes, from children’s picture books to bestsellers, and there’s a book for every avid reader. Browse online through a huge range of categories including biographies, families and relationships, gardening, health and fitness, through to the great classics of literature and the popular self-help category.
100% of the profits from Brotherhood Books will go towards supporting and funding the Brotherhood’s fight against poverty.
Sacred Heart PS was chosen as many of the children attending the school and their families are residents of the high-rise public housing in Fitzroy and beneficiaries of the numerous programs run by the Brotherhood of St Laurence, including Breakfast Club and the Homework Centre. Established by the Sisters of Mercy in 1864, Sacred Heart PS plays a vital role in the Fitzroy community and brings together a diverse range of students from many cultural backgrounds.

“At Sacred Heart School we believe that reading is one of the key elements to access learning and success in later education and in everyday life,” said Principal Mary Lawrey.

“Children need access to books. They need to hold, handle and discover what is inside a book. Many of our parents can’t afford to buy books so we encourage children to borrow from school and the local library. By looking at books and reading with their children, parents are learning as well,” she said.

“But we would be lost without the support of our key agencies in Fitzroy – particularly the Brotherhood, they are essential to our existence.

“The Brotherhood helps us in many ways, such as through making funds available to support children going to camp when their parents are unable to afford the costs.

“They provide breakfast before school each day at the Breakfast Club, and through the Napier Street Resource Centre we access support for our parents and families in need.

“Plus many of the children in the school are graduates of the HIPPY preschool reading program. Our partnership with the Brotherhood of St Laurence is very important to us.”

ENDS

WHO: Brotherhood of St Laurence
WHAT: Official launch of new online bookstore – Brotherhood Books
WHEN: 10.15 for 10.30am on Wednesday, 16 September, 2009
WHERE: Sacred Heart Primary School, King William St, Fitzroy (see map on next page)
WHY: To assist the Brotherhood is its fight for an Australia free of poverty
PHOTO OP: Corinne Grant will engage in fun activities including cutting a book-shaped cake and also present books to pupils while Brotherhood Executive Director Tony Nicholson (Chair of the Prime Minister’s Council on Homelessness) will also be available for media interviews

Media contact: Grahame Whyte on 0410 221 574

Fed Square Book Market

2009-09-01T17:55:00.000-07:00

We had a very successful run at the Book Market on Saturday 1st of August 09. Here are some photos taken on the day. Enjoy them!

[Book Review] Wordpower by Edward de Bono

2009-08-18T19:20:00.000-07:00

Written by Lee Lian Oi (Brotherhood Books volunteer)

This book has been carefully compiled to contain some very impressive words that will help you look more intelligent than you really are at cocktail parties and other such events. There are stories as to the backgrounds behind the words, as well as the extent of the scope in which one can use them.

Copy added in the system is a lovely Penguin paperback in fair condition.
Find the copy from Brotherhood Books HERE.

[V for Volunteer] How are Our Books Priced? – An Insider’s Guide

2009-08-13T21:59:00.000-07:00

Written by Lee Lian

As a volunteer at Brotherhood Books, I'd like to ensure you that we go to great lengths to assure that our books are sold at a reasonable price. What must be taken in consideration however, are the many factors that go into allocating this price:

If you find that a book is pricier than expected, it may be because it is a first edition, signed by the authors, or is a hardcover with a jacket in impeccable condition - or sometimes a combination of all.

A cheaper book may be more damaged, an ex library copy, or one of many later reprints of a particular book.

As yet, there is no way of putting this information on the database but we are working on it. So stay tuned for a facelift of our website.

Rest assured that at Brotherhood Books, we do try to make sure you get what you pay for!

Happy reading!

Bargain Hunt at the Brotherhood Books Pop-up Store - 11am-5pm, Saturday 1st August

2009-07-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

Place: Federation Square Book Market (The Atrium, Federation Square), Melbourne, Victoria
Date & Time: 11am-5pm, Saturday 1st August

Brotherhood Books is coming closer to you this winter, as we open our first pop-up store at the Fed Square Book Market on Saturday 1st August. Join Melbourne's bibliophiles at the city's largest weekly book market, immerse yourself in an eclectic range of quality secondhand books and have a chat with the book-addicted bunch behind Brotherhood Books - our lovely volunteers.

See you on 1st August and happy reading!

[Customers] Customers Testimonial 2

2009-07-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

Written By Aaron Hughes

I’ve been addicted to secondhand bookstores since I was a kid. I can never walk past a secondhand shop without popping in to have a look at the book section. I’m usually rewarded with a gem, and an inexpensive gem at that. In recent years I’ve been ordering my books online. It’s much cheaper than buying them over the counter, even when you factor in postage. I tell my friends: “This little black duck doesn’t pay retail!”. Now that Brotherhood Books has opened its portal to the world, you get the best of both worlds: inexpensive books, inexpensive postage and fast delivery. I’ve set a reminder on my Outlook calendar to check their website everyone Monday. You see, I have a ‘books to get’ list, and all I do is type in the authors and I can find the ones I want. The ordering process is quick and easy, and I got the books in my first order only 2 days later, which is even faster than the new books you get from online book stores. And the money you spend goes back to the Brotherhood to use in its wide range of good works. It’s a win-win situation!

- Aaron, Collingwood, Melbourne

[Customers] Customers Testimonial 1

2009-07-15T20:10:00.001-07:00

Written By Cath Nolan

It's time I came clean. I've embarked on a new love affair - and an online one at that.... with Brotherhood Books.

BB (my nickname for my beloved paramour) is there for me in all the ways that count. You see I love books, I love a bargain and I love getting stuff in the mail - and BB gives me all of that, plus the gorgeous afterglow of feeling that in satisfying my own desires I've also contributed to making the world a better place. To paraphrase "Sally" from that movie (and show my age): Yes, Yes, Yes.... Yes!

So now I challenge you - next time you decide to buy a book, check out Brotherhood Book's website first. It's easy to use and won't take nearly as much time as wandering around a bookshop. If you know what you want, search for it and if it's there it's likely to cost signifcantly less than it would have new - and you get the benefit of the excitement of a parcel in the post (and let's face it, these days, anything in the post that isn't a bill is pretty exciting!) and the knowledge that you've done a little bit for the environment and a well respected and effective Australian charity. If you don't know what you want, do what you'd do in a bookshop... have a browse. Pick something that takes your fancy - let's face it, you've got a lot less to lose than you might from picking based on the colour of the cover alone! Search for authors that you've read and enjoyed before. Look for classics that you never got around to. Search by random words that come to you - something from the headline in today's paper, your favourite colour, what you had for dinner last night..... and see what comes up. Chances are, as the database of book reviews grows, you'll might find something that is just right for you that you might never have noticed in a bookshop. The payment gateway is secure and you can pay with paypal.... cheap, efficient, easy.

Congratulations guys on a wonderful achievement. BB rocks - and there's enough love to share!

[Book Review] All the Presidents Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward

2009-07-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

Written By Sam Wilson

Written by celebrated pair Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward All the President’s Men details the pair’s investigative reporting the two undertook on behalf of the Washington Post into the Watergate affair. The book deals more with the investigation and reportage of the two journalists than the events of Watergate itself. In detailing meetings with notorious source ‘Deep Throat’ and the actions behind the major stories of the investigation, including previously unnamed sources, the two authors create a separate altogether engrossing story within the Watergate story. As an historical record of the dealings behind the famous reportage, All the President’s Men is an insightful addition to the reportage of the Watergate scandal and this time in American political history.

Find a copy from Brotherhood Books HERE

Keywords: All the Presidents Men Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward 9780704311404 second-hand used book books online bookstore Australia bookshop copy

[Book review] Remembering Babylon by David Malouf

2009-07-14T21:47:00.000-07:00

Written By Sam Wilson

Remembering Babylon is often considered among Malouf’s best works. Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the Miles Franklin Award, Babylon tells the story of a young English boy marooned and raised by Aboriginal people. On being reunited with European settlers the boy attempts to reintegrate himself into the settler’s world. His uneasiness with the settler’s life and customs is juxtaposed against the settler’s uneasiness with the environment and their suspicion of anything unknown or foreign. Malouf constantly flickers at the margins of things, constructing his truth as a mixture of the contrasting portraits of character, culture and consciousness to create a meditative and ultimately intriguing narrative.

Find a copy from Brotherhood Books HERE

Keywords: Remembering Babylon David Malouf 9780099302421 second-hand used book books online bookstore Australia bookshop copy

[Book Review] The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

2009-07-14T21:39:00.000-07:00

Written By: Sam Wilson

Margaret Atwood’s sweeping historical drama was the winner of the Man Booker prize in 2001. Told retrospectively, and spanning the 20th Century, The Blind Assassin details the lives of two sisters and is set against a backdrop of important events in 20th Century and particularly 20th Century Canadian history. The broad historical brush Atwood applies is interspersed with newspaper reportage of the lives of the central characters and a parallel science fiction narrative which becomes increasingly entwined with the lives of the novel’s central characters. The book is a gradual and subtle revelation of tragedy and deceit and a thorough and engrossing work of fiction.

Find a copy from Brotherhood Books HERE

Keywords: The Blind Assassin Margaret Atwood 9780747549376 second-hand used book books online bookstore Australia bookshop copy

Stay Tuned for Book Reviews Freshly Baked by Our Book-loving Volunteers

2009-05-27T22:42:00.000-07:00

Like you, our bunch of volunteers and staff love books and are more than willing to spill a few beans on our page-turning experience. Check back soon as we will share our thoughts on books and life in this space.

Spread the word and don't forget to subscribe to our RSS feeds to get your latest dose of Brotherhood Books-fix.

Happy reading!

Brotherhood Books now live at Blogger !!

2009-05-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

Hi Book-lovers,

Welcome to the Brotherhood Books Blog!

Brotherhood Books is the largest online secondhand bookstore in Australia and our ever-expanding inventory now has nearly 30,000 secondhand books in stock.

We offer a fantastic array of books selected from donations received by the Brotherhood of St Laurence, ranging from vintage and collectables, children’s books to recent bestsellers.

Our bookstore is proudly supported by an ever-growing team of volunteers who share your passion for books, as we carefully categorise, select, pick and pack books that will eventually arrive at your doorstep. To spare you from the painful wait, we stick to a next-business-day shipping policy.

There’s plenty of goodness in Brotherhood Books. 100% of profits of Brotherhood Books will go to help disadvantaged people and work for an Australia free of poverty. When you buy books on Brotherhood Books, you are also actively participating in the fight against global warming by reducing your carbon footprint and support recycling by choosing second-hand books rather than new ones.

Hop onto our website at http://www.brotherhoodbooks.org.au and find your next great read!

Happy reading!