Voted best bookstore in OC, this place is pretty big with a large selection of second hand books. What is on the shelf varies. I saw some stuff that was pretty old (20+ years) and some other stuff that was very recent. I guess it just comes down to what they have in stock and the supplies they get. Price for the book are pretty close to amazon's used book prices. read more

Do you have wanderlust but no cash to make it there? A need to explore feel and experience the past present or future in ways that you physically cant do? Well pick up a book. They can and WILL make you do all of those things and many more. I love this place. It is like finding a treasure trove. They have a ton of paperback and spine bound books. They take trade ins, are happy to help you find whatever it is you are looking for, have a rotating inventory, and can open up all new worlds to you. The things that you can learn or experience are truly palpable. Most of the used paperbacks that they carry are at least 50% off cover. They have some new paperbacks as well. They have a gigantic selection. Pro Tip: They accept trade-ins. The trade-ins can cover up to 50% of the cost of any book you want to get from them. There is also an eClub with online deals that are emailed out sporadically. These can be good for 20% off an entire order or Christmas specials for example. They also have their inventory on their computer so you can call and inquire if they have something available that you are looking for. The staff is extremely helpful. They are willing to help you find whatever book(s) you are looking for. For example, I couldn't remember the name of the next book in a series that I was reading, so they brought up all of the books by series and can filter it by author to help you get the right book. Its even nicer when they can confirm if they have a copy of it or not right after. So it may be worth your while to experience something new by coming here and trying something special out, Reading. It's a great relaxing and learning tool... you should try it out sometime... read more

"I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of Library." Argentinian poet Jorge Luis Borges definitely knew what he was talking about, being a "Bookman" himself. Although a bookstore and not a library, Bookman provides great used books for an affordable price. I first discovered Bookman in the mid 1990's, and have been a faithful patron ever since. The shop is highly organized, by category, and then alphabetically, with fiction works also separated by hardcover and paperback editions. The wooden shelves soar to the ceiling, and contain a plethora of novels, coffee table books, nonfiction volumnes, and many others. I've always found the selection to be impressively good, and never leave without at least two new books. Parking is not an issue with their large lot, and other good businesses are close by. The staff here is consistently friendly and helpful, and also possess a true love for books. I also love their free bookmarks which change periodically. They offer a great trade-in program for books in exchange for store credit! However, the trade-in's accepted are at their discretion, and they are highly selective about what they take in. I came here the other day, and found three hard-to-find paperbacks, the newest being about ten years old. One of my favorite places in the OC. read more

My 1st Yelp just had to be of a Bookstore. ;-D I discovered the joys of Used/Out of Print/Just plain books that were Older Than God (Or at least as old as my Parents) as a 10 year old wandering around Thrift Stores while Mom looked for clothes. God Bless Franklin W. Dixon & Carolyn Keene! ;-D By High School I had discovered Used Bookstores, and my love affair with books really took off. When I moved to the OC, in 2002/03 I discovered this place, but not as a place to buy books, only as a place to sadly part with my varied book collection, a little at a time, over the last decade, when strapped for cash. I walk the aisles in wide-eyed wonder, every time I visit, marveling not just at the wall to wall shelves of books, but the unmatched variety, and the age, and condition of many of the books that catch my attention ( 19th century, and early 20th Century books that are in such fine shape it brings tears to the eyes of this book lover, and former Bookstore Manager (11 of my 18 years in the business.) ) Every visit I see something I would love to read, but resisted the temptation, a sad fact that will soon come to an end, I'm glad to say. The people who work here are friendly, and knowledgeable, and not only are the prices of the books reasonable, but they give you fair market value in cash for books you bring in that they can use, if you choose to forego credit. Parking is in a Public Lot in a shopping center but, for cyclists like me the trick is choosing a pole to lock the bike to for the duration of the visit. For those without cars the thing to remember is that OCTA Bus #71 goes right to this place, 7 days a week, and all it takes is a look at the Bus Book, or Website, to figure out, if you need to, which busses to take to connect with the #71. If you are coming from LA County, Riverside County, and even San Bernardino County, San Diego County or, God Bless your determination, Ventura County, you can get there by Bus, Commuter Train, and any combination thereof, just remember to budget for book purchases as well as transportation costs. ;-D read more

Great spot with lots of selection. I always walk away a few books richer.

I texted a friend while I was in here tonight, and she texted back "WTF? Where is there a book store that hasn't been shuttered?" Fair point, and one I hadn't thought of. While Barnes and Noble and/or Borders (I never bothered to learn the difference between the two) shut down locations left and right, Bookman soldiers on. Not only are the prices here lower, but they actually have what you want. I had been looking for a copy of a kinda rare book for a while, and never found it at one of the big chain bookstores. Went to Bookman, and of course they had it, and in First Edition hardcover for $8.99. Not only that, the copy I got looks like it was like a demo copy for a bookstore, because it has some sort of letter in it from the publisher saying so. How cool! I wouldn't have gotten that if I ordered it from Amazon.com. Tonight, I went in and got a new(ish) release that is still hardcover only, and I got a used copy in good shape for about 40% of original list price. Can't hate that! They also had a used copy of "Politics For Dummies." I almost bought it and sent it to those clowns in Washington DC, maybe it would help them figure out the debt crisis. If you read, go to Bookman for your books. If you don't read, start reading, then go to Bookman for your books. read more

In between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, I stopped by in order to buy some books on how to make bread because I thought it would be a skill I would need in case the Mayan prediction of the end of the world came true. I found three that I liked and hauled them to the check-out desk. I think I met *the* bookman that day. read more

I like to read a lot of Raymond Chandler and Steinbeck ...a little Dashiell Hammett..and a sprinkle of cook books ....this place has a well organized, well lit, well Priced selection of all that and more. A very helpful staff that genuinely wishes to help you ..not the "why is this Mr. Sweaters creep asking me about vintage detective books?" I come here twice a month and end up having conversations with other readers about vintage crime Novel and short stories.. good place to loiter and spend an hour..... you can haggle the price of the used books with the owner ..the prices are so cheap .I never do.... read more

Love me some used and abused, nostalgic books! After visiting Pepperland, I'll stop into Bookman, and spend hours browsing through all the different categories. I personally love their 'Music' section. Filled with autobiographies & biogaphies of classic rock performers to jazz singers. I picked up "Jim Morrison's Dark Star" by Dylan Jones here for 10 bucks, in great condition - value of it is $30.00! Steal if you ask me. read more

Their cookbook section alone warrants 5 stars. I collect vintage cookbooks and every time I go the the Bookman I am sure to find at least one. In fact, on my last trip I bought 8 cookbooks--2 from the 1920s, 3 from the 50s and the rest from the 60s and 70s. I can't vouch for the rest of the selection, but the store is big and their are a lot of books. They have been redoing the shelving and reorganizing. The staff has always been helpful and friendly. read more

I bought a book here a few months ago and the individual that helped me was knowledgeable and friendly. I will definitely be coming back for more as I am an avid reader. read more

If you like books then you'll love this place. I like books but I don't often buy them because I don't see what the point is, unless you're going to read it more than once, when you can get it for free at the library. If I do buy a book I get it from Amazon. Thrift stores are good too because they sell books for the price of dirt. I got "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides at Savers Thrift Store in Anaheim for $2! The book is amazing and probably the best $2 I've spent all year. With shipping added to the cost of Amazon, the prices are pretty close to Bookman, except for when you can get something for $0.01 on Amazon (which I've done and it works out to $4 total w/ shipping). Okay, I still like Amazon better, which isn't really fair because their selection is astronomical, but whatever; this is the age of Obama and the internet. read more

I hadn't been to Bookman for a number of years and I was thrilled just to know it was still there! It's not a huge store (though it occupies about three storefronts), but it has a large and diverse selection of new and used (mostly used) books, including first editions and rare books. But I went there for science fiction books--classic SF (mostly pre-1980), and I was not disappointed. I didn't find all the specific titles I was looking for, but I found lots of alternates. The paperbacks ran around $2.50 (!). That is VERY reasonable. I'd picked up nearly $40 of books before I had to force myself to leave. Next paycheck...I'm going back. Ample parking, nice people, good service, clean and ORGANIZED--the authors are in alphabetical order (THANK YOU)! read more

Hands down, the BEST used bookstore. Unlike most used bookstores, that feel more like a giant book-flea market, this place actually keeps a catalog of books that are in stock. Search their website for the title/author you are looking for before heading in... If they don't have your book in stock at the moment, you can create a "Want List," and be notified via email once it does come. The staff here is always helpful, knowledgable, and friendly.. I live in Long Beach, and we have a few used book stores here in town. I would rather spend the time to drive to Bookman and save the time & hassle going cross-eyed trying to sort through unorganized shelves with no help in those other places. read more

I needed to go secret Santa shopping, and my recipient likes "old outdated books". So my search for used bookstores led me to Bookman. It's located in a strip mall in Orange, and looks quite small from the outside. But the inside is loaaaded with soooo many books. I was impressed by their organization. They have so many sections, and subsections. And everything seems to be in its place. They have new books, some lightly used bestsellers, and even the super old vintagey stuff. I got my secret Santa two dirty joke books from here, one from the 1940s (which was very racist, btw), and one from the 1950s. Both were $7.50, and they tossed on one of those plastic jackets on them to preserve the original jacket. I spent a good two hours here just looking through all the old vintage books. They're really interesting. I wish I had more time to go through everything, and wish I lived closer to visit more often. read more

One rainy afternoon, I finally decided to check this place out (and what a perfect day to do it). When I first walked into Bookman - it was overwhelming. So many books! Where do I start? It was fun walking through Bookman and seeing all the different subjects and selection of used books they have. I finally found the fiction section and started looking for books. I enjoyed pulling out books to check out and finding inscriptions on the inside cover page. I ended up picking out three books for me and one for my niece. If you are a lover of books, this place is worth checking out. read more

Stumbled onto this place yesterday after having lunch at a food truck in their parking. What a great used book store! Set up reminds me of Book Baron (I miss that store). Pretty good collection of Sci-Fi, found a few Isaac Asimov paperbacks and even a few Harlan Ellison hard covers. Didn't have time to browse as much as I would like to, so will need to go back. read more

They have a lot of books here, and they're well organized, but they're also overpriced. Newer books are hardly discounted at all. Some older books are hardly discounted either. The sign says paperbacks are 50% the cover price off unless otherwise marked. Maybe it's just me, but things I actually wanted were all "otherwise marked," with unreasonable prices--and I was looking at unremarkable, not hard to find paperbacks that are at least ten years old. Maybe the reason this place is so well stocked is because they charge too much. Having said that, it's a fun place to browse, and the vast selection is the only reason they're getting four stars from me. I'm sure it's a good place for hard to find used books, but otherwise the prices are just too high. read more

It never fails, Bookman always has what I am looking for! No joke. This is a brilliant used book store. The shelves are stocked and the tracking system is amazingly efficient and accurate. Before heading down there, check out the system online to see if they carry your book. They probably do. If you like books they way that I do (in a weird almost fetishistic kind of way), then you will enjoy browsing Bookman. Be aware that in so doing, you will need to have your pocket book ready to go. I find it impossible to enter this place and not purchase a book. NOW... stop hitting up Borders and Barnes and Noble and hit up the used book stores already! Better books, better prices, better service. Bookman is a great place to begin your used book store experiences. If you are already initiated into the used book club, check this place out. Highly recommended. Now... if only more used copies of queer fiction texts could end up here. read more

I love me some books, bookstores and most of all used book stores. Something about used books that give what you are reading more meaning and of course you can't beat the prices of buying used books. The walls where the used cookbook section, fitness/health and woman's section alone gets my attention and I could spend plenty of time just in that one area. They also have a very large selection of juvenile literature. Another very cool too thing is that you can browse online and also create a wish-list of books you would like to keep of track of coming into the store for future purchases. read more

Bookman is an Orange County staple. I've been coming here since I was a little boy. They have always been very helpful and friendly. I currently work at a big bookstore, one of the few large-scale corporate ones, but my heart has always been in the small stores. When I have a customer that wants a book that is out of print, I recommend that they head down the street to The Bookman. They buy back books and give you store credit. This is fantastic for avid readers because you can free up some space on your bookshelves and find something to fill it with as well. I recently went here to find a gift for my wife for our anniversary. I was able to pick up two leather bound poetry books and a copy of The House of Seven Gables for her. Just a lovely store. read more

Excellent prices on their used books. And of course, most importantly, incredible selection. I found books I had forgotten that I wanted (and for low prices too!). I walked out of this place with a pretty thick stack of books (at least 6 or 7) and paid barely over $20 for all of them. The friendly, knowledgeable staff deserves a mention as well. Just awesome. read more

A MUST if you are looking for a book. It's fantastic inside. I really could spend all day inside and not realize it. The young adult selection is great, and if you're into series of any sort, check here! Sooo many books! Perfect for children who can't decide which book they want...buy them all. There are more children's books on the opposite side of the store...the corner closer to the counter. I don't know why they aren't in the same area, but whatever. Keeps me from looking like I'm in the market for small children. Parking is always easy, don't miss out on this great bookstore! read more

The staff are friendly, knowledgable and very friendly. They have wide selection of used and new books with amazingly low prices. They have made a customer from me and I'll be going there more often for good reads. Support your local bookstore and oh yah, always read books. :) read more

I first found out about Bookman when I started going to college nearby. That was over 4 years ago and I still frequent this local gem. The staff is always super friendly and more than willing to help you find what you need. They have a great selection of used books and often have the new bestsellers in the front of the store too. Their website is great too. You can look up a book before you even go into the store and it will tell you if they have it in stock or not and even what section you can find it in. (www.ebookman.com) I love that they have a buy back program too. You don't get cash back but you get a voucher which, if you like to shop there as much as I do, works just fine. If you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of a big chain like Barnes and Noble and find some great used bargains, then you need definitely to check out Bookman! read more

I love the look and the smell of this place. My family and I have been coming here for years (and we ALL have Kindle e-readers). Don't get me wrong, I love my little e-reader and I read so much more than I did before. But for those books that you want to keep. The special ones that I read on my e-reader and go out and buy for my bookshelf. These books I find at the Bookman. Or my cook books, poetry books, history books (I love the history of Orange County and early American history). And MOST of my 2 year old granddaughter's books have been bought from the Bookman. I cannot recommend this place more. It's a little slice of Heaven. Also, I will never give up the Library either!!! read more

Great selection of books and prices are very reasonable! So glad I came across this bookstore, you can literally find any type of book on their shelves. Can't wait until they get more settled in and make it more organized. Will definitely continue coming back! read more

I have been to every used bookstore in orange county and there is simply no finer store than the Bookman! In the past I split my time between Book Baron, which closed, and this store. Avoid those $1 bookstores because their selection quality is limited. But the Bookman has every topic you can imagine and typically has dozens of options even in the most obscure subjects. I love Bookman. Please never close! read more

Cool place. I've been here before. But Holiday gift shopping, for a gift card, that is supposed to avoid Starbucks and Target, well, I as a stereotypical guy, I easily got overwhelmed, then my creative side came out. Where's a place that most every person with 10 dollars could probably pick something out that would interest them, be about something they like, or instruct them or inform them in something new? Where can I buy an "experience" for $10.00 that's appropriate and worthy of my giftng? Baby's R Us? No. Del Taco, no, I'm taking a during the week hiatus from junk food so giving to others what I wouldn't like myself? Well...and the request was "to be a bit quirky....." Then I realized: I'm that in a nutshell, quirky, emphasis on nut-shell.... Combing over the people that might get the gift in the White-Elephant-Gift-Card-under-$10-non-Target-non-Starbucks file in my head, which hadn't been visited before, God, I'm sure, this perfect reading weather, wintry and rainy at times, it was simple. I fondly remembered winning a gift certificate to El Sombrero in Manhattan Beach at a Boogie Board contest my Dad was involved when I was a child, it was the best thing, so, I leapt in faith they wouldn't need 25 dollars for one. I hadn't been there for a couple of years when I sold back some books we had already re-read. As I walked in during my lunch hour I was nicely greeted with can I help you with something? As I stumbled to state what I needed, braced, and prepared to ask for a kind exception, he brought out the gift certificate book, and asked if I'd like one. Wow, that was easy, come to think of it, they did the same thing at Pasta Connection, old fashioned Gift Certificates. The nice certificate from the Bookman was on nice paper, had it's own envelope, and a funky bookmark. A person can go into a store, take there time and look for a specific thing for them. Merry Christmas office mate, I hope you like it! read more

This is the last non-specialty used bookstore in the area and I'm not really why. They've got a lot of books but the selection is only so-so. I usually only find 1-2 books I'd like to read when I go there. I always wish I could find more...It's best to go here during the sales I think. Doesn't seem like too many people take advantage of them. It's good to check out but I liked their arch rival bookstore that used to be across the street more. Too bad that one closed down. read more

I heart this bookstore! :D It's been a while since I've been here, but after several months of being a troll I finally paid the Bookman a visit to see what treasures I could find, and I'm glad I did. I got a few autobiographies (Malcolm X: A Reinvention by Manning Marable) that I had been looking for and a couple of history books, as well (The Rise and Fall of The Third Reich and The House of Rothchild). I don't advise you to get any of the computer/tech books here since they are about 99% outdated, but their art, history, and non-fiction sections are wonderful. The prices here are fair compared to a lot of other used books stores and the condition of their books are usually in good to mint condition. So, get on over to this place and dig, dig, dig for those hidden treasures. Oh, and make sure you bring some gloves if you're going to be there for a while because your fingers WILL get dirty. That being said, although I love and have become a HUGE e-book reader, I still love and will NEVER stop buying printed books. My collection of books is my pride and joy. :) Happy reading!! read more

This book store is amazing! They have so many different books you will find something. It's labeled and organized so it's quite easy to find what section you want. The customer service is one of the best. They are genuinely happy to help you. The guy who was at the cashier was so nice. He gave my friend and I a little bit more of a discount. Which was super sweet since we are struggling college students. Overall this was a great experience and will definitely be back again! I love my books! read more

He said: This place was exceedingly well organized for a used book store. They had info in the computer for all but the paperbacks. They had some rare copies of books we were interested in and the guy at the counter was super helpful. She said: This was an awesome used bookstore! It is really well-organized (by category, then by author). Plus, you can search their used hardbacks online (I don't believe the paperbacks are online, but they have TONS of them). read more

I thought used book stores were only found with a Wayback Machine. Or in NYC. Turns out I got one in my own neighborhood. I just walked on by and there it was. Isles and isles of books. But it's more than a book store. Hard to explain, but once you see the wood isles,and that smell of seasoned paper and cardboard, you immediately forget about yard work and house chores. And you don't get into as much trouble doing that in this bookstore as you would in a bar. Pick a subject, or a time in history, or a thing you like, like military air planes, cook books, how-to, so much. Although I don't get old how-to books from yester-year. I don't need to know how to fix a typewriter, or learn cutting edge sales solutions of the Japanese from the 80's Remember when they were set to economically invade and conquer the world? Turns out they were like everybody else in business. I picked up a book set from Stephen Vincent Benet. I never heard of this guy. Or his books. But I do like the stories, and his poetry. That 's probably an entry for my profile here under 'Don't tell anybody but...' I didn't really interact with the staff. They seemed nice enough though. All I can say is, they made change perfectly. I'm discovering more and more great places to visit here in Orange. Even if you are just killin' time, store this map location. Next time you're in the area, take the time to kill it there. Oh, and prices I saw were great for me. But really, in a place like this, if you find exactly what you like, the price won't matter. read more

I LOVE this bookstore. Have been shopping there for over 20 years, and never fail to find LOTS of book I just can't live without, at extraordinarily reasonable prices. The staff is friendly and helpful, and there are also LOTS of events hosted by the store on a regular basis. One of the last truly great independent bookstores left in Orange or LA county. Support them and insure they don't fall prey to the online megastore independent killers! read more

Bookman, Thank you for being there for me, thanks for being a huge library of secondhand books at low low prices! I love this place, as musty as it is, it is well organized, staff is super helpful, and it just feels like you get smarter when you walk through the door. You can spend hours browsing here if you're not careful. Go have fun! Get smart! The guy with the mutton chop sideburns is the nicest, most helpful guy. read more

I love this place! I am a frequent shopper and have always had a pleasurable experience coming here. Very friendly and helpful staff. As well as, reasonably priced books. Highly recommended. read more

This place is ran by some really kind people with a passion for books. Every time I come here to trade-in books I got more than a fair credit. Additionally they have quite an extensive offering of different genres. Lately I've been interested in the kids books but haven't had much time to stay in there due to their lack of air conditioning. I totally understand to keep cost down for places like this that they can't really have the AC on full blast, it isn't Barnes & Noble. I can say though that everyone has been polite, friendly has offered assistance each time I've been here. Even other patrons smile and are friendly. Reasonable hours and plenty of parking. It may be worth noting that if you trade in any books for in-store credit you're only able to apply 50% of the purchase via store credit. That's fair though, this isn't a giveaway. read more

These guys have great deals going on all the time in Groupon. I was able to get a 39-volume collection of great-condition Time-Life books from them for way under the $65 price tag they had because of the Groupon deal. I go to this place to search for used books that can help complete collections that I've been working on. Service here is cool too; the guys working here are always helpful and friendly. They are also knowledgeable about their craft and can be a valuable resource in locating hard-to-find stuff. read more

Are you aware that you can sell your old books while purchasing new ones at half the price? I do believe I must have been living under a rock for many years as I didn't know this information until I took the (much needed) advice of friends and made a trip to the Book Man. The guy working behind the counter was super helpful. All I had to to was bring in my (many) bags of books and he searched through them as I browsed their wide variety of sections. By the time I was complete with my search, new stack of books in hand, he informed me which items would be credited toward my purchase. They even had books from authors I would have never thought to look for in a used book store too! Wish that I could have used all of my book credits toward my purchase, as they only allow half, but I suppose that's how they keep you coming back for more. read more