this is a good place to get books and they have a huge selection but their buying policy is kind of outrageous. you have to be 18 or older and have a valid ID. like we are not trying to sell cigarettes or trying to sell a firearm or something. like i am just trying to sell some books here. it is BS. i am sixteen years old. i should be able to sell a book if i want to sell a book. i may or may not shop here anymore. congratulations, you have just lost one of your really good customers. i shop here a lot. read more

this place is heavenly for the book lovers i miss this place so much due to pandemic. i wish to go back soon read more

Half Price Books - Books, Mags, Music & Video Near Me - Berkeley, California

My husband and I wandered in here randomly since we had some spare time nearby before dinner and we are so glad that we did. This book store is pretty cool! It has calendars, comic books and all types of books. Super big selection and also some chairs for you to sit in (it's the small things in life). I was just browsing and ended up buying some children comic books called Dog Man for my nephews and they totally love it! I'll definitely be back. Big plus that it's located close to Happy Lemon ;) read more

Great medium sized bookstore to peruse and pickup a new novel or perhaps some new tunes or dvd while there. They buy back a lot of items which is nice too, albeit don't expect a fortune for your loot. Sections are well organized and staff is friendly. read more

customer service was awful specially assistant manager who assist me in the buy books section / asst manager of the store . start the process of my buy back the cashier took my personal information and was going to start my testing of my devices and it was already a hectic and long / stressful day and the assistant manager stop the cashier in his tracks and said no we not doing the testing they going to have to come back tomorrow which was inconsiderate because i didn't have much money or gas and that was my reasons for coming to get more money for me and my baby sister ! so I begged and pleaded to the assistant manager since it was more then 7 mins left - she said no unfortunately you would have to come back tomorrow and gave me my device very unprofessional , inconsiderate and I felt discriminated against completely ! wouldn't go in organized as well and no customer service read more

Can't go wrong with Half Price Books. I have been to many locations and love every single one of them! I like to browse around, and have literally never left empty-handed (moreso due to my own lack of self-discipline when it comes to book-buying). Great selection and kind staff. read more

I always buy my calendar for the new year at HPB. Other than that I usually buy books that I want from their online store. I don't have the patience to go in to find out if they have a book in stock. read more

Good selection, helpful staff. Always fun to browse. Some technical / professional books available. Location and parking a little dicey but definitely worth a visit. read more

Follow their rules to a tee or they'll sell your property. I can't bring myself to leave Half Price Books one star because I've had so many good experiences here but the selling experience is terrible. I came back a day afterwards because of unforeseen difficulties and they sell all my books and give me attitude about it. Very frustrating. I won't be returning to sell. read more

As much as I love a good bargain, it's not worth it if I'm gonna getting killed. Now I'm not talking about the occasional raging hobos that bless this place with their schizophrenic wit and charm or violently thrash about the store with reckless abandon (thank you downtown Berkeley ) but rather a good ol fashioned carbon monoxide leak! Mmmm good times Was Shopping around side stepping the looneys and seemingly blind and mute college kids when I started growing weak, foggy headed and felt a headache coming on. I ran out the door to gather my bearings and within a couple mins I start feeling better. Not one to buy into conspiracy theories, I decided to go back in and see if it is the store or all in my head. That is when I noticed the employees spaced out. I hovered around the employee areas and started over hearing the conversation that the store had some kind of gas leak and everyone is feeling sick! Wtf? Started noticing customers acting ill and loopier than usual for Berkeley. Then I Heard that they didn't have a carbon monoxide detector! What kind of business doesn't have a CMD?!! Well I'm not about to go down with this ship so I bailed. I felt bad I left those poor crew members to go down in this sinking ship being captained by obviously Captain Mega Moron so I called the authorities. Not sure what happened after that but I came back the next day and apparently things were better. You sell books and their cheap But for Christ sakes don't kill your customers and employees you idiots read more

Huge selection of books from all different genres. Lots of places to sit and read as well (which many patrons were doing on the Sunday evening I visited). Also cool how they accept used books for sale. Only disappointing thing was that it was a bit hard to find the "Staff picks" section. read more

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I really like how they have a HUGE selection of books you can choose from. They basically have every author and everything is organized pretty well. I came here on a whim on a weekday afternoon after work because I just felt like reading. However, I later found out that Amazon sells books for basically the same price, but they're NEW instead of used. read more

This new/used bookstore is in such a great location its hard to dislike anything about it. Selection is decent. Customer service decent. The location is amazing. It's across the street from bart, 24 hour fitness, Yoga to the People, Juice Appeal and near Target, Walgreens, and a bunch of restaurants. I love how I can get a book and take care of a ton of other errands Yaaaassss!!!! read more

When i worked a couple of blocks down the street, and was feeling bad at work, just a little break at HPB would cheer me up. I love the that this old Kress Stores building still has its charm. I like the fact that it is not a homogenized, prepackage brand like Barnes & Noble. And sometime I don't wish to get into cultural or political debates at Pegasus. I do not like buying new books, dvds, cds, etc. Yes, some of us do find a balance between the tactile and digital world. This is right off the BART line Downtown Berkeley which is good because parking in Downtown Berkeley is a nightmare. I had dinner at Revival and had a good time with my date going to the bookstore. Want to know what someone is REALLY about, take them to the book store. read more

Though this particular location is not as large as many in the area, they have a great selection to choose from. Obviously you may not find all new releases in stock, but you know the drill - browse and you will definitely find something interesting. Yeah, being located in Berkeley is a good thing! As many of you know that I still listen to vinyl, so no surprise that I make a beeline to the record area! This store's section isn't really big - just a small bin area (think small office cubicle), but I've found some good stuff here over the years! SHATTUCK AVENUE _______________ | | | | | | | | | |______________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |______________ | | | | | | | |____________X_ | | | _________________ | |______ ADDISON STREET __________________ _______ | | | | | | | | | | | | _________________ | |________ CENTER STREET _________________ _________ | | BART | | | | X = HALF PRICE BOOKS read more

Although I can easily give them 5 stars for their nice staff 4 stars for their selection and prices I can only give them 1 star for their buying policies. i know they are in it for the profit I felt slightly stiffed for their giving me only $11 for 8 audiobooks and 3 books. We had already taken the audiobooks and books to Green Apple Books in SF who are very selective but at least pay you a fair enough cash or more than fair credit . GA did buy some of our stuff. I'll have to remember when I have books I want to unload to go to: Free Book Exchange in El Cerrito http://www.yelp.com/biz/bay-area-free-book-exchange-el-cerrito Good Stuff Thrift Store in El Cerrito Richmond Public Library Prisoners Literature Project http://www.prisonersliteratureproject.com/ read more

There's something romantic about ducking inside a used bookstore to avoid the sudden, afternoon rain, yet stay for the glorious substance between well worn pages of text. sitting in a dusty corner atop a stepping stool, a small pile of previously-loved books amassed at the feet, the quiet linger of knowledge and new thoughts at your fingertips. a new kind of wonder seeps as the numbered pages fly, onto skin into flesh, mixed with laughter and tears and smiles and the joy and the failures and the victories of characters I will never meet, in a dusty corner of a second-hand store atop a stepping stool; as time moves steadfastly on. :) Enjoy your stay. read more

I am writing this review as a frequent seller to Half Price Books. Most of my experiences have been selling to the HPB near old residence in the mid west, which were all great experiences. I understand you don't get much for what you take but I always used it as a way to get rid of large amounts of books that I had no room for. After moving to Berkeley I acquired a bag of old books that I did not need to I thought I would give this location a try. **All the books I had to donate where either college texts and college literature, great/good condition** My first time in I had one bag of books. After waiting in the front line, with only one cashier for 10 minutes or so and being ignored by numerous employees I tried to make contact with, I finally saw the sell location in the back left corner of the store. I made my way there and was unfriendly welcomed by an employee. Since this wasn't my first rodeo, the fact that he was so dry and frigid didn't really bother me. I was just happy to get the books off my hands. After about 10 or 15 minutes he called my name. I was happy that he was taking all the books but 3 (I had about 15-20) and he offered me $10. I took my offer to the front desk and received my cash. About 3 days after my first visit I acquired even more books that I needed to get rid of, 2 full bags. So, I loaded all the books in my car and headed back to HPB, enthusiastic because of my first visit. This time I brought my boyfriend along to peruse with me while we wait. I was excited that another employee was at the sell station this time because the guy days before was such a buzz kill. This guy seemed friendly for a HPB employee. But when I heard my name called and my boyfriend and I made our way back to the sell counter... DON DON DON... it was the same guy from my first visit. Nevertheless, we walked up, excited to see what the offer was. The event happened like this: HPB: "Were you here a couple of days ago?" ME: "Yeah!" HPB: "Well, you have books from that visit. It gets really annoying to have to look through the same books twice." ME: "Oh, we must have mixed the 3 unwanted books. There were only three..." HPB:" It is really annoying when I have to go through the same books twice. Just saying. I'll offer you $16 these books." **side note- there was no line or anything he had to give his attention to** I was stunned that he spoke that way to me. I did not take the offer merely because the guy was so rude. I added the 3 previously declined books to my bags accidentally, not to try and pull a fast one on this guy... And even if I did, it is NEVER OK TO TALK TO A PATRON LIKE THAT! I have worked plenty of sales/retail/customer service jobs and it would never be acceptable to tell a customer how they are annoying you...My boyfriend was so shocked about how I was treated. He found some books to wanted and as were were checking out, we told the check-out employee, who happened to be the manager, what we just experienced. I also told him I would take my business somewhere else never be back... I found another store in Berkeley that was friendly and offered me much more that $16. read more

Since they closed down all of the Borders Books I have had book withdrawals. There is always Amazon but I normally don't go that route, I like the browsing through the book shelves. I know I can shop the bookstore in downtown Alameda which I do for gifts but sometimes I want to venture outward. Over the weekend I made a visit to the Half price bookstore and I was impressed with the selection and the organization. I thought I was going to find total chaos in the book shelves and this was not the case. Unfortunately the book I was seeking Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris was not available. There were alot of books by Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt in the history section. You probably didn't realize I was such an intellect. Half price books also features a large selection of DVDs, CD's and LP-vinyl records. Great prices...I'll be back. read more

I always think of those that work in bookstores as nice, mellow folk. These people proved me wrong. I observed a girl trying to sell her books at the back of the store and the employees were unnecessarily mean, smug, and condescendingly rude. Working in a bookstore does NOT make you smarter, more literary than someone else. The girl attempting to sell her books asked an innocuous question and as soon as she walked away, these creeps at the back passive-aggressively laughed loudly at her and said she was "weird" very loudly. Creeps. read more

You know a word that gets overused? HUGE. The store is HUGE. Their selection is HUGE. The savings are HUGE. My ass is HUGE. (wait, strike that last huge, please.) However, the fact remains that all previous said 'HUGE's can be associated with Half Price Books on Shattuck in Berkeley. Crazy HUGE selection of used(many like brand new) books for sale and HUGE discount prices. Textbooks, novels, children books, magazines, even cds and dvds. Not to mention, COMIC BOOKS! Omg the comic book section here is outstanding- tons of used back issues all thrown together and sold at face value. I recently dropped $20 bucks here and picked up half a dozen Shakespeare plays for a college class. All books were in practically mint to near mint condition- and outstanding value. Street parking or one of the parking structures around the corner- but either way you'll probably have to pay for that. Also, RIGHT next to the downtown Berkeley BART station, and near several AC Transit lines. I'm a HUGE fan. read more

Be prepared, as the Boy Scout slogan says. Being ready and getting ahead is the name of the game when it comes to returning to the hallowed halls of education. After working off stress at the Y, I thought I would see if Half Price Books Records & Magazines might have the books for a research paper writing class instead of ordering them--gasp--online. It was my lucky day when I walked in--they had the required textbook for the class! I could not believe my luck--and it was at a better price than I would have gotten at either the BCC Follett bookstore or online. You know I snatched that puppy up ASAP! Score FTW! Unfortunately, they did not have the other required reading materials for the class. Not the specific ones I was looking for when I inquired. Some of the staff snickered that I was not aware that I did not know it was a telly series on AMC. Excuse me holier than thou snobs and snots, not my scene. So unprofessional. The associate who was very professional and very kind about it all suggested I got next door to Fantastic Comics. I really appreciated his suggestion to see if the shop next door had what I was looking for. And I was so pleased as heck, as of this writing, one does not need to check-in their backpacks and large bags behind the till. We will see how long that lasts. Five stars for having the textbook at a great price, for the professional, understanding associate, and for the cashier at the till. One star for those who snickered under their low breath in the back. Behave yourselves, cheez! You gotta a lot of work to do to earn those other stars I knocked off! Update #12 for 2013 read more

Their book selection is pretty good, no doubt about it, and their super cheap section at the back always has something worth reading. However, selling your books to them isn't so great. I figured I wouldn't get much for my books (and I didn't), but that wasn't the issue - neither was the 40 minute wait to even get someone to look at my books. The reason I chose Half Price books was because their website specifically says they take all your books, so you don't have to lug them home again. Well, they only took half my books. My main goal was to get rid of my books, I don't have a lot of space and I have visitors coming soon. To have to take half of them back home again was quite inconvenient. I double-checked their website when I got home and confirmed they did, in fact, say they would take everything. I called them to query it, and just told "sorry that we didn't explain it clearly to you in store". Um, you didn't explain anything to me in the store, you just said you would pass on my other books. The dude on the phone was condescending and smug. Won't bother trying to take any more books there. read more

I pass by this place nearly everyday, and I walk in nearly every time...each time I come out a little happier! You can buy books here by the bundle, especially classics that you've read and looking to find and keep. Its always fun rummaging through the books here, and taking back books for a fraction of what they're sold for. Even those expensive photo books are sold at discount prices. Perfect for getting those pricey pretentious coffee-table books LOL! Take the time to look through that large clearance section in the back for SUPER discounts and super finds. The proximity to UCB means its perfect for students trying to find an assigned book for a fraction of the cost at the student store (hint hint students!) So rack up your home library, at a fraction of the cost. You will not regret it! I attribute my growing library primarily to Half Price Books, and proud of it read more

Accidentally stumbled upon this place and oh boy. This place is dangerous... for book lovers in the BEST WAY POSSIBLE! I had no idea that the book I was dreaming about this morning (and 3 additional books due to its pretty generous collection) would be in my hands this evening. Amazing. Thank you Half Price Books for the pleasant surprise!! read more

Half Price Books - Books, Mags, Music & Video Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'll let you in on a secret - you can occasionally find excellent computer games here for $5, and more recent titles for $10. Over the years I've picked up Quake 3, Battlefield 1942, Yoot's Tower, and other well-crafted but no-longer cutting-edge games here. The only thing I don't like about Half Price is their bag policy, which seems to apply more to men than to women. Why is it that a woman with a purse the size of Uzbekistan can walk through the aisles freely, but if you're a guy with a bag, they go all TSA on you? Four stars for the selection and location, minus one star for the man-purse hatin' read more

I have many fond memories of this bookstore. Ever since I first visited UC Berkeley as a high school junior back in November 2014 and found one of the best puzzle/brain game books ever, I've been impressed with the numerous brain game and math books at this store. I've found classic puzzle books, going back to the 80s and newer IQ test/puzzle books with fresh, inspiring problems that offer tantalizing challenges. In addition, unlike many bookstores like BookOff, they have a more fair book buyback program. For my rarer books, I often got a couple bucks back each and they were honest about not being able to take older books. The service and atmosphere is great and staff are pretty friendly; the music playing in the background is relaxing and perfect for browsing. Speaking of browsing, I would often come here after my classes ended on Fridays and look at miscellaneous psychology and health books and learned so much from them. read more

Out of all the Half Price Books locations, this, by far, has the best selection, which makes a lot of sense since it is in Berkeley. For the most part, you will find some great and some hard to find titles for super dirt cheap. The great thing about Half Price Books is the organization. All of the locations place the sections in (almost) the same layout as the other stores. So, you can easily find a section if you happen to be in the Fremont or Concord stores. The people in the back (where you sell your books) sure are smart donkies but in a very forgivable way (you know, stone face, serious, tell you what you need to do in less than 10 words but they crack some off key joke). The only downside, but not enough of a down side to warrant a minus in stars, is the price they pay for your books. They aren't called Half Price Books for nothing. If you sell books in fantastic condition, they give you half of half of half the price. Basically, you get the dirt that makes the books dirt cheap. If you are looking for a choice of trade or money, you're better off at a Green Apple in the city or Moe's books. HPB only offers cash, which isn't that bad. Otherwise, it's a great store with some fantastic finds (that is, if you are up for a good book hunt)! read more

They get 5 stars for being such a nice store and 1 star for never ever having the book I'm looking for. I realize it's a used book store...but their track record is pretty amazing in this regard. I love how close they are to my lab. I could roll down the hill and in through their front door...but I won't. It also annoys me that they don't have any of their books catalogued electronically...but this is not just a problem with them...it's a used book store fact of life so I can't mark them down for it. There's another store (Moe's) and I'm not going to mention the name (Moe's) that has more inventory AND people who know where the books are. read more

Hmmm it's a dilemma choosing the right rating for this place. On one hand, you can find great books for CHEAP or at least chaper than anywhere else. However, while they have a huge selection and a huge store, there's still a possibility that you're not going to find anything you're looking for. On the other hand, they exploit your desperateness to sell books like no other. It makes sense to buy-back books at absurdly cheap prices (how else are you going to make great gross margin on possibly unsellable-inventory) but it just hurts having to sell books for so little. I had about 20 books (most of them from a Sociology class) which I had absolutely no need for. Because most were novels, even if I was able to sell them on half.com, the shipping would have destroyed me. It was no longer offered at Berkeley, so I couldn't sell it back to the campus bookstore either. I brought it in to Half Price Books and when they gave me an offer for $19, I cringed, punched myself in the face and took it. Therefore, I dont recommend selling here but I do recommend buying. And if anyone is really able to figure out how to sell back books well..then I'm all ears :) read more

I really do like this bookstore. It is big and full of good buys. But it only gets two stars because of the douche bag they had working the cash register when I went. Pretty much all the books there are in perfect condition, at great prices. I found a pretty little art book I liked and took it to the counter. The book was in fair condition, but the dust jacket had been torn pretty bad. Since I found this book kind of wedged behind some other books, I figured a customer might have done it accidentally, and asked politely if I could get an extra discount. The guy behind the counter, instead of simply saying "no," got all pissy and exclaimed the price was "as is," as I could easily see on the price tag. (Excuse me for neglecting to look at the small print above the bar code.) He then went on to say that the price was 20% off of $5, which was "so cheap he couldn't even do the math" and I should be happy with my buy, not trying to get extra discounts. I assured him I was happy with the buy, and I really did appreciate the book. Then, as I was fishing out correct change for him, I dropped some pennies on the floor and apologized and said "I'm sorry. I'm traveling, and my change is a little all over the place right now." To which he replied angrily - "Sure you are." WTF? "Sure I am?" Did he not believe I was traveling? Why would I make something like that up? If it weren't for this guy totally ruining my otherwise good day, this store would get five stars. But until they fire him and hire staff that knows how to treat their customers, I'm not giving them more than 2. Sorry. read more

At last, we've come to Half-Price. The stock is a mixture of remaindered and used books, and for the most part the pricing is quite good. The selection is pretty good too; the subject array is comparable with Moe's, but it lacks Moe's depth. In addition to books, they also sell DVDs, games,CDs and vinyl. The DVD section is fairly good as is the games (both board and electronic) section, but CDs and vinyl are skippable. On the down side, knuckleheads run the store. If you need help, forget it. They can't supply anything beyond the most basic assistance, e.g. "This is a book," "That's the ceiling," etc. More, their pricing is strictly perfected through internet consultation, meaning that if you sell, they'll low-ball you based on not-so-nearly comparable finds on Amazon and the like, then charge 3-5 times more. True, that's the book business and it's also true that they aren't as selective as the other stores, but still there's something really insulting about having some punk offer you $2 for a decent book in good condition they'll turn around and sell for $8-$10. This sort of self-indulgent incompetence cuts both ways, though. Due diligence is not their forte: to date I've found a $20 bill and a 4 leaf clover tucked inside books (I purchased both books, incidentally, for a net profit of eight dollars and change, a groovy four-leaf clover, and two books I was likely to purchase anyhow), but I don't regularly go spelunking here. I'm sure there's more. Also, the internet doesn't help with a lack of attention or ignorance. I scored a super clean copy of Deities and demi-gods, 1st editon, second printing for $6. No kidding, an $80 book for $6. Another negative is that it's downtown Berkeley. Be prepared for aggressive panhandlers. read more

I've been waiting a while to write this review, but I don't think I've ever had a bad experience here. For starters, they are open SO late! When I'm walking home from work or BART and all the food places around are closed, they're still open. I've definitely had my share of late night book buying sessions here. There's something so pleasant about being surrounded by books at 10:30 pm after a long day. The employees that I've encountered have been friendly enough. No concerns there. The amount of books they have is amazing! And the prices... holy smokes. I've been here several times and walked out with 5-6 books for a total of around $20 because of the already low prices combined with whatever sale they were having at the time. They also sell DVDs, VHS tapes, records, CDs, board games, and miscellaneous little items. Like the Star Wars themed dog leashes/collars. Yes, that is definitely something I will be back for when I adopt a dog. And if you have a fear of used book stores being full of books in terrible shape, with notes all along the pages, have no fear! I've even bought a sudoku book here that looked completely new, with no prewritten answers inside. :) They have everything organized really well and everything's clearly labeled. I have so much fun in this store! It's great for personal splurges as well as gift ideas. I haven't tried out selling my own books to them, but think it's a great concept. read more

This is a great store to support! They have so many treasures inside, and at a reasonable price. You can order much of it on amazon for a similar price, but this store saves the hassle. I bought two 1,000 piece puzzles and a puzzle mat for $35. Pretty reasonable considering one was a Harry Potter puzzle ($12) and the other was a beautiful Degas painting puzzle ($8). The puzzle mat was $14 and pretty silly but also very handy for storing puzzles! (I am a puzzle nerd, if you can't tell...) It seems that you can also sell your own books to the store - which is probably how they keep the prices so low. Parking isn't great around this area but there is a parking structure nearby so you can avoid street parking. It's a great place to browse after eating at one of the local restaurants nearby! read more

Half Price Books is a great place to sell really crappy romance novels, thrillers and mystery books. I had no idea that there was anyplace aside from ebay or half.com to sell dopey bestsellers (hey, and I'm a populist who enjoys trashy novels once in a while myself). A friend of mine actually earned $18.50 for a pile a books that was about to go to Goodwill or be donated to the prisoners' reading book donation project at Moe's (gotta love Moe's! My friend told me there is NOTHING to read in jail - just a cart stocked with dog eared Danielle Steele novels that is wheeled amongst the inmates for their perusal). BUT, Half Price loses points, once again (booksellers take note), for BAD STAFF ATTITUDE. The buyer tossed my friend's books on the floor while buying them so that they were splayed open with bent pages and everything. Hey, they were Danielle Steele novels! Update - the last couple of times I went there the staff was very nice so the service is hit or miss. read more

My photo book collection has skyrocketed and Half Price Books has put me over the edge.. Photo Book Orgasm fo shure.. I found some amazing gems in the photo book section.. Pretty much mint, half price off.. You can't beat that... I heart this place x1000.. read more

Why am I including a bookstore in the "Lo-Lo and my friend date" list? Because it was a Friday night and Lo-Lo and I would rather spend time reading alone than actually developing personal relationships. While Lo-Lo went off and looked for books w/ actual plot lines I shamefully perused the chick-lit section. They put it conspicuously in the middle of the store so that everyone can gawk at the girls going through those pitiful books with the same story/different names books. I love this place because the books are cheap and truthfully I love any place w/ a good deal. Except discount sushi. I learned my lesson . . . the third time. read more

Officially my new favorite bookstore... I was walking down Shattuck and a comic book caught my eye in the window and I JUST JUST JUST had to walk in and check it out... We walked out scoring an original comic book sketch for my brother, a copy of the July 2008 New Yorker with Barack and Michelle Obama, a book called Spliffs, a 1936 Robert Frost original, and Iron Woman the sequel to Iron Man... I haven't had a BOOKGASMIC experience in a while! I was going nuts just smelling every single old book I could find... This is my new favorite place to get lost and spend money... I can get lost in here for hours! On my wish list so far would be this $250 architectual guidebook that I want on my coffee table... I am too excited for my next visit... read more

I don't know if I could honestly give Half-Price any less than five stars considering I have a 500-count book collection (in Berkeley alone) almost completely furnished from the discount shelves ($1-$3) in the back of the store. I've come here for three consecutive Black Friday 6ams (hello free coffee and donuts) and have been with HP through every sale, change of staff and rearranging of furniture. True, I'll never get my hands on a half-price version of The Omnivore's Dilemma (it's always sold to the person in line right before me), nor will I ever find Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children gracing the shelves, but there are plenty of other good reads that should be snatched up before one moves out of Berkeley and into a city where (gasp!) books are sold at retail price. I've found (on clearance alone) James Joyce, Margaret Atwood, Joyce Carol Oates (ever-present at $2) O. Henry, Kerouac, Calvin&Hobbes, Edgar Allen Poe (his complete works) Jane Austen, Barbara Kingsolver, T.C Boyle, Philip Roth, Norman Mailer, Steven Levitt, Shakespeare, etc. Sure, a few in the stack might be watermarked, a few more creased at the edges. But no one's 'too good' for discounted books! HP blows Borders' clearance clear out of the water, what with the latter's withering section of $5.99 (What am I, made of money??) self-help books. More accolades of the clearance section: I will never have to buy cookbooks again. Ever. And here's a helpful tip: Be sure to wander in right at the end of the semester, when all the local students are getting rid of their class texts. If I only had some foresight, my humanities classes could've been a lot cheaper. My most remarkable purchase was a beautiful Thomas Kinkaid coffee table art book for my Carmel-loving parents. Purchased on Black Friday, it was $80 at retail, and... it somehow made it's way down to $15. They still flip through it and speak of the deal admiringly. HP is great for the DIY types, who wish to learn the esoteric uses of household vinegars, the postmodern way to remodel a bathroom, how to fashion crafts out of complementary hotel toiletries, how to knit burqas for yourself, etc. You'll never know what you're missing in your life until you check out its aisles. Yes, HP gives you little to no money for your books (I once sold over 40 books and walked away with a paltry $7) but it's willing to take anything off your hands. And really, how could a place called "Half-Price Books" give you anything considered a fair share? It seem to be making piddling amounts off the books it already has. Just call it a fair exchange and comfort yourself with a trip to the Dollar Scoop ice cream stakeout down the street. Bottom Line: Lots of fun. read more

For those of you considering selling DVDs and certain books. Here's a more recent update. Embrace of darkness 1-3 (DVD) + Cambodian-English, Vietnamese- English translation dictionary = $2.00 read more