Job Discussion Forums

Sleepwalker · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Reading the screen

This wonderful second hand bookshop went downhill in the last few years and most of us stopped popping in.

I was in the Al Wadi Centre, Qurum yesterday and I noticed that the shop is being cleaned. I popped in and there was Ossama who is back and taking over as owner.

Let's all support the shop again.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

What happened to the American man who originally opened it? Did he decide to retire?

VS

Sleepwalker · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Reading the screen

He decided to move to Dubai where I think he still runs the Dubai branch.

He sold it to a Scottish lady who kept it going in the same way.

It was then sold to an Omani businessman who had an Indian woman running it and things changed.

I believe the Omani has now sold it to Ossama who worked there with both the American and Scottish owners.

It's a good sign and hopefully a return to the previous standards.

eslbear · Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 93

What do you mean? I have been popping in there once in a while over the last many years and didn't really notice any changes - the collection seems about the same.

eslbear

Sleepwalker · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Reading the screen

You've been lucky, eslbear, I used to feed my need for fiction there but in recent years, the stock hasn't included more recent books because they were only buying their own books back.

Previously, they would buy books bought outside to add to the variety of the stock.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Since the American owner had like... 3 stores... 2 of them in the UAE, and he was able to vary his inventory more. I suspect that it depends on your interests whether there are books that you want to buy.

VS

Sleepwalker · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Reading the screen

They still accept books from any branch so the variety should still be there.

The added extra is new books being introduced from buyers of new books who don't want to keep them.

urbanversion · Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 426

I'm a second hand horror book/sci fi fiend...they help kill time in the dry rocks of the desert:)

Anyone got an address on this place?

eslbear · Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 93

You will be in heaven then, they must have 1000's of titles in stock and a pretty sizable sci-fi section.

do you know Muscat? In Qurum, there is the shopping area just after the junction where the main highway splits to the upper level going off to wadi kabir and muttrah - also now at the end of the new Muscat expressway.

There are several small "malls" there - Sabco, Al Araimi, Al Khamis Plaza and AL Wadi center - HofP is in Al Wadi center, upstairs around the back behind the video game store and abaya / dress shop. Hours are approx. 9-1pm then from 5-8pm I think but I can't recall.

Typically, a book will be between 1.5 and 3 rials and then you return it for half that value and buy more.

happy hunting!

eslbear

urbanversion · Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 426

Thanks eslbear this sounds great, just what I'm after, a real book lovers paradise, and sci fi too, neat!

I know qurm, just wondering if it's possible to find this place without spending a fortune on taxis (no car as yet!)

eslbear · Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 93

It's dead easy - just have the taxi drop you at the qurum roundabout, even taking the "baisa bus" is the cheapest if you can walk to the main road from where you are. From the roundabout, it's about 300-400 meters - all of the mini malls are beside the roundabout.

eslbear

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I personally found Oman to be awash in SciFi books. Even in the SQU library in its first days, about the only popular fiction that was on the shelves was SciFi. I had never read any of it and had little interest, but needs must... and I found a few of them that were interesting. I finally read the famous Dune... and eventually all of the series that was out, but they went horribly downhill. I was interested in comparing the Arab bedu culture to that in Dune.

I suspect that it is still one of the largest genre... I just never figured out why. Cool

VS

While I was out · Joined: 24 Feb 2008 Posts: 119

I don't know why there were/are so many sci fi books, perhaps someone bought a large discounted stock of them from a shop that was going out of business, or the owner was a great fan. Maybe someone was writing a dissertation.

What I do know though, is that sci fi can be a great read. Ever try any Iain M Banks, or William Gibson? OK, both are kind of mainstream but pretty good nevertheless.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I was told, but never confirmed, that one of the people that originally set up the library was British and a SciFi fan. The teachers' exchange library, which was over in the science department back in those days, was about 90% SciFi.

I haven't read any since those days, so... don't really recall the authors of books I read... yikes... over 20 years ago. Shocked

VS

urbanversion · Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 426

Opened the scifi can of worms here I see, lol

The borders shop in Seeb has Star trek/star wars but only 1 title by peter hamilton...I was after more, pretty gutted Rolling Eyes