Oxfam Books

In a recent article in The Guardian it was reported that some independent book retailers were calling Oxfam Books the ‘Tesco of Second-​hand Bookshops’ accusing them undercutting prices and running their shops out of business (which they can afford to do because of reduced business rates, volunteer staff and donated stock.) On the other hand, of course, the money raised by the sales does fund Oxfam’s very worthy charity work. It is, as Ned Flanders would say, a dilly of a pickle. Having said all that, everyone (myself included) buys books from Amazon new and used where the money supports neither local second-​hand bookshops nor charitable organisations so maybe there should be less hand-​wringing all round.
As others have Unilocaled before me, there is a wide selection of titles on offer here most of which are reasonably priced; when I last went I picked up a copy of Don DeLillo’s ‘Underworld’ and Michael Moorcock’s sacrilegious cult sci-​fi classic ‘Behold the Man’ and paid less than £4 for the privilege. I would implore you, though, to go and have a look at other bookshops in the area (Chorlton Bookshop is just up the road and the brilliant Sharston Books is not too far either.) Bookshops have personalities of their own and unfortunately Oxfam Books is a little bit of an unlovable character — plain, lacking in genuine passion and far too much in love with Sophie Kinsella and Wilbur Smith.

I had a badly paid temp job in a call centre just before Christmas. Desperate times call for desperate measures. In mid-​November I decided to have a look around Chorlton to see if I could find any inspiration for Christmas presents.
I am not a typical girl as I hate shopping, but book shopping doesn’t count as shopping so I naturally gravitated towards Oxfam Books, one of Chorlton’s two bookshops. I came out 79p worse off and tried to shove the foreign children’s book I had purchased into my pocket in case I bumped into anyone I knew and aroused suspicion. When I arrived home safely I carefully set about rubbing out the price in the front cover without leaving any smudges.
Christmas Day:
Me: Merry Christmas sis.
Sister: Wow! ‘Snow White’ in Dutch. That’s amazing. So thoughtful!
Me: Glad you like it sis.
Mum: Go on then, read us some.
Sister: (starts to read aloud in Dutch)
Mum: That’s brilliant. Where did you get it from, Kirsten? The Internet?
Me: *cough* Oxfam Books *cough*
Alongside obscure foreign books Oxfam Books also sell a range of novels, travel guides and reference books. They are currently accepting donations, so when I get round to having a spring clean I will donate my old books and maybe replace them with some new ones. Well, they’ll look new once I’ve rubbed out the prices!

After a copy of Zadie Smith’s White Teeth?
How about Toni Morrison’s Paradise or Marilynne Robinson’s Home?
Step this way then…
Nestled amidst charity shops, cafes and green grocers, Oxfam Books is a small store packed floor to ceiling with great secondhand books, CDs and vinyl. As it’s in deepest, suburban Chorlton, its a fabulous place to pick up copies of recent paper and hardback fiction. There’s also a strong selection of literary classics, African-​American fiction, gay and lesbian fiction, biographies and reference books.
Go by all means but leave the Raymond Carver books for me please!

A great little shop selling all kinds of second hand books. All in very good condition and at extremely good prices. No longer need to go to waterstones for my fiction.