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Where to buy Books in Spanish in Pattaya


SmokedSalmon

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5 minutes ago, SmokedSalmon said:

Thanks, Sid and Matzzon.

 

I live in a neighboring country and will be visiting Thailand for a week. 

 

I'll check out both of these options.

 

Thanks.

If you have problem getting books in your neighbouring country, then I will be pretty sure that Dasa Book Cafe will agree to send to that country if you agree to pay for the delivery and books in advance.

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This is a bit of a tangent, but would make it easy for you to get hold of as many books in Spanish as you want.

I am a heavy reader, roughly one book per day, and resisted ebooks for years, thinking that paper books were a more "authentic" experience, but I travel frequently and that meant carrying around a lot of books.

I finally gave in about six years ago and bought a Kindle Paperwhite, not expecting to like it. I was wrong. For me, reading from a good e-reader has turned out to be far better than paper books.

The main advantage is that I have instant access to pretty much any book, no matter where I am, and can store thousands of them on the device. I can search for books among tens of millions of books in every language, with full-text search enabling me to find a book based on individual words or phrases they contain.

I can try out the first few chapters for free, to see if I like the book. If I do, I can buy it right there, which is generally significantly cheaper than the ridiculous prices charged for both new and second-hand paper books in non-native languages, where the selection also tends to be limited. When I first starting spending long periods in Asia during the early 90's, I saw that expense and lack of variety in books as one of the only downsides compared to life back home.

I have the option to download ebooks for free, whether that be books in the public domain or pirating the latest books (solving the problem of how to read Tony Blair's biography without giving the slimy git any money). There are also various "Netflix of books" services, including Kindle Unlimited, that allow you to read as many books as you want for around ten dollars a month.

E-readers are comfortable to hold one-handed, while turning pages is faster and less awkward than a paper book, especially in bed. The device remembers my position in any of the books I am currently reading, so, I can simply close the cover as I fall asleep without needing to bookmark.

The subtle built-in lighting keeps the screen well-lit at all times and automatically adjusts to my environment, so, unlike a tablet or laptop, I am not bombarding my eyes with unnecessary light at night. Unlike paper books, e-readers are waterproof, meaning I can read in the bath without worries. As my eyes age, I will be able to increase the font size to whatever I need. The easier, more flexible physical experience means that I am inclined to read more often, in more places.

If I run into a word or concept I am unfamiliar with, I have instant access to dictionary definitions, Wikipedia, and translations. I can highlight sections of text by running my finger over them. I can make notes, which is particularly handy when reading in languages I am learning. It remembers the words I have queried, allowing me to review them later as a list or in the form of flashcards, which assists retention.

A disadvantage is that I cannot resell books after I have read them, but I was always too lazy for that anyway. Another disadvantage is that you are carrying around a relatively expensive device which could break or get stolen. Luckily, that has not happened to me yet. One nice thing if I do lose my Kindle is that I won't lose my books, they are all stored in the cloud. I can buy another and have my entire collection on it.

The battery can also run out, but each charge lasts around a week for me, even though I use it for many hours every day. Recharging via a USB cable is fast. A paperback does not need to be charged but, on the other hand, does not have the convenience of providing its own light.

I got so much value out of my first e-reader that I recently upgraded to the ridiculously expensive Kindle Oasis, along with a lovely worn leather case that makes it a more tactile experience. I enjoy the larger screen.

With so many other things vying for our attention these days, anything that encourages us to read more books is good, and I particularly recommend e-readers to anyone living in countries where access to books in other languages is expensive and limited.

I would absolutely not recommend trying to read from a phone or tablet screen. A good E-ink screen allows you to read faster and with less eye-strain, enabling you to lose yourself in what you are reading.

At a minimum, I would recommend the new basic Kindle, which now includes built-in lights and is currently on offer for $69, or the new Paperwhite which is waterproof and currently on offer for $99. Other manufacturers provide devices with similar functionality, you would have to research it, but I find the Kindles good.

 

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18 hours ago, donnacha said:

I would absolutely not recommend trying to read from a phone or tablet screen. A good E-ink screen allows you to read faster and with less eye-strain, enabling you to lose yourself in what you are reading. 

Although I agree with your endorsement on e-readers, using a modern phone for this purpose has come a long way. My current phone with around a 6" screen works great with the Kindle app, and eyestrain is significantly reduced reading in night mode (white text on black). Sepia and other options are available - agree a backlit kindle is better, but my recent experience with reading on a phone has been good. 

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16 hours ago, SmokedSalmon said:

Thanks, I'll look into that. 

I think Dasa books has a foreign language selection on the top floor. Some good used bookshops are still around in the Khaosan area, often with a few shelves of books in other languages.

 

In Pattaya you could try Canterbury Tales in Soi Chayaphum, if they don't have anything they might point you in the right direction. 

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Donacha,

 

Thanks for the info on the Kindle - about being able to highlight. I'll try that.

 

I have a Kindle but I'm learning Spanish (B2 level) and underlining certain grammatical constructions with a pencil and new vocab helps me a lot more than when I was reading Spanish books on my Kindle.

 

I'll try Kindle and highlighting.

 

Thanks for your informative post!

 

Much appreciated. 

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7 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

I think Dasa books has a foreign language selection on the top floor. Some good used bookshops are still around in the Khaosan area, often with a few shelves of books in other languages.

 

In Pattaya you could try Canterbury Tales in Soi Chayaphum, if they don't have anything they might point you in the right direction. 

Thanks, lamyai3.

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