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I love this memory, of choosing books at random, not because you've been directed to a particular author. I'm guilty of the latter - reading reviews, recommendations from friends, radio/podcasts etc - but also occasionally pick something up by an unknown (to me) writer and it's a joy to make these discoveries.

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I love getting recs from newsletters, podcasts etc. I use and appreciate all these sources more because i didn’t grow up with them. But I also love just winging it, the way I did as a kid - finding a great read this way enhances the joy, for sure :)

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Serendipity is part of the joy of reading!

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I love the look & the smell of a second hand bookshop. The thought of finding something I’ve never heard of, the feel of a properly made book that hasn’t been hyped or stacked high like tins of baked beans is thrilling.

I always cry when I watch ‘You’ve got Mail’ bookshops & libraries are necessary for civilisation!

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Yes! New bookstores are lovely too but there’s just something about the more random, willy-nilly nature of the secondhand shop that really gets my heart. You just never know what you’ll find.

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