Ok, after paying $10eu for an english magazine yesterday at the main terminal I thought I should turn to this group for advice -- where is a boy to find some reading material here in HAM?? I've practically devoured the only two books I brought with, and the magazines are long gone. I'm not looking for rocket science stuff, just some current event mag's or some light books.

it's killing me, I've got subscriptions running at home but I'm paying $10eu for a mag here. Might be cheaper to have the mags from home FedEx'ed. LOL
-joe

ps, I've got the Thomas Harris book HANNIBAL RISING up for grabs if anyone wants it.

For magazines well I haven't had any luck, the ones I read are 6 Euros a pop.

For books, I have had luck at Thalia and I also use Amazon.de, there is an english bucher section and I can find decent books there.

I brought over 200 books with me but I still buy more.

Also check out the bookswapping club, nice way to pick up some good reads..and meet some nice people Bren

P.s meant to say, it's on the forum here somewhere under Events in Hamburg

There's an English bookswapping website as well. Selection can be dodgy, but it's at least sort of free. I think you need to send out a few books before you can request one, but all you pay is the postage.

Also: if you don't seal the envelope, but close it with those little metal things so that it can be inspected, and write "Büchersendung" on the front of the envelope, postage is a whole lot cheaper.

Getting your subscriptions to Germany isn't that much more expensive- it's definitelly worth it. And you'll be happy when your English magazines arrive in the mail. It's like a tiny Christmas.

I've always used amazon.de - fast, tons of selection, and delivered to my home.

Do you have English colleagues whom you can switch books with?

There was a thread a while ago on *English book stores in Hamburg* - I don't know how to put a link up, but you can find it using the search function at the top of your screen.

Another good thing about Amazon.de is that all the English titles come with free shipping.

Can you not have your magazines forwarded to your German address for the duration of your stay?

Mat still has his mail forwarded from his former address in England, and when he ordered his magazines he just put in his English address, so he does not pay extra as it's forwarded anyway.

Dunno about costs from the US though.

yeah, but sometimes they are more expensive in the first place, so if you order not just one or two, it might be cheaper to order from Amazon.co.uk

I do that with DVDs as the prices for "UK-import" DVDs as the call it at amazon.de are sometimes ridiculously high, so much cheaper to order a bunch in England and have them shipped here for about € 4,00.

http://www.english-books-hamburg.de/

It's at the Stresemannstr. which is at the S-Bahn stop Holstenstrasse.

Someone mentioned Thalia and I second that. It's by far the best bookstore in Hamburg, right downtown with a great selection of English books. You can sit in a sofa and browse through your books as you look out at the lake. Great place to hang out for a break in the city cuz it's relatively quiet.

Also do Amazon.com.

I tend to avoid bookstores where the books are dumped in a huge pile.

Thalia is great, I agree, but the prices are ridiculous...

does anyone have an address for Thalia?? I'm sure I could find it if I searched the web, but I'm kinda lazy today...

Thanks for the recommendations guys!
-j

The biggest store they have is at the Spitaler Str. 8 (at the shopping area) near the main train station.

Go to the Passage mall downtown (Mönkebergstrasse) and go up the escalator one floor. It's on the western end facing the lake.

Prices are outrageous, but not compared to Canada where I'm from.

you can also visit the public library. lots of stuff there. and sometimes you can find the herald tribune lying around in one of the ever-increasing-in-number starbucks.

I sometimes buy books on ebay.de, people sell a lot of English language books there.

Thalia is good, but they do not have too many English titles, If you are in harburg area you can find one inside Pheonix Centre.

The Thalia in the new Passages shopping centre downtown by the Binnenalster has a huge selection of English-language books compared to any other bookstore in town.

'cept Amazon of course.

Libraries (Bücherhallen) have English language stuff.
You have to pay 'tho.

At the bottom of the piles one finds the gems. Proverb; Scum always rises to the top
Robert

You left a very cryptic comment on my blog today.

i really like these guys (http://www.english-book-service.com/). free shipping within germany! and they have an amazing selection...

Check out your locals Jokers and Dussmann Book Stores. They usually have a selection of English Books on hand, and Dussmanns will order whatever books they have in English for you - although it can take a couple weeks for it to arrive.

If you want to swap (English) books - bookswapper.de
Works well for me.