Sharjah: If you are a book lover and still haven’t visited the 37th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), you are missing out on some of the best deals.
With 1.6 million titles on offer, including some unique and rare collections of books, you might be a bit overwhelmed with the range of choice available at SIBF this year.
Visitors may end up buying more than the space available for new books in their shelf or get lost in the sheer variety of books around. Add to this the discounts of up to 50 per cent even on the some of the latest titles, and even the most discerning buyers will forgive themselves for buying more than they could read.
Some of the biggest names in the industry, including Borders, Magrudy and Jashnmal are vying for the book lovers’ attention with crazy deals, which means the consumers are getting the best bargains.
Borders is offering a flat 40 per cent discount on all books and so is Magrudy Enterprises, while other booksellers are offering between 25 and 50 per cent reduction in prices.
“I have been visiting Sharjah Book International Fair every year and I have never seen such offers and deals before. This is a great opportunity for book lovers and students as books are really expensive in the UAE and there is no better chance to have your fill than this,” said Mohammad Hashim, a Dubai-based expat.
At Jashanmal book store, most titles are available for a 25 per cent discount, while a special counter offers bestselling novels for Dh15, Dh20 and Dh25.
“I am here with friends looking for some good deals. We have got a discount coupon from school and there are already some great offers here, so I intend buy a few books. I like fiction, just bought the new novel by Chetan Bhagat,” said Taha Habib, an Indian student.
Among the biggest and most popular stalls are the several booths of DC Books, which boast of the biggest number of titles in the international section. It is also the place to find some of the cheapest books, primarily because they sell Indian editions of many bestselling titles, which are generally priced lower than the international editions.
“We have the widest range and titles from all around the world including India. Our rates have always been cheaper but this year we are offering an additional 20 per cent on prices that are already discounted,” said Anil Abraham, Business Manager of DC Books.
Some of the bestselling titles at the world’s fourth largest book fair include Paolo Coelho’s latest novel as well as Guinness Book of Records, both of which are going at half price at most stalls.
Another sought after book that is going cheap is ‘Meltdown’, the latest in the children’s bestseller Wimpy Kids.
“I am here to find some inspirational reads and this place is good to get lost. But I am disappointed that there are not enough French titles,” said Sabrina Rida, a Moroccan expat who is visiting the book fair for the first time.
Apart from fiction, non-fiction and general books, text books, technical books and university study material are also available for discounts of up to 35 per cent.
For educational books, students can head straight to University Bookshop and Panworld Education stalls in Hall 6, while most of the international book stalls are located in halls six and seven.
