Pulp Fiction Book Exchange

I almost didn’t recognise this book store which has completely transformed in the last few years. It used to small and modest in size and content making the choice of what you could buy simple, because there wasn’t a lot to choose from. I went in there yesterday surprised to see it had had a makeover and books were literally stacked to the ceiling and unreachable/​unreadable.
The book choice is mesmerising and I can’t wait to do a little exchange buy of my own. The prices are fair on most of the books with most under $ 7.

Pulp Fiction Book Exchange is an unexpected sight in a shopping centre, being a second-​hand seller of books. Not only does Pulp Fiction engage in selling second-​hand books, but they also trade books, which can be useful if you have some unwanted books and see some wanted books on Pulp Fiction’s shelves.
Pulp Fiction has books spanning just about every genre. There are some interesting items for sale — today, an ouija board was spotted. There are some great authors, such as what seems to be the entire collected works of Agatha Christie, plus several books from Orson Scott Card.
The prices of the books, however, are surprisingly steep. The median price for books was around $ 15, which, considering you can buy new books from mainstream bookstores for about $ 20 at times, seems slightly exorbitant. Considering that websites such as
sell new books for $ 7 with free shipping, and prices at Pulp Fiction appear almost like robbery.
If you are desperate for a book and want immediate gratification, or if you spot something that cannot be purchased elsewhere, by all means knock yourself out. Otherwise, going online might be a better bet.

A Westfield shopping centre is the last place I expected to find a second-​hand bookstore, let alone a book exchange. Other bookstores, chain stores, sure. But a place that relies as much upon trading as upon selling? I have to admit that I had come to think of stores like that as being exclusive to holes-​in-​the-​wall and rundown heritage buildings.
But a thriving little book exchange this is, with shelves packed to overflowing. There is a solid little section dedicated to so-​called serious fiction – there’s a copy of Roberto Bolaño’s 2066 that’s in near-​perfect condition and just waiting to be snapped up – but the focus is on popular and pulp fiction. There are literally shelves and shelves of Tom Clancy and Ben Elton. You can’t move for the Danielle Steel. And if there’s more Mills & Boon in one place in Perth then I sure haven’t come across it. I think I’d be kind of frightened if I did.
Best of all is the fact that the prices are what you would expect from a second-​hand bookstore. I’ve noticed that they’ve been creeping up in most such places – if I wanted to pay upwards of fifteen dollars I’d go to somewhere I could at least buy new – but they’re keeping them admirably low here. I was able to pick up Graham Greene’s Our Man in Havana for four dollars. And I know I’ll be able to trade it in when I’m done.