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Westsider Rare and Used Books
Categories: Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Music & DVDs Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Bookstores Music & DVDs, Bookstores [Edit]
2246 Broadway(between 80th St & 81st St)
New York, NY 10024
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
(212) 362-0706
- Nearest Transit:
-
79 St (1, 2)
86 St (1, 2)
81 St - Museum of Natural History (A, B, C)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10 am - 11 pm
Sun 10 am - 9 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
34 reviews for Westsider Rare and Used Books
Review Highlights
"A great little book store on the UWS."
(in 4 reviews)
"We always stop here when we're in the Upper West Side."
(in 7 reviews)
"If you're into Sci-Fi you'll definitely find some great..."
(in 3 reviews)
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34 reviews in English
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Review from Almagrace B.
Queens, NY
10/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
nice place. Has lots of book selections and very well organized. I have always dreamed of having wall to ceiling libraries of countless books. and this place is quite breathtaking for any bookworm to spend time at.
The guy was helpful and friendly, I was looking for an IPA Longman dictionary and found one right there for 15 bucks which was at all bad. Also an English-Italian dictionary for 6.
Definitely a place worth coming back to, for limitless times. -
Review from Adina F.
1/12/2012
WWWOOOOWWW. This place looks small from the outside, but don't let that first impression deceive you, the store is jam packed from floor to ceiling with books (and the ceiling is probably 50 feet high). The shelves wrap around to the back of the store and then there's an upstairs with even more amazing stuff. Its fun to just sit down in here and kill a few hours.
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Review from Jeff S.
12/1/2011
A great little book store on the UWS. I always try to check it out when I'm looking for something new to read. They have heaps of stuff in stock, some odd and quirky, some mainstream. If you're into Sci-Fi you'll definitely find some great choices here. I wish there were more options like this in the area.
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Review from Carla C.
10/16/2011
Great place to find a surprise - of course I was drawn in by a book in the window display...Halloween crafts. Went further inside and spent a wonderful half hour perusing the shelves.
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Review from A A.
Hempstead, NY
:: wakes up. Has no idea where she is ::
Where am I?
Smells like the library. I mean, OLD ones.
All I see is bunch of old art books.
I had a Manolo Blahnik's sketchbook on my lap, and...
Oh, I am here at Westsider!
There's a cozy ol' chair in upstairs and I always stay for hours to read books.
Nobody bothers me. And that is why I fell asleep for a while.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
:: goes downstairs ::
David: "Oh, I almost forgot you were there! Ya lucky I didn't close the store without making sure"
Me: "I know, I was there nearly 2 hours. I just LOVE this store. Whenever I meet some book lover, I tell them, 'F*ck Str(censored)nd, come over here.'
Don't get me wrong, I still love Str(censored)nd, but it's too big and stuff, ya know?"
David: "I agree"
Me: "And I am still old school, like, I can't stand this stuff called "No(censored)k" or whatever, I wanna SENSE the paper on my fingertips, goddamnit!"
David: "Totally"
Me: "So, what time will you guys be closing tonight?"
David: "Uh, depends, but Sunday night is kinda slow, ya know? So I think we are gonna close in an hour or so"
Me: "So, website called Yelp said you close by 10:30 today. Let me check other days. WHAT? You guys close 12 am on Fridays?"
David: "I don't think that's accurate"
Me: "Oh, since I pulled this apps on my phone, let me show you this picture. Who are they?"
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
David: "Ah, this guy on the right was upstairs today. You saw him, didn't ya?"
Me: "OH yeah, that's him. Where are you on this photo?"
David: "Apparently they don't want me to be there"
Me: "Hahahahaha! Listen, I really love this store. I personally think this is the best bookstore in the city. It's really hard and difficult time for this kind of business, but I hope you guys won't be closing.. "
David: "I know. I have seen good bookstores in the city have been closed. It's sad."
Me: "What's your name?"
David "David"
Me: :: Shakes hands :: Q(censored)a. Please to meet you, David. Have a great one"
I love this store. You should check this place out. -
Review from Alessa M.
1/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The Upper West Side is all about mom and pop stores, shopping local and not submitting to the chain stores. Although yes sometimes you find me at Barnes and Noble or Borders. I can find the most wonderful unique books here.
They are aged, you can tell and it's wonderful. It will never be crowded it will never overwhelm you. They carry a lot of genre's like Sci-Fi all the way to cooking books. It's fun to go inside and not really know what you want and letting your feet take you to an amazing book.
The person working there is always so happy to help so if there is ever a question they will help.
It's a tight space so try not to be a bag lady in there, and sometimes they've got books outside the store that are gems as well. You'll see what I mean when you get there.Listed in: Upper West Side
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Review from Jacqueline G.
Manhattan, NY
5/18/2011
Westsider Books is the bookstore on Broadway that always has shelves of dollar books out front, along with some stacks of inexpensive used CDs and VHS movies. After finding a few great things out front and paying for them right inside the door, I finally took the time to look around the rest of the store. It's a small store and somewhat cramped, with bookshelves going up to the ceilings. I don't think I'd be able to find anything there if I didn't know what I was looking for, but I happened to find some things I had been looking to buy, in great condition for half the original price or less. If you're in a hurry, you should just take a look at the dollar shelves, but if you have more time, it's worth it to take a look around inside.
This place is loaded with tons of old and used books. You will be pleasently surprised to find all these random titles. Old manuscripts, first editions, author notes. Its amazing. The prices are excellent and you can find tons of expensive books for cheap. Sometimes you have to pick an older version, but its still a steal of a deal. Its a bit of search to find what you're looking for....but they have it all.
Could it be better? It is a gem - lots of books packed into a small space. As to their buying your books, cds, DVDs - they give you a fair price. After all, they do have to make money. -
Review from Ika c.
Dallas, TX
9/11/2010
My favorite bookstore in the City :)
It's quaint. It's quiet. It smells like the pages of an old book you'd read over and over again when you were a little kid.
It has every requirement of a cosy little bookshop!
Aside from the classics, contemporary novels, sci-fi, plays, books on philosophy, cooking, psychology, travel (they literally have everything), they ALSO carry Rex Stout mysteries!!! If you're lucky enough to have read his work, I need to say no more. For those of you who don't know who he is, let's just say he's one of the best writers I've ever come across. AND his books are ALWAYS hard to find, for most are out of print.
This place is a rare gem :)Comment from Dorian T. of Westsider Rare and Used Books 9/11/2010
Thanks so Much! More » -
Review from Mooie G.
Manhattan, NY
12/20/2010
Lots of books, good atmosphere. Go in when have time... Books are double shelved so don't go if you are in a rush. I like the feel... and the search for an awesome used book is half the fun. I will definitely be stopping in regularly.
If looking for something, just ask. The person working was more than happy to help. the place is packed with books and space is tight so try not to go in with lots of bags. -
Review from Sienna K.
Philadelphia, PA
2/22/2008
It was a miserable cold rainy day when I first entered Westsider Books. I had been sent on an errand to Staples while working for an incompetent, ignorant, and impossibly malicious art dealer in the Upper West Side, and not wanting to go back to the office, I walked around the cozy Upper West Side bookstore.
I left that day empty handed. In fact, although I'd always stop by Westsider Books every time I was sent to an errand, I never bought anything.
At first glance, Westsider Books looks every bit like a beautiful fantasy. Though the tiny store has little floor space, creating an intimate feel, it has a really tall ceiling space that it packs with shelves after shelves crammed with books. There's so many books that they overflow from the wall space, and onto piles stacked alongside the walking area and on the stairway. It's almost like a literary cavern, completed by a rare books collection upstairs and even old records.
But why is it that I've never felt at ease at this store? And indeed, after quitting my job, I never went back to the bookshop.
I was doing some shopping on the Upper West Side recently and decided to enter the store for nostalgia sake. Nothing had changed. It was still wall to wall of books. I skimmed through the titles, wondering once more why I always felt a bit unhappy when surrounded by books. And then I spied it-- a collection of Borges' short stories.
Poetic coincidence or not, it suddenly made sense. Westsider Books is some sort of New York equivalent of Borges' Library of Babel-- a great amassing of books, so much and so intimidating that the great treasures are completely lost in the glut of pages.
Finding that thought a little too sad, I ended up forcing myself to buy a book. All the books I was looking for, they did not have. After foraging around the store for a bit, I chose Carlos Fuentes' "Inez," even though I still haven't finished my other Fuentes book. I also peeked upstairs, and found that they had a happy collection of beautiful antique postcards and bought couple, including one of a castle in Dijon. When I came home, I found out that Amazon was selling a brand new copy of "Inez" for half the price I paid at Westsider.
I'm not sure if I want to brave the Library of Babel again. But I might stop by for some postcards.Listed in: Independent Bookstores (and…
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Review from Daniel P.
3/5/2008
Get this:
I'm with my friend, and I mention that I've wanted to buy a copy of Before Night Falls for a while. I hit the Barnes & Noble website. The store at union square should have it in stock. I make the call. No go.
I try the 82nd street store. Go.
We board the 1 uptown, and I'm prepared to drudge through the emerald green aisles once again (and before you get all New Yorkerish and defensive, I've worked at a Barnes & Noble. I've had to deal with you people). We get off at 79th street, walk for a bit, and bless my little sacred heart, The Westsider appears like a mirage before me. I enter. I greet the man behind the money machine.
He says "What?"
I say "I'm looking for Before Night Falls, kind gentleman of leisure wholovesbooksandmoviessomuchhestartedhisownstore."
"Arenas, right? Look past the ladder to your right."
I follow his directions and end up in front of a ceiling-high shelf oddly configured and confusingly labeled. A woman, who seemingly works there, comes over and explains the sorting system to me.
"It's Africa, South America, Cuba, etcetera. It should be around here," she says, with a general wave.
I search. I hope. I find it blind-spined and horizontal on top of the South America section. I pick it up, leaf through it, check for marks, smells, things unusual or displeasing. Nothing smacks me. I suddenly realize there's some great old jazz playing overhead and I ask my friend if he'd like to peruse for a while. He says he can peruse.
And peruse we did. I spent about an hour here, happened upon some first editions, and some shockingly recent graphic novel releases. Everything was $5-8 lower than the retail price, and in excellent condition.
Here is a place that may as well be this guy's attic. And I love everything that statement connotes. -
Review from S W.
ASTORIA, NY
7/14/2011
This is one of my favorite bookstores in the city and certainly the best one uptown. First you notice the books are stacked well beyond reach and then you notice there are stacks of books behind the stacks of books. It's not a rational system if you're looking for something in particular, but it's great for browsing and finding the unexpected.
They also carry vinyl records. Mostly their selection tends toward standard classic rock stuff, but you occasionally see some good indie/alternative fare (I've picked up albums from The Cure and PJ Harvey, for example). They also have a proper record store on 72nd St., but oddly enough I think the selection is better here.
I wonder if anyone has picked up the R. Kelly "Feelin' on Yo Booty" 12" single yet. -
Review from Erica C.
New York, NY
11/26/2006
I was browsing in the rare books section (up a precarious flight of stairs lined with books) when the shop attendant ran over, saw that I was fingering Proust, and asked, "do you need a set of Proust?" Which was awesome. Who NEEDS Proust?
Lots of decent used books, though their rare collection's a bit shaky. The interior reminds me a bit of Shakespeare & Co. in Paris, with towering, overflowing bookshelves, dangerous ladders, and the familiar smell of old books. Tiny shop, lots of books, cheap. For anyone wanting to stay long, there's a single, shabby armchair upstairs tucked into a corner. -
Review from Alexandra D.
New York, NY
7/2/2008
I love this store. Its never crowded, the books are in good condition and reasonably priced and, unlike a lot of used bookstores, they have a GREAT drama section.
In terms of selling books, they often don't want to buy what I bring in which is frustrating, but they are a tiny store with not much space, so I'll forgive them. -
Review from Anna M.
Davis, CA
6/23/2011
Fantastic bookstore!!! A shotgun outfit that seems to go all the way through to the other side of the block, but it's only just a bit wider than its own front door. Stacks of books everywhere, shelves up to the considerable ceiling, and a balcony wedged in the back. One minor problem: slightly abrasive staff. But you you can't expect everything to be perfect.
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Review from Brian H.
6/26/2007
The classical record/CD annex (on 72nd btw Broadway and West End) has a pretty comprehensive selection of vinyl. Sheet music features lots of piano music, standard miniature scores, choral, vocal, and opera librettos. CD selection is less esteemed, but you find some gems now and then. Also books on music, drama, and lots of biographies. Shopkeeper is very knowledgeable, personable, and will sometimes let you play music on the house system before you buy.
UPDATE: Shopkeeper (Raymond) recently passed away, but some young and eager people have replaced him. While not as encyclopedic and seasoned as the old man, they are keenly aware of his great legacy, and do their best to help you find what you need. -
Review from Jessica U.
Brooklyn, NY
2/22/2008
I spotted this place tonight after work and, being a sucker for most things old, used, and legible, I decided to browse their selection. What I liked most was the unique quality of each book, even if it was one of those that tends to frequent used bookstores' shelves. Old etchings or unusual design added character to books often otherwise found far past their prime.
The guy who runs the place is also full of personality. I eavesdropped as he debated with one disgruntled customer who firmly believed that Portnoy's Complaint was the dirtiest and most revolting novel ever written. When I asked if he had any more Nabakov, he informed me that Lolita was destined to be a hit in our sex-crazed nation, just look at all the obsession with pornography! I enjoyed talking to him though. He tried to reach out to me about things I was reading, instead of just burying himself in all those well stacked books. -
Review from Jordan B.
Harlem, Manhattan, NY
9/10/2008
This place is actually TWO STORES now - Westsider Books (Broadway; across from Zabar's) and Westsider records (72nd Street, just west of Bway).
WESTSIDER RECORDS first --This place is crammed with fascinating assortments of classical LPs, but they have been stored poorly - mold, humidity (and.. were those rat pellets i saw??) are rampant. It's hard to buy LPs from such a place, because you know they are never as clean as they might look from the cover. Also WAY overpriced. The Jazz records are fair, i guess, at $5-10 each. However they want $5-6 a disc for the Classical stuff too, which is just silly. An opera with 2 discs will cost ya $12? Come on. You can get better condition LPs at Academy for $2-4. Or at housing works, for that matter, for only 50 cents! Nevertheless there seems to be a stream of older, wealthy UWS'ers who have no trouble paying $25 for a ratty copy of Die Goetterdaemmerung. Whatever.
They recently made a big push to clean up the store, and sold a lot of old stock and duplicates for 3-for-a-Dollar. That was fun while it lasted, but it's now all picked-over and the 33cent LPs are mostly garbage.
WESTSIDER BOOKS:
I love this place. I stumbled across it first back around 1997 when it still had all the records and books at the one location on B'way. The Upper West Side was a different world back then. It's pretty fair priced, aroiund 4-5 dollars for nice paperbacks, and the staff are eccentric but mostly stay out of the way. It's pretty tight fitting in this boite when more than 2 or 3 people are shopping. But the selection tends to be very good. Everything you want in a tiny bookshop! -
Review from R. M.
Brooklyn, NY
3/24/2011
This is a great little used bookstore tucked away in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. They have a small selection of used books piled up everywhere, and they have good art books and cook books. They also have vinyl!
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Review from Li M.
New York, NY
10/7/2005
I LOVE WESIDER RECORDS! Where else can you find quality records for THIRTY THREE CENTS each?! Yes, thirty-three cents. The ones in the front mostly (classical and jazz; Gershwin!). The ones in the back are $5 and up (mainly rock and classic rock stuff like the Stones). I go here for the records, but there's a ridiculous amount of used books here as well. The smell of used books is intoxicating. In a good way.
The atmo. is cozy. -
Review from Jennifer N.
Washington, DC
3/2/2010
We have walked past Westsider a few million times, and finally stopped in last night. It reminded me of that first generation of used bookstores-- completely packed and books everywhere. This is the scavenger hunt model of used bookstores, this is the kind of used bookstore where the pleasure is finding the diamond in the dirt.
I'm the kind of person who likes my used bookstore to do a little bit of work for me. I like shelves that aren't stacked 2-3 books deep. I like a book buyer who refuses to buy crap, so that the store only stocks literary fiction, quality poetry, etc. And I like a store that periodically goes through its stock and donates the things that just won't sell to Salvation Army. Westsider is not that place. It's a packrat. It's a hoarder. So if you want to roll up your sleeves and dig in, this is your place. If, like me, digging isn't your thing, keep walking.Comment from Dorian T. of Westsider Rare and Used Books 3/2/2010
Thanks, we try our best. More » -
Review from Gene W.
Chicago, IL
6/24/2009
This was probably one of the best bookstores I've ever been to. Great two floor shop that carried that undeniable and inviting smell of old books and leather and carpet.
The only complaint I've got when looking back is that I didn't have enough money to spend. I was able to find a rare first edition of Lawrence Ferlinghetti's "Unfair Arguments with Existence", which I had been looking for forever. Also nabbed some Amiri Baraka, a great book about the history of spoken word and slam, and the collected lyrics of Lou Reed.
Speaking of Mr. Reed, the entire time I was browsing, it was to the tune of the Velvet Underground, which is worth four stars in itself. The prices were decent and the staff, sitting cramped in a corner amongst towers of books, was far more pleasant than the usual indie bookstore lot. Three thumbs up. -
Review from Maxx C.
Washington, DC
11/15/2009
Feisty little bookstore on the Upper West Side, making good use of limited space in a high rent district. Worth a look for the breadth of their selection.
Four stars because they double-shelve books, an evil practice that makes browsing painful. And the books in back are never any good anyway. If they made better use of the mezzanine level and purged a little old stock, they wouldn't have to. -
Review from Gourmet G.
San Francisco, CA
11/2/2005
Used books and old LPs are the stuff of which this browser's dreams are made. There's a lot of classic material mixed in with the dreck, and it's all amazingly low-priced.
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Review from Crystal T.
Manhattan, NY
5/10/2011
I have visited this bookstore once and it does appear that they have a great selection of some really old books (although a bit disorganized, a good inventory every once in a while would be beneficial) and the staff was friendly when I went in, this is the only reason I am giving them two stars, the service I received over the phone yesterday should receive negative stars but unfortunately that isn't possible. I called to see if they had a book in stock, as soon as I said the title the guy puts down the phone without giving me a chance to ask him to check the price too, when he gets back on the phone he says "what's your name?!" so they can put it aside for me, after I ask the price, $8 (I can get it brand new for $9.57 across the street at Barnes & Noble), I tell him nevermind and what does he do?? He huffs and slams the phone down on me. Moral of the story is, customer service is key, and I will gladly pay the extra $1.57 for someone that is required to be pleasant or at least civil to me. I will never shop at this bookstore again. If there is a rare book that I need I will find it online, chances are they wouldn't be able to find it in their piles and if they could it wouldn't be reasonably priced.
Comment from Dorian T. of Westsider Rare and Used Books 5/10/2011
Sorry, we do try so hard to emulate Barnes & Nobles steller… More » -
Review from Tom F.
Boston, MA
2/20/2010
This place is all about ambiance. And books. Mainly books, actually.
It's a tightly packed two-floor shop that manages to squeeze so many books in.
Before I continue, I need to say one thing - the prices are awesome.
Everything here is used, and the prices match that. it's not like your used booksellers on the street sell barely discounted used books. These are in good condition, and the cost is kept really low.
The size of the space, which is not big at all, is probably the one thing keeping their overhead low enough to maintain low prices. As a result, the books are often shelved one row behind another, which can be a pain. Though not enough of a problem that any book enthusiast can't overcome on the hunt for a good book at an excellent price.
The selection here is very eclectic as well. Yes, you'll find your mainstream books, but you'll also come across a few hard to find or just unexpected surprises. Because of the massive amount of books crammed into this tiny space, it can be trying to find what you're looking for. Though along the way, whether you find it or not, you're bound to find something worth your while. -
Review from Tovah S.
New York, NY
9/22/2008
This is exactly the kind of place I picture in my mind when I think "used bookstore." Crammed floor-to-ceiling with hidden treasures (they even have those sliding ladders!), hand lettered signs, complex jazz playing quietly in the background. I could browse in here forever. Probably not the place to go if you need a specific title, but they do have their inventory online at http://abebooks.com so if you do some research first, you might find what you're looking for.
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Review from Dan B.
12/23/2008
This quaint bookstore epitomizes what the Upper West Side is about. Never crowded, great selection, used books, hidden treasures, and quiet areas to read. We always stop here when we're in the Upper West Side.
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Review from Vincent P.
Pearl River, NY
6/20/2007
Stumbled upon this place while exploring the Upper West Side. I originally thought this was a book store. But to my suprise they had a great selection of used vinyl that was very affordable. I picked up a Woody Allen LP and XTC"s Black Seas for 20 bucks. Not bad, I'll definitely be back here soon.
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Review from Qz Z.
Austin, TX
2/3/2009
They have awesome collection of music books, I even found this rare edition of an old Christmas story book. I'm in love with the book!!! and they will reason with you about the pricing, all really depend on what condition of the book, and who is being the cashier that day. I've got like couple books on hold, don't even think about it!!
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Review from Alan C.
Austin, TX
5/7/2009
Westsider books and records is the remains of what had once been a true NYC original: Gryphon Records and Books. The first Gryphon was on West 72nd, upstairs and just filled with extraordinary classical rarities. It was managed by a true New Yorker, Raymond Donnell, who had years of experience and was supremely musical. As the 1980s became the 1990s and the compact disc reigned supreme, the era of the LP began to wane and slowly one owner after another bought and sold Gryphon. The final death knell rang in 2008 with the death of Raymond. New York will never be the same for me.
Comment from Dorian T. of Westsider Rare and Used Books 5/8/2009
Unfortunately times have changed Alan. We all miss Raymond… More » -
Review from Liz Y.
Brooklyn, NY
10/9/2008
I just adore this bookstore. I love the atmosphere, the books, the prices and the service. It is a great little book store with tons of charm and personality.
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Review from Nick D.
San Francisco, CA
4/16/2009
I went to their Westsider Records location that is strictly records and this place blew my mind. So many sweet records just casually stored on shelves. I found so many good records including some early Steve Miller and Leonard Cohen. I never find that stuff anywhere else without it being over $10. I probably bought 20 something records and negotiated my way down to an awesome price. The dude who was there when I was there was so loud and hilarious. Great little store if you have the extra time to flip through their messy shelves. 4 out of 5 because it's a little unorganized.
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Review from Nile B.
New York, NY
4/9/2009
Great little book store! Like many of the reviewers have already said, with it's high ceilings, book-shelf ladders, and shelves crammed full with stacks and stacks of books, it is the epitome of used little book stores, just as i might picture it. I've been in a couple times but this time I went in with a purpose. I'm taking a history class and currently working on writing a paper detailing Hitler's world view. I had all the materials I needed in my course pack since our professor said it would have what we'd need for the paper. Regardless, I decided to see if I could find a simple and cheap book to act as a second source for my paper. After five minutes of browsing I found at first glance what I hoped would be a perfect addition for my research; a book that was not overly comprehensive (143 pages) and also inexpensive ($5 + tx). success it seems! Either way it'll make a quick read for someone who needs to brush up on their history. I've not yet checked out the upper floor but I plan to visit again soon and check it out.
