Reading habits in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is such a welcoming place to read because you are surrounded by such a willing landscape to adventures only limited by your imagination. One of the things I love to do is read. Anywhere. Period. But after I found myself in Costa Rica the books that I read expanded and evolved. I have read everything from The Day Christ was Born and The Day Christ Died to The House of Silk. With the mind soothing sounds of the jungle around you or ocean before you, the ability to get lost in a story is as simple as turning the page.  I take a book with me when I am out and about, and though there is never a dull moment in this beautiful place, I love the way a good story or great information enhances the place I am treasuring up in my heart. I order a lot of books on amazon, use the library regularly and buy books from others. I also pass most books along to friends, family and even the person next to me on the airplane.
One of the most enjoyable books I read lately in Nosara was Moonwalking with Einstein. It is a memory training book but in story form and it uses association to skillfully train your memory. It is so unbelievable how easy it is to train your memory using this skill and I had so much fun applying it to the areas I love in Costa Rica.
If you are a reader, Costa Rica will only make you love what you love!  If not, pick up a book and you will be!

100's of books paper backs mostly for sale..speaking of books and reading i read mostly true crime Ann Rule is incredible..cannot .get enough of her.  They do not go into gory details but more of the psychological defects of the criminal..and the court case etc..BUT ALAS
i am awaiting cataract surgery and unable to read my hundreds of books i bought out an English reading book store's inventory so have many many genres...hard backs also/ many i bought new from Amazon Expensive move,, i needed when my B&B was in full swing...now semi retired more retired than semi...now I need some extra cash so anyone wants to buy at great prices call or email Debbie at
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i would like to sell 10 at a time for great discounts..

I am an avid reader of articles on the Internet. I have found a few sites that reliably tell me what is going on in the world, without the "spin" of political biases. One of my subscriptions is to Caitlin Johnstone's blog, for instance. I probably spend between 120 and 180 hours per month in this pursuit. I also do a certain amount of recreational reading; I enjoy Speculative Fiction (s.f.), but my collection was almost all given away when I downsized to come here. I brought with me Andy Weir's second novel, Artemis. (His first is The Martian.) I have a considerable number of technical reference works that are in the custody of a good buddy of mine, who I am trying to get to move down here as well. Any spare time (what's that?) goes to studying my Complete Spanish Grammar book that I got through Amazon.

It is difficult to find had or soft cover books written in English where I live.  Thank goodness for internet access.  Our Kindle library grows almost daily.

In many of  the small towns around the country, it is impossible to find books written in the English language. That was why so many groups started selling used books to raise funds for many causes.

Now, most of these have stopped, for two reasons. One is that boxing them up and storing them became a problem and the other is that with so many electronic devices that now allow us instant access to new books, so no-one wants to buy them. I, for one, am very grateful about this as I get mine straight from the 'library'...at no cost. Added bonus is that they take up no space...

BTW, termites love to devour the insides...making a space to hide valuables

yes "mr negativity "haha
i know it is you.. even though you use different. but similar usernames...I can usually recognize your posts because in the many many years of reading them, i have YET to see a positive comment /post on any subject ..especially regarding those wanting to move to Costa Rica..
I heard you left.and returned to Canada..is it much better there for you I hope...then WHY do you hang around seemingly to dissuade them from moving to Costa Rica ? ....putting  off people with incorrect information regarding how much it takes to live here..and residency can take 5 years LOL MANY on his site received it in 9 months..if they are still on the site...mine took a year .
Why are you so very bitter ? and if you hate CR why be on this site?  many here told me you have returned to Canada yes?

i have hundreds of books on what we use "bookshelves.
i do not box books they are too precious..and ask ANY real reader if they would trade the joy of turning pages to what i was given many years ago as a gift a KIMBLE  I believe that is the name of that ugly contraption ....but I would  never use a mechanical  "book"  ugh!
i am an ex editor ..(Proof available )  so hard backs especially are very meaningful to an avid reader...and as for termites ...What type of homes were you living in here or there ?

After 31 years in my house which I built with  lots of precious woods ... Hardwood floors,  walls etc..
(But I live in a very moderate Springlike climate here in the Hills of Heredia )..perhaps you were in one of the many who chose not so moderate climates here,
I used to see your posts telling us A/C costs you $$$$ HUNDREDS and  your silly posts about Caja costing us HUNDREDS of dollars laughable did that Canadian company take that money from you and tell you that was the price?  I forget the name of that company ut heard that they are still hustling newcomers from USA and Canada a few deok Europe or initials..so does CAJA not true I pay $23
mold or  would not know a termite from an elephant..maybe you can tell me about them.  I hope they did not eat up your house.oh dear THAT would make ME bitter plus all those horrendous things that happened to you in CR...
back to the terror of termites ..I read that they do that to wood that is old or rotting ..true?

Real readers have withdrawls from not being able to buy books in English except if they are willing to pay as I did many years ago $15 for a paperback book then  $$$ the posting..
Later a few ingenious   folk realized our needs so made a business of exchange/ selling books... GREAT so I bought one out.of her inventory when she retired...not cheap but sure worth it for us readers.
.I did not mean to get you annoyed  thinking I was going to make money on used books. I think many would be, as my ex B&B guests were THRILLED to swap books..and any profit if made   (I doubt) who knows to whom  I would donate i?t Since I rescue homeless dogs the legit shelters  such as "Territorios de Zaquates"  gogle it watch them run. together, .. dog lovers i tisamiraxle...  maybe  first, dog lovers check out my friends rescue farm she has over 900 dogs..mine are down to 9 ..and dwindling with age..you will love this link.on line
I will look now for it It is addictive,,and proves that dogs ARE nicer than so called"Humans"
PS me Khol3  all your posts are still here of you click on your now "no Photo" and I swear I took a peek and  not ONE post  was not negative..people should check them out on you profile..If you don't delete after this all "Kohl ish names....

Before accumulating my books  at ONE TIME FOR AN ENGLISH BOOK I WOULD HAVE PAID $2O  for a tattered used paperback..(and often did,  via Amazon plus shipping.) .
Now my eyesight with cataracts wont let me enjoy my passion Reading.....but surgery soon will change that eh?
Bonsoir.....
sorry no time to edit my friends enjoy my typos LOL.
PS : How is Canada...?  cold? brrrrrrr been a while since I was there.

Thank you for opening this post. As an avid English-language print fiction reader, (how's that for stringing adjectives!) book availability is one of my concerns regarding moving to Costa Rica. In which towns do libraries or book exchanges have a good selection of English-language fiction?

As mentioned in my prior post, most of the larger, used book stores have closed, however you may find some expats will resell some at a 'booth' in a market-type setting. At least, that's what I used to do with mine. Actual libraries may be found in the San Jose/Central Valley towns....but I wouldn't count on getting  English books there. Hotels often will have an 'book exchange' area.

If you have a library account in your home town in the USA, most if not all libraries - I think! - have e-books to "Borrow" via online. I am able to use my USA library card to borrow e-books even while living here. They don't know where you are, and I still have a USA address.
This may or may not work for you, depending on your library. Try connecting to your library website that offers e-books while here in Costa Rica and see if it works ...

Contrary to those who love only paper books, I love my Kindle Paperwhite e-book reader and highly recommend it! I would never choose to buy a paper book over an e-book now! But to each his own!

The biggest advantage of a Paperwhite kindle reader is that you can borrow ebooks from the library, and also you can buy anything you want from amazon and have it delivered instantaneously to your Kindle while here in Costa Rica (but keep your amazon account at a US address!).

Also there is a service available for a small monthly fee where you can get many books included in the service fee via amazon, sent to your kindle reader.

Note: I would never use a Kindle TABLET to read with nor for anything else. The tablets suck in my opinion. But the Kindle "Paperwhite" READER is fantastic! I just wrote another "glowing review" of the Kindle somewhere but I don't think it was here! If it was, feel free to delete this 2nd one, Mod! I'm not advertising for them (they have enough business already!), I'm just recommending a tool that I find super useful for expats. I am a "real reader" and I love my Kindle reader!