All was not lost and I was off with Razzu in half an hour; the auto journey was a breeze.
The book market is spread along the whole stretch of Abids road from Chermas upto MPM mall(Big Bazaar). All kinds of books, from children's study books, guides, travelogues to novels are available here. The best sellers like Twilight and the Harry Potter books are sold like hot cakes. Though low on cost, they compromise on quality and one might end up with a totally ruined copy if not careful.
Costs range from Rs 5 to outright 5000! A thumb rule I follow- I never buy anythng above 150. There are other ways to get good books ;-)
Novels are sold depending on the author. A Frederick Forsyth or Ludlum novel costs no less than 100. Same with other writers like Robin Cook or Crichton. Crime thrillers can be had for Rs50 to Rs70 Magazines can be bought for Rs20 max. Some design magazines may cost more. It is important to check the release date of the mag. Since I buy computer mags, anything older than one year is useless.
The complex with the Hollywood footwear store is the place to go for exotic titles. Design books and other titles such as watercolor painting, interior decoration are sold here at outrageous(atleast for me) prices here. I saw one guy paying 1k for a very slim book. Ebay dude!!!
One thing to remember while going book hunting is to get it done before noon. the afternoon sun can be very harsh and there is nothing overhead for protection. Evening shopping is good too, but the good titles would be gone by then...
One more thing is to keep one's cool when dealing with rude shopkeepers. As I said before, Hyderabad was never good at hospitality, It's all bluff.
At the end of the book market is a nice little 'bandi' offering Nimbu paani; A choice of a 'normal' glass or 'disposable' glass is offered. The juice helps restore all lost salts.
I never give it a miss.
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