Qatar Living Books Group

This group can be found at Qatar Living Groups and just reading through a few of the posts I feel sure that you will pick up a few ideas about books in Doha. Also you can maybe meet a few people as well along the way.

Books and new friends seems like a winning combination to me.

Pop along to the link above and join up!!!!

Comfort Website: Fantastic Fiction

Fantastic Fiction lists all the novels written by authors so that if, like me, you want to read all the novels by an author you can check them out here. For each author there is a little biography and a list of their books in date/series order together with a picture of the cover.

If you click on the cover you can read more about the book. Once you have clicked on the book cover the site gives you details of where you can buy the book. For recent novels this is the Amazon site but for out of print novels etc it will direct you to sellers who have second hand copies for sale. As it is a UK based website the links are generally to UK sellers.

I find the website very helpful to ensure that I read all the books by a particular author or just for surfing around on.

Fantastic Fiction Website

Comfort Website: Goodreads.com

If you are an avid reader like me then I am sure you are on the GoodReads Website. This has lists of books for you to record what you have read, what you intend to read as well as marking books that you have read.

You are also able to see what other people are reading or have read as well as gauging how good books are as many people have rated them. I find it very useful when I am considering reading books by a new author to find out what other people think.

I find the GoodReads website good fun and if you like books I am sure you will too.

Goodreads Website

Georgetown University Library

Georgetown University Website

The Georgetown University is out in Education City just off the C Ring road and is relatively easy to find. At the entrance to the campus the security staff will keep your ID card until you leave.

The Library is in a building fairly close to the entrance and it is generally easy to park. The library is on the first floor and is all new with lots of computers for you to use. You can also find books on line at this link where the library catalogue is on the web.

The Library catalogue system is completely unintelligible to me. You are best served by searching for your book on line either at home or at the library and then making a note of the catalogue number. A member of staff will point you in the right direction.

The cost of a library ticket is 50 Riyals that is refundable, and we were given a nice little cloth carry bag that I still use to carry books around.

The staff are friendly and helpful. Books have to be returned after 3 weeks but can be renewed on line or by phone. The selection of books for me (thrillers!) is not fantastic but it is cheaper than buying them if the University has them on the shelves. The parent Georgetown University in the USA has a better selection and books can be had from there too.

The library is not just for students but for members of the public too.

Books in Doha - Kindle

Kindle: Get your books electronically from Amazon UK or USA. You will need a UK/USA credit card registered in those countries I believe. You can get most books this way and read them on your computer or get a Kindle and read them on that. Probably the best way, I will get a Kindle later this year as at present I read them on the laptop.

Books in Doha - Importing Books

Importing Books: This is a pretty slow and expensive option. You can get someone to send you books but this roughly doubles the price. I ordered six James Patterson books from Amazon UK and got them sent on to me. Cost of books £32, cost of posting them to Doha from the UK about £35. Took about 3 weeks too.

The Company Aramex do a system for you to order books etc and get them to Doha for you. Their offices are just off the Salwa Road one roundabout from the Decoration Roundabout or they have a stall in the Landmark Shopping Mall too I think?

Or maybe you could get a friend who is coming in to Qatar to bring you some books. Or pop over to Dubai where there are many more bookstores and a far bigger selection than Qatar.

Books in Doha - Book Fair

Doha Book Fair: This was held earlier this year, November 2010 in the Exhibition Centre, had quite a few English books (and loads of Arabic ones). Not sure if it is on next year 2011 as well?

Need to check the local press or look at the signs on the sides of the road (huge ones!!!)

Books in Doha - Car Boot Sales

Car Boot Sales: Doha College for example has car boot sales so it is worth looking out for these. Not too many of these sales in the summer as it is too hot!

You can check these up on websites such as Qatar Living and Qatar Visitor or Time Out Doha magazine. These also have other details about what to do in Doha.

Books in Doha - Qatar Websites

Qatar Websites:

Qatar Living for example has a classifieds section. People come and go in Doha and those that leave often sell off their book collections.

Also another good website is Qatar Visitor.

Both websites have news, views, details of Qatar etc and are worth looking at in addition for book searching.

Worth checking out and revisiting every so often, I got some of James Patterson's Alex Cross series from someone just round the corner.

Books in Doha - Jarir Bookstore

Jarir Bookstore: Best known branch is on the Salwa Road near the Ramada crossroads. A pain to park around there so try and go when it is quiet. With the roadworks outside at the moment it is even more of a pain. The thriller mystery books are OK but not great in terms of selection. They seem to have loads of copies of one or two books by an author and you cannot find any more, a bit of a nuisance if you are trying to read a series.

Also sells computers and equipment, magazines, pens etc. Has a small Costa Coffee in the corner too.

The Salwa Road branch is at etc: Qatar Showroom: Salwa Road, Ramada Crossing, Doha
Showroom Timings: Sat-Thu 9am-1pm, 4pm-10pm; Fri 4pm-10pm
Tel. No. +974 444-0212, Fax No.+974 444-0432

The other branch is Al Rayyan Showroom:Al Sheikh Salman bin Khalid Al Thani Center, Al Rayyan Al Jadeed Road, Doha
Showroom Timings: Sat-Thu 9am-1pm, 4pm-10pm; Fri 4pm-10pm
Tel. No. +974 411-4322, Fax No.+974 411-4838

Books in Doha - I Spy Book Shop in City Centre Mall

I Spy Book Shop In City Centre Shopping Mall  (down in West Bay) on the top floor at the food court end. Quite a good selection of thrillers, cost around 35 Riyals. Worth checking out. They ordered some Harlan Coben novels for me but they took over a month to get to Doha and then I was charged from 50 to 55 Riyals per copy.

Worth a visit.

Books in Doha - Virgin in Villaggio

Best branch is in the Villaggio Shopping Mall near the Aspire Tower. Since they revamped the store a bit they have much more selection. The selection for me is pretty good but their books are pretty expensive around 50 to 55 Riyals per book.

Also sell computer games, musical instruments, TV's, computers, magazines, CD's, DVD's etc.

Cafes just outside the door and all air conditioned as well.

Books in Doha at Caribou Coffee

Caribou Coffee On the Salwa Road near the Alzizya Roundabout. Go upstairs and they have quite a slection. Unfortunately it is in the smoking section so go there when it is quiet or hold your breath! Books are relatively cheap for Qatar, about 22 to 25 Riyals for a paperback.

Probably the cheapest for books in Doha!!!

Caribou Coffee Salwa Road

A good coffee shop in Doha. This is Caribou Coffee on the Salwa Road, near the Azizya Roundabout. Good coffee and snacks that you would expect. Comfy sofas downstairs that is non smoking. Open during prayer time on Fridays!

Upstairs is smoking unfortunately as they have a selection of books to buy up here. Quite good selection too and not too expensive for Doha (22 to 25 Riyals for thriller type paperbacks). There is also a meeting room too for about a dozen people.

Magazines to read downstairs and you can get 1 QAR off of your bill if you can answer a general knowledge question behind the counter. Free wi-fi.

Worth popping in.