ESL Podcast 257 - Finding a Book at a Bookstore
non-fiction - a type of writing about things that are true and are not imaginary
Most textbooks used in college and university classes are non-fiction.
hardback - a book with a hard cover that does not bend easily
This hardback costs almost $40, so I'm going to wait until the cheaper paperback copy is available.
paperback - a book with a flexible paper cover that bends easily
Paperbacks are lightweight and easy to pack, but they get damaged easily if you're not careful.
new release - a book that has recently become available for sale
This book is one of our most popular new releases. Our store received 100 copies yesterday, but today, we have only two copies left.
fiction - a type of writing about things that are imaginary and are not true
What kind of fiction do you like to read? Mysteries, science fiction, or romances?
title - the name of a publication, such as a book, magazine, or article
The title of Lucy's favorite book is "I, Claudius."
author - the person who wrote a book
One of my father's favorite authors is Leo Tolstoy.
ISBN - International Standard Book Number - a number assigned to each book that is published that no other book has
The ISBN for this book is 978-0325000633.
out-of-print - no longer being published; not in print anymore
You won't be able to find that out-of-print book in a normal bookstore, but you might be able to buy it online or in a used bookstore.
to look (something) up - to search for something in a directory or a reference book, such as a dictionary or phone book
If you have a phone book, you can look phone numbers up by the person's last name.
bestseller - a very popular book that is bought by many people
The "Harry Potter" books are bestsellers in many countries.
still in print - still being printed by the publishers; still being made or published
That book was very popular in the 1800s and it is still in print today.
to publish - to produce or make a book, newspaper, or magazine and sell it to the public
Chuck has written three books, but none of them have been published yet.
used - secondhand; already bought once and is now available for sale again
Davida likes to buy used books because they're less expensive than new books and they're usually in good condition.
to give (something) a try - to do something to see if it will work; to try to do something; to try something to see if it is pleasing
Mrs. Fritz suggested that I get a new pair of glasses so I can see better. I'll give it a try, but I don't think it will help.
biography - the story of someone's life, written by another person
This biography of Linus Pauling is fascinating. Have you read it?
reference - related to looking for information; a book that has information about specific topic(s)
The library's reference section includes dictionaries, encyclopedias, college guides, and telephone books.