Preview: Book swap

It can be a drag finding English-language books at an affordable price in Prague: The latest come late, the used sections are always missing the ones you want, and everything seems to cost a bit more than you are used to paying. Perhaps that's why so many folks ask that their books be brought in, or overstuff their suitcases, risking baggage fees that would offset any savings; once into the country, the volumes sit on shelves, awaiting the rainiest days to be read or truly trusted friends to trade with.

A Sunday, Jan. 20, book swap, may get circulation going, then, in the newly opened multipurpose space in the backroom of Fubar, which, since August, has offered a variety of interesting events and specials in its Žižkov space. At the nexus of several hostels and in a handy spot for anyone local, Fubar's book swap - free, by the way, with snacks provided, too, and Pilsner and Gambrinus on sale in the bar - should bring in newly dogeared copies from abroad as well dust-collectors off residents' shelves.

"While studying at university there were monthly book swaps on the campus," says Fubar co-owner Francesca Hughes, offering 10 of her own business-related books - most traders are limited to five - in the hopes of getting the second and third installments of the 50 Shades of Grey series. "Buying books can be a high expense to students, so the book swaps were great for acquiring new books, especially if the books you were looking for were not available in the libraries. My partner whom I run Fubar with also ran a bar in London back in the United Kingdom, and he held monthly book swaps that were very popular with the student community near his bar."

Hughes says this swap ought to be more useful for teachers of English than students in England, allowing them to exchange material they may have tired of teaching. In addition, she says, there should be a fair number of books in Czech also available at the swap.

Fubar has engaged the community - indeed, created its own - in several ways since opening: The joint offers regular specials on food and drink (including a daily 100 Kč dish), biweekly karaoke nights (by now, reservations are required), and scattered clothing exchanges, open mic nights and live music. The book swap is a novel one, and, for many, perhaps the most useful.

Milan Gagnon can be reached at
mgagnon@praguepost.com