How to Get the Three Kingdoms novel
Helpful Hints
- Copy down the ISBN(s) if you're looking for a specific edition of the novel. Searching by ISBN is the fastest way to find a book in an online store, and if you write down the ISBN on an index card and hand it to an employee at a bookstore he can look it up and find it for you.
- Write down the title, translator, and author, if you don't particularly care which edition you get. It's much easier to hand over a piece of paper and say "Help me find this" than to try to spell out Luo Guanzhong's name to a librarian or store clerk.
The Cheap, Fast, and Simple Way: Online
ThreeKingdoms.com has the entire novel on their website. They use the C.H. Brewitt-Taylor translation with Pinyin names and minor corrections. They also have a nifty feature that lets users add and read notes to specific passages of the book. You can read the book online, or download it. The downside to this option is, printing it out will cost a fortune in ink and paper, and reading it on a glowing computer screen can be very uncomfortable.
The Cheap Way: Libraries
Check WorldCat — this website looks for books in libraries near your postal code, and it's extremely helpful. However, not all libraries are a part of WorldCat, so you might still want to scout around your local libraries. Don't forget to check university libraries, some do allow non-students to borrow books.
The novel may be shelved under Fiction or Nonfiction. If it's under Nonfiction, it would likely be in the 895s (asian literature) of the Dewey Decimal system. If it's under Fiction, it could be shelved under Guanzhong, Luo (or Kuanchung, Luo), or under the name of the translators (Roberts, Moss, or Brewitt-Taylor, C.H.). It's easiest to just ask a librarian for help; that is what they're there for.
If the book's not at your library, ask a librarian about inter-library loans. Many libraries can borrow a book from another library on your behalf (sometimes for a small fee, sometimes for free). The other library will mail the book to your library in a week or two, and you then pick up the book and borrow it in the normal way. They'll give you ample time in which to read the book, so you don't have to worry about getting it done in a few days. When you're done, the library will mail the book back.
The Fast Way: Bookstores
Finding the books on the shelves is difficult, since most bookstores don't carry it and when they do, they could shelve it in any number of places, like World Literature, Chinese History, Classic Literature, or Fiction. It's easiest to just ask an employee for help.
If they don't have the book in the store, ask if they can special order it for you — it often doesn't cost extra and only takes a week or two.
If you can't get the book at one store, try another. Check your phone book's yellow pages under "Books" to find all the bookstores in your area, or search BookSense to find an independent bookstore near you. Used bookstores are unlikely to have the novel, but sometimes they can track down out-of-print or rare editions for you when normal bookstores fail you.
The Simple Way: Online Stores
You can buy the novel new from big online stores like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powells, and Books-A-Million, or you can buy the novel used through Alibris, AbeBooks, eBay, and Half.com.
Before buying, check and re-check that you're getting the exact edition you want. It's easy to waste your money buying an abridged edition instead of a full, or to get the second volume when you wanted the first. Check the ISBN, and if you're buying a used book e-mail the seller and ask specific questions, like who translated the book and how many chapters it has. Also, ask for photos of the book — most used book sellers will take photos and send them to you so you know exactly what book you're getting and what condition it's in.
Last updated: 15 April 2008.