An Update - Feb 2021

I'm aware that this blog is very rarely updated, so I've decided to make an effort to improve that.  First up is an update on what was happening with Diplomatist Books in February.

Due to the pandemic, most of our* usual sources for secondhand books have dried-up, but we've still been able to source new and remaindered books.  

In February we added 115 new titles to our stock.  We have at least as many waiting to be added in March.  Unlike secondhand books, these tend to come in multiples, so that figure represents some 500-600 actual books.  They cover all subjects: however, a significant number of them come from a German publisher, Kerber Verlag, and has increased our selection of art books - with many more to come over the next few weeks.

As ever, all new titles have featured on our Facebook page when they were listed.

In addition, we had an order with our wholesaler of military books that allowed us to restock a number of titles that had sold out in the last few months.

And it'll soon be time to get a new batch of postcards.  At the moment the bookwhippet is the fore-runner.

* I'm not sure why I use the nosism, Diplomatist Books is actually 'me', but the editorial we always seems more appropriate.

We're Still At It!

Despite all the issues with COVID and the worries caused by BREXIT, I'd like to reasure you that we're still at work.  Hopefully those who have ordered from us in the last couple of months continue to have had a good service (though I am aware that there have been some slight delays).

And just to prove it, here's a delivery we received earlier this week.  I've already begun to list this new stock, but be prepared for almost 250 new titles over the next few weeks as well as a restock of some titles that have sold out.

I'm very conscious that this blog is pretty moribund: but our FaceBook page is active, updated several times a week - do check it out.

Books on East Anglia

Given that we're based in the City of Norwich, we've naturally always had a number of books on East Anglia* in stock although that's not one of our specialisations.  Until now there hasn't been a quick way of browsing them.

Well now there is!  Click here to have a look

* For these purposes, East Anglia consists of the Counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex.

New International Postal Rates - 1 July 2020

As previously advised, increasing in international shipping rates (particularly to the USA) mean that we are having to put up our charges as of 1 Jul 2020.  They will be as follows:-

Europe - £8.50

Zone 1 - £12.50

Zone 2 - £14.00

Zone 3 - £18.00

These prices are based on a 750g parcel sent International Standard (not tracked).  We reserve the right to charge more for heavier parcels or other services.

Waterloo

As today marks the 205th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, I'll give you my annual reminder that you can see our list of books on the Napoleonic Wars here.

Forthcoming Postage Increases for US Customers

The US Government has a stated aim of encouraging its citizens to buy American rather than foreign goods.  One of the ways it has sought to do this was to threaten to withdraw from the Universal Postage Union unless it was allowed to set its own fees for international mail shipped into the US, and to use this to penalise customers who have goods shipped in.

As a result, from 1 July 2020 there will be an increase of more than 100% in the fees the US Postal Service charges for 'last mile' delivery of international mail.

• For example, sending a small parcel of 750g-1kg by International Standard Rate (ie, untracked Air Mail) now costs £12.23.  From 1 July it will cost £17.75.  

We shall accordingly have to increase the shipping charges made to US customers.  It appears that this will not affect International Ecomony (ie, Surface Mail with a delivery aim of 42 days) rates, and we will leave the charge for this service as is.

We will not make the changes to our postal rates until July.  If you are in the US and were thinking about ordering from us, you may wish to do so sooner rather than later.

New Stock - All the Time

Over the last week I've added over two-dozen new titles to our Napoleonic section.  Most (but not all!) of these were from the ever-popular Napoleonic Library series by Frontline Books*. 

If you follow us on Facebook you might** get a notification of new stock when we add it - as stock is added most days, it's worth signing up if you want to know what's new.

Coming up this week: new books on World War II and I continue to plough through a collection on the History of Exploration.

*Back in March 2015 I wrote about a previous incarnation of the Napoleonic Library.

**Only about 15% of those follow us see each post!