Synopses & Reviews
A field guide for the modern book collectorFrom the author of A Gentle Madness-a book with more than seventy thousand copies in print that delighted bibliophiles everywhere-comes a twenty-first-century guide to book collecting that deals with both the traditional methods of acquisition and the electronic tools now available on the Internet.
Sharing the superb insight he has gathered from booksellers over the years, Nicholas Basbanes offers a refresher course on the fundamentals that endure, while questioning certain practices of doubtful validity. Topics include how to determine if a book is a first edition, how to spot book club editions, the importance of dust jackets, scouting the flea markets, how to work the book fairs, and the importance of handling the goods, as well as discussing less tangible issues like spotting trends and having a focus. Then he takes a long look at the pros and cons of Internet buying, illuminating how you can use these electronic tools to your advantage and making this the book no modern collector will want to be without.
Review
Praise for Nicholas Basbanes:
"Nick Basbanes makes you love books, and the collectors he writes about, and the volume in your hands."
--Scott Turow
Review
"This lively book will appeal to any book lover, as Basbanes's enthusiasm is infectious." -
Publishers Weekly"Every page of this compendium contains real information . . . It is rich in engaging vignettes of book collecting and book collectors. It even makes the madness seem, well, logical." -Booklist
"Basbanes is a delightful and informative companion for any booklover, and this book belongs on every bibliophile's shelf." -The Times-Picayune
Synopsis
From the author of "A Gentle Madness" comes a 21st-century guide to book collecting that deals with the traditional methods of acquisition and the electronic tools now available on the Internet. Topics include how to determine if a book is a first edition, the importance of dust jackets, scouting flea markets, how to work book fairs, and the importance of handling the goods. Photo insert.
About the Author
Nicholas Basbanes is the author of
A Gentle Madness (0-8050-6176-2) and
Patience & Fortitude. He lives in North Grafton, Massachusetts.