A terrible confession - I am a "completist". I find a write I like and nothing will stop me for finding first editions of every last one of his or her books and reading the complete works form start to finish. Compulsion leads me to do this several times, before I really tire of the writer...

Hi I am new to the group, but have a question on a set of books that I have. They are by Dickens, leather bound. The publisher is Thomas Nelson & Sons, London, Edinburgh and NY, 1909. One of the books in the collection is American Notes, Etc. If anyone can tell me anything about these...

I found out recently that Borders will order used books for people, so I tried out their service. First I went to Amazon and found out what prices I could get on 2 used books. Then I went to Borders and asked about the availability of those same books. Apparently, Borders only accesses the database...

A Friend of mine has what appears to be a very early printing of Charles Sheldon's In His steps, what route would I go about to attempt to find a valuation for this book? I don't have it in front of me, but from memory, it has an orangish leather/suede binding with partially gilt page...

Come on, people. Can we please stop feeding this particular energy beast? I'd like to get back to talking about books.

I see many eBay posts, for sale and website directives to more selling of books. Yet I receive emails from somebody who claims there is to be none of that here. Well....isn't selling and buying books related to collecting books?

I have noticed a couple of mysterious people with handheld devices hunting through the stacks at our library's used book sale. They open selected books and then key some information into their handhelds. In most cases they return the book to the shelf. Sometimes they buy a book. What the heck...

Went to a Library sale yesterday in Westport, CT. 60,000 books and dozens of dealers. After spending an hour there and finding nothing even remotely interesting, I have decided to give up on libarary sales. It seems like I see the same books at every library sale. Maybe I am just jaded, but I just...

I'm trying to determine just what edition of Children of the Sea, otherwise known as the ****** of the Narcissus, I have here. From what I see on ABE and other sources, mine doesn't seem to match any. Here's what I have so far: 1897 date on copyright page, no date on title page. Dark green, or...

Hi all, I'm new to this but have always had a passion for books. I understand that number lines beginning with a 1 are probably first editions, but the publisher 'Random House' use 2 as their first editions. Therefore, what does a 1 stand for in a book by Random House? I have quite a few but cant...

Having sat back and watched the debate over Oxfam evolve I now just wanted to add my twopennyworth for what its worth. To the best of my knowledge in the UK no charity shop actually pays anyone to value books it is all done by volunteers. There may be one or two exceptions to this as Oxfam now...

If anyone is interested in any of the following please drop me a line via the website. I am happy to consider either swapping or selling: Cameron Carr (aka R R Ryan)- GILDED CLAY Herbert Jenkins 1st edn, VG with colour copy of original dw Rev A D Crake - A SHEAF OF YULE LOG STORIES Mowbray, UK...

Now - are eBay complete idiots? I have just been threatened by him via e-mail because I told him I was going to report him - he thinkgs that I am the person he copied the description from. All his shill accounts are still NARUed, but this fraud is reinstated. ARGHHHHHHHHHH

Hello All I'm interested in books, always spent far too much time with my nose glued to the page.... I've recently decided to attempt turning my habit into a hobby. To move from reading (that's what libraries are for) to collecting. I acquired some old books (nothing worth writing home about)...

I recently posted messages to alt.usage.english on the subject of dictionary interest and collecting. I posted there because my interest is more in language than in collecting for colecting's sake. So far there has been no meaningful followup. Perhaps this is a better place for that. Below is...

Hi. I just saw the collection of an avid Modern Library collector. The collection, over 2000 books (probably a little more than 800 titles) was impressive- he had numerous copies of titles, some rarer illustrated editions with slipcase, a large majority of first editions and even had the more...

I will resurrect Adolf Hitler and I need a good book for this. Anyone knows good books about resurrecting the dead ?

Looks like I have to start deciding which books and manuscripts to take with me, and which to leave for the fire. Oddly enough, I feel sad for the books, not for me. I was only "borrowing" them; but I wish they could have continued to give joy to others; I feel like a failed as...

Do you - use software - use an online service (which one?) If any of the above, what features do you like? What features do you find missing? How much do you pay for the software/service? SD -- Manage your book collection online at http://www.parchayi.net/bookshelf

I have a book on my shelf called *Great Mambo Chicken & The Transhuman Condition: Science Slightly Over The Edge* by Ed Regis. James Gleick, author of *Chaos* calls it "...an inspired tour of the never-never land where science and lunacy collide -- a place where building bacteria-size robots,...