Obscure Victor Hugo

[Guest ASelameab]

I found a Half Price books I had never been to before today, about 15 minutes from my house. It was the best used bookstore I had ever seen. I found a collection of Victor Hugo books, 3 of which I bought: "History of a Crime", "By Order of the King", and "Hans of Iceland". I was so excited! I am beginning to collect rare/antique books as a hobby. I also found some cheap LP's, and I found a record by Rachmaninoff which featured his playing (his 3rd Symphony). Cool, huh?

[Stephen Speicher 0]

I found a Half Price books I had never been to before today, about 15 minutes from my house. It was the best used bookstore I had ever seen. I found a collection of Victor Hugo books, 3 of which I bought: "History of a Crime", "By Order of the King", and "Hans of Iceland". I was so excited! I am beginning to collect rare/antique books as a hobby. I also found some cheap LP's, and I found a record by Rachmaninoff which featured his playing (his 3rd Symphony). Cool, huh?

I share your joy at discovery. I have found many treasures at used bookstores over the years. Though, I must say, the ease of used-book shopping on the internet nowadays is a pleasure all its own.

[RayK 0]

A few years ago at a used book store I found an original edition of "The Fountainhead" and an original edition of "The life and Selected Writings of Thomas Jefferson".

There are four used book stores within a few miles from my office. I occasionally check in to see if they have anything worthy of buying. I have always found the owners to be really weird people, at least here in Las Vegas.

[Guest ASelameab]

Though, I must say, the ease of used-book shopping on the internet nowadays is a pleasure all its own.

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[bignosedcopperking 0]

I just bought a complete works of O. Henry, 8 book set, blue hard cover, first printing (I believe). Very good price. I am all excited. I read a couple of stories and giggled very much.

I'm looking forward to delving into them once I, sadly, get over the shame of a wild night out. I suppose there's not much better to cheer one up than some O. Henry stories.

I'm addicted to used bookstores.

[JRoberts 0]

I just bought a complete works of O. Henry, 8 book set, blue hard cover, first printing (I believe).  Very good price.  I am all excited.  I read a couple of stories and giggled very much. 

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O. Henry makes me laugh every time I read him . He's wonderful!

I've never went to Used Book Stores though...always been afraid of them. But the praises here make me interested...I'll keep everybody up-to-date on what I find (Though I'm betting in a town of 200k, there won't be much...).

[Betsy Speicher 0]

I've never went to Used Book Stores though...always been afraid of them.  But the praises here make me interested

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Why?

There may be some overpriced "rare volumes," but you might also find a once loved but now forgotten treasure from the past at a bargain price.

(Though I'm betting in a town of 200k, there won't be much...).

In addition to used book stores, a town of that size probably has a public library. Most of them hold "Friends of the Library" sales a few times a year and you can get great buys there too. In addition, in my town of 130K, the Kiwanis and other organizations also hold book sales.

[Betsy Speicher 0]

Though, I must say, the ease of used-book shopping on the internet nowadays is a pleasure all its own.

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I have found that the Amazon Marketplace is the best place to get bargains in newer used books (particularly best sellers), eBay is great for older books, and http://addall.com/used is where to go for a really hard to find book.

[JRoberts 0]

Why?

There may be some overpriced "rare volumes," but you might also find a once loved but now forgotten treasure from the past at a bargain price.

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I've always had this fear of them...when I was very young, I went to one and the people were very weird. I honestly couldn't tell if it were a man or a woman. There were also adult movies and magazines. It was enough to "scare" me away.

But I went today! And oh my...I found:

Greek Orations (Lysias, Isocrates, Demosthenes, Aeschines, and Hyperides)

Cicero-On the Commonwealth

Hesiod-Theogony/Work and Days

Xenophon-A History of My Times

I've looked in vain for many of these things at B&N, and the online prices I've seen were rather expensive...but these I got for a bargain!

I'm hooked . I even found a First Edition of The Fountainhead for $65...if only I had the money

[Betsy Speicher 0]

I even found a First Edition of The Fountainhead for $65...if only I had the money

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Beware!

Most books sold as Fountainhead "first editions" are what we Ayn Rand collectors call "early editions" produced in the late 1940's and 1950's in huge quantities. They are worth about $5 in good condition.

A real "first edition" is marked on the copyright page as "First Edition" in either a red binding (first printing) or a green binding (second printing). If that is what it says, I'll send you the money and you can buy it for me and I'll pay you a very handsome commission as well.

The first edition also includes books in various color bindings marked third through thirteenth printing and dated with a month and year. I have bought dozens of these later first edition printings for about $15 each each, but buyers are getting wise and their price has been rising quite a bit lately.

[RayK 0]

I agree with Betsy, the bargains at used book stores are usually great. Of the two books I mentioned in my earlier post, I bought them both for $13 dollars.

There is a very large used book store here in Las Vegas that has over 10,000 square feet of space filled with books. The bookshelves are so close that not more than two people can walk down them at once. The first time I went I had to stop before I made it through the whole store (I had an appointment). This same store has a first edition of "Capitalism the Unknown Ideal" signed by Ayn Rand and Nathaniel Branden.

I would say that sometimes one can find great works at used book stores if one has the time to look.

[Betsy Speicher 0]

I would say that sometimes one can find great works at used book stores if one has the time to look.

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It is one of my favorite ways to spend time.

I have a blast hunting the elusive great book or incredible bargain -- or just browsing for hours reading things here and there -- on shelf after shelf of used books.

[JRoberts 0]

Betsy,

I pulled some James Bond moves and brought a camera in via a friends purse. We took some pictures of the "First edition". The guy at the store promised me that it was a first edition.

Here are the pictures:

[Stephen Speicher 0]

JRoberts, the fourth picture, the one with the copyright notice, shows only the top of the page. Was there anything on the rest of the page?

[JRoberts 0]

I don't think so. I looked the books over and couldn't find anything that said "First Printing"...but then again, I didn't find anything about what printing it was.

[Stephen Speicher 0]

JRoberts, the fourth picture, the one with the copyright notice, shows only the top of the page. Was there anything on the rest of the page?

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If below the copyright notice (your fourth picture) it does not finally say "First Edition | THE CORNWALL PRESS, INC., CORNWALL, N.Y." then this is most likely one of the 400,000 plus copies printed after World War II. According to one authoritative source, some of these had unidentified markings, which seems to be the case with the one you found. It does not appear to be a First Edition. Sorry.

p.s. Fred Weiss of The Paper Tiger, Inc. is an expert on this. You might want to verify with him.

[Jay P 0]

Here's agreement with Betsy's suggestion to visit the "Friends of the Library" sales. I've found quite a few worthy books at those.

Some of the larger libraries have huge sales, at which the books are well organized. Even smaller suburban library sales, though, can have good finds.

Often these sales will discount the books even further late in the sale. (I can imagine that the sponsors don't want to deal with a bunch of unsold books!) For instance, a large city's public library near where I live sells hardbacks for $1 and paperbacks for $0.50, but these prices are cut in half the last day. I've also been to a few sales at which, during the last hour, they'll let you buy a bag of books for $1! Buying things late like this often works for me, since many of the books I like (such as technical books) are ones that nobody else wants.

Also, music (CD, tape, record) is sold at these sales. The vinyl records (for those of you who aren't too young to know about these ) in particular are often sold for not much - I once bought 50 of them for 25 cents each. Many of these old records, particularly the classical ones, haven't been played much, so they sound just fine.

I always end up not having enough time to look at everything at the big sales - even though I think I've arrived early enough.

Also, sometimes you don't have to wait for a sale - some libraries have books for sale in the library year-round. And, sometimes you can find great buys on reference books - i.e., complete encyclopedias, that are only a little out of date, but are sold at a small fraction of their cost.

......

Used book stores are great places to spend time too. Somebody here remarked that some of them seem a bit weird. I'll agree - there are some I've been in that have what I'd call a "hippie-ish" ambience. But sometimes even stores that seem a bit strange can have wonderful books. I've found useful books in subjects such as music theory, philosophy, history and biography.

[Kitty Hawk 0]

I found a Half Price books I had never been to before today, about 15 minutes from my house. It was the best used bookstore I had ever seen. I found a collection of Victor Hugo books, 3 of which I bought: "History of a Crime", "By Order of the King", and "Hans of Iceland". I was so excited! I am beginning to collect rare/antique books as a hobby. I also found some cheap LP's, and I found a record by Rachmaninoff which featured his playing (his 3rd Symphony). Cool, huh?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just in case you didn't know, "By Order of the King" is the same novel as "The Man Who Laughs," they just gave it a different title, as they do with "Notre Dame de Paris," changing it to "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

Several of his plays have variant titles also, making it difficult to know sometimes if you have a complete collection.

"Hans of Iceland," is excellent, and when you read it you will run across some familiar names, such as "Ragnar" and "Daneskiold."

Another obscure, but excellent, novel by Hugo is "Bug Jargal," set in the Carribean island of St. Domingo.

[Guest ASelameab]

Just in case you didn't know, "By Order of the King" is the same novel as "The Man Who Laughs," they just gave it a different title, as they do with "Notre Dame de Paris," changing it to "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

Several of his plays have variant titles also, making it difficult to know sometimes if you have a complete collection. 

"Hans of Iceland," is excellent, and when you read it you will run across some familiar names, such as "Ragnar" and "Daneskiold." 

Another obscure, but excellent, novel by Hugo is "Bug Jargal," set in the Carribean island of St. Domingo.

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Oh, wow. I have always wanted to read "The Man who Laughs" (I thought it was a great title ) , now I guess I can. Ha!