I was browsing around AbeBooks not really looking for anything in particular. I’ve never purchased anything through them, but they’re the place to go for some of the particularly interesting finds.
This got me to thinking… I have a few prizes in my own personal library, so I looked up one of them. Hmm. A few years ago, I paid $25 Cdn for a first edition of C.S. Lewis’ Reflections on the Psalms. Hardcover, 1958, with dustjacket. Pulling it from the shelf, I decided it was in near-fine condition, both the book and the dustjacket.
Seems that my copy is as good or slightly better than the ones currently selling on AbeBooks for $50-60 USD. Including one from the bookseller who originally sold my my copy. ;^)
Just needed to say that I’m rather pleased with myself over the matter. What prized books do other people keep on the shelf? Any stories on great used bookstore finds?
One of my favorite books (and easily my favorite auto-biography) is “Dear Theo: the Autobiography of Vincent Van” (edited by Irving Stone). It is a collection of letters from Vincent to his brother Theo. They are beautiful and inspiring.
I bought a paperback version about 10 years ago and finally got around to reading it the summer of 2001 (the date is memorable because I was reading it the same time that I met my future wife).
Last fall, I was on a business trip in Portland, OR. I wandered around Powell’s bookstore for hours. During my wandering, I came across a first-edition of “Dear Theo” in perfect condition. Expecting it to be way too expensive, I hesitated to look. When I opened it to look for the price, I found that it was selling for $12 (the paperback version next to it on the shelf was selling for $16!). I immediately purchased it. Last time that I checked e-bay and Amazon, it was selling for between $125 and $190.
There’s nothing quite like a good book find (especially when it ends up being a steal). Congrats on the CS Lewis! If you haven’t read “Dear Theo”…the paperback is for sale on Amazon for a mere $12.