Instant Expert: Collecting Books |
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List Price: $14.95
Our Price: $28.94
Availability: N/A
Manufacturer: House of Collectibles
Average Customer Rating:  
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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 002.075
EAN: 9780375720543
ISBN: 0375720545
Label: House of Collectibles
Manufacturer: House of Collectibles
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 192
Publication Date: 2004-05-11
Publisher: House of Collectibles
Release Date: 2004-05-11
Studio: House of Collectibles
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Editorial Reviews:
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Everything you need to know: what is collectible, strategies for buying and selling, the value of an author autograph, how books are made and more. This is a comprehensive guide to online resources, conferences and conventions, shops, organizations and an annotated bibliography. For the millions of reader who love books!
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating: 
Summary: Enthusiastic and entertaining, although opinionated, rambling and discursive
Comment: This short introduction to book collecting is a quick, witty and entertaining read. The author's enthusiasm for collecting is obvious.
This is an easy to read, entertaining, and opinionated guide to book collecting. If you are new to this hobby, and have an interest in building a collection that may increase in value over time, this book can be strongly recommended, especially in view of its low price.
The book focuses more on the financial, rather than the reading or educational aspects of this passion. The author spends much more time providing advice on how to collect books that may gain value compared to helping you find inexpensive reading editions, nor does he provide or point the reader to focused reading guides. However, Mr. Budman does present a clear discussion of the pitfalls of entering this hobby with the hope of making money. Experienced collectors will find a kindred spirit, although probably little new information.
There is the occasional editing error, as when the author mentions the term "toned", referring us to the glossary to find its meaning, although "toned" is not in the glossary.
In summary, more experienced collectors, or those focused more toward reading or education, may want to examine this at their bookstore or library before buying. However, for new collectors this will be a valuable addition to their library, one that can be highly recommended.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Nuggets, Nuggets, Nuggets...
Comment: Let me add my voice to those who characterize this book as a concise and unsnobbish introduction to book collecting.
I purchased and read this book because I own a small bookstore and wanted to learn more about the collectible end of the business. There was a lot of information that was more of a review for me, but I found lots of little nuggets that will help me in my line of work. Some of these included:
- A discussion and list of publishers which are primarily reprint publishers and have little value and are ubiquitous on the used market
- A discussion of grading older books and how it is different from grading newer books
- A bibliography and running commentary of other books on books for further study
- A discussion about the fluidity of the market, especially on the internet, but also in auctions.
While, I have more interest in selling books than I do in collecting them, I found the book to arouse a desire and passion in me for the possibility of beginning my own collection. I also found Budman to be witty and appreciated his politically progressive undertones.
For the moment, anyways, this is one book I won't be reselling.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Informational
Comment: Nice, handy book. Easy to read, and gives the info that a novice
would want. I don't collect books, but the "Bookman" mysteries
prompted me to learn more about the subject.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good place to get started
Comment: This book was entertaining and well-written, and very concise. It is a small volume but it's a great introduction to collecting if you're trying to figure out if this is something you want to get more serious about. The resources it offers are great ways to figure out what else you need to learn about and where to get that information. Because if you truly are interested in becoming a book collector you will need another book (at least) to learn more, but this is a good way to pique and guage your interest in the subject.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent place to start
Comment: I have collected books all my life, and incidentally sell them as I try to make room for more. I recommend this book as the best one on the market right now for true beginners to either book collecting or book selling. It is frank, unsnobbish, and it is very realistic about the changes (good and bad) the Internet has brought to the book market.
Some books on book collecting seem intent on convincing you that book collecting is worthwhile. That is not this author's approach. He takes it for granted that you want to collect or deal in books. What kind of books is up to you -- he is refreshingly unstuffy about that. But if you have an interest in buying or selling books already, the information in this book will make you a much more effective collector/seller.
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