Bibliomania, OR, To Love Books

Among the Gently Mad - Nicholas Basbanes
Originally published in hardcover in 2002 - Henry Holt

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A must-read for those who love books and love collecting them. Basbanes is the master of writing about books. I remember racing through this book when it first came out in hardcover. Basbanes reinvigorated my passion for books and book collecting and even book selling. I will always have a special place in my heart for this book.


Amazon description - 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.