READING! Basic Books About Books & Book Collecting Carter, John. ABC for Book Collectors. New Castle, Del.: Oak Knoll Press, 1998. There are many editions of this classic dictionary of book and bookselling terms. The recent ones are edited by Nicolas Barker and have his corrections, additions, and introduction. McMurtrie, Douglas. The Book: The Story of Printing and Bookmaking. London, New York, Toronto: Oxford University Press, (1980). McMurtrie was a dedicated writer and bibliographer during the second half of the Golden Century of Collecting in the U.S. His book is encyclopedic and written for an educated collector — a reference book, not one for an airplane trip. One can learn a great deal from it, and so should not be alarmed by its large size. It originally appeared in 1927 as The Golden Book, and has been in and out of print since then. Peters, Jean. Book Collecting: A Modern Guide. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1977. Subjects discussed include: What Book Collecting is All About; Buying Books From Dealers; Buying at Auction; The Antiquarian Book Market; The Art and Craft of Collecting Manuscripts; Descriptive Bibliography; Fakes, Forgeries, Facsimiles, and Other Oddities; and Physical Care of Books and Manuscripts. Highly recommended. Steinberg, S. H. Five Hundred Years of Printing. New edition, revised by John Trevitt. [New Castle, Del.]: The British Library & Oak Knoll Press, 1996. Originally published in 1955, this is the book that David cut his bibliophilic baby teeth on. Cynthy also thinks it splendid but a volume to allow yourself to skip around in, as a beginner. Thomas, Alan G. Great Books and Great Collectors. New York: Excalibur Books, (1983). A well-written, insightful "coffee table" book by a dean of London bookselling. Wonderful illustrations. I pick this one up from time to time in order to inspire me when I've been working a bit too much with our bread and butter books. Winterich, John T., & David A. Randall. A Primer of Book Collecting. New York: Bell Publishing Co., (1966). Several editions appeared of John & David's introduction to the "sport" of bookcollecting. Although dated in some ways, it still has plenty to offer to even the seasoned bookcollector or bookseller. For more BOOKS ABOUT BOOKS —   click here. Books by & about Bookcollectors & Booksellers Basbanes, Nicholas. A Gentle Madness. NY: Henry Holt, (1996). Lots of tales of bookcollectors and book thieves, some who were/are mad, some who were/are famous, all of whom are fascinating. Some parts factual, some apocryphal. But always fun. Morley, Christopher. The Haunted Bookshop. Garden City: Doubleday, Page, & Co., 1919. Everyone's idea of what an old bookstore is like, with little if any relation to reality. Newton, A. Edward. A Tourist in Spite of Himself. Boston: Little, Brown, 1930. The Amenities of Book-Collecting and Kindred Affections. Boston: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1918. A Magnificent Farce, and Other Diversions of a Book-Collector. Boston: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1921. This Bookcollecting Game. Boston: Little Brown, 1928. Derby Days and other Adventures. Boston: Little Brown, 1934. Dated with regard to the social aspect of bookcollecting, and what people are seeking and what is available, but, still, classics that capture the pleasure of the pastime. Books that have inspired three generations of collectors. Wolf, Edwin, 2nd.; & John F. Fleming. Rosenbach: A biography. Cleveland & New York: World Publishing Co., (1960). The best and most interesting biography or memoir of a bookseller yet written. The subject was the king of American bookselling during the first half of the 20th century. Randall, David A. Dukedom Large Enough: Reminiscences of a Rare Book Dealer, 1829–1956. New York: Random House, (1969). Filled with an "insider's take" on many book personalities and transactions, and with a boat load of great book stories. Kraus, H.P. A Rare Book Saga. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1978. Great books, great discoveries, and great adventures. Mr. Kraus was the baron books of in America during the second half of the 20th century. And a charming and gracious man.                    — David