Sunday, May 19, 2013

JACKET REQUIRED: Book Buying Binge

Throughout last month and this month I've been buying a bit more than I thought I would. Most of these were acquired for $2 or less at book sales throughout the Chicago Area. Some came from New Orleans used and antiquarian book stores when I was on vacation back in April. And a handful were purchases done over the internet from one source or another.

Click on images to enlarge. Enjoy!













15 comments:

  1. That's quite the haul. Enjoyed looking at these dustjackets. Are you collector? Any first editions in the lot?

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    1. I have a huge collection of crime, adventure and supernatural fiction. Many first editions shown above. Only To Walk the Night, The Case of the Green Felt Hat, and They Used Dark Forces are reprints. Everything else is a first edition. Well, The Collector is really a 3rd printing, but the DJ is the same one from the first edition.

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    2. Oh, and that copy of Rebecca is a reprint, too. I'd never be able to afford a 1st edition in DJ of Rebecca!

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  2. Words cannot express my envy. These are all gorgeous books. (My husband saw the post first and sent me to look, as he knows I love book covers.)

    My favorite is Obit Delayed (Nielsen) although The Mamo Murders is a close second, with the skeleton on the cover.

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  3. Love those covers, John! Your hardback haul far outshines my pocket-size treasure trove (much as a I love those little books). Unfortunately only one of my hardback finds came with a DJ.

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    1. I usually have pull in the reins on hardcover purchases -- everything is so expensive now, but sometimes I luck out - especially when buying books online from sellers who know little. The most money I spent on the books shown here is for the US 1st edition of Miss Hargreaves. It was $56 but well worth it; the book turned out to be in FINE condition. Not a single flaw in the book or the DJ.

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  4. John, a very impressive haul, and covers too. These are the kind of (vintage) books I'm unlikely to encounter easily in my part of the world. I'd love to read TO WALK THE NIGHT and THEY USED DARK FORCES, especially the latter; the cover with the swastika indicates a good WWII tale.

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    1. The Used Dark Forces is the first of many books by Dennis Wheatley in which he ascribes Satanic powers and indulgences in black magic to Nazi Germany. Not exactly eery one's cup of tea, but I love those books.

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  5. John, I'm so envious! Book sales and used book stores are the absolute best things in life! Always plan ahead and find them before we even leave on vacation! Great finds, happy reading.

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    1. I wouldn't have half the books in my collection if it weren't for book sales and antique malls, Peggy Ann. Book sales are the best, and there are so many in Illinois. I especially love the bag sales where you can fill up a grocery bag for $4 or $5. We usually get about 20 cents or less per book that way!

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  6. Very nice indeed, John, and most at a bargain price.

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  7. Once again John, a great time for envy - thanks for sharing. I'm sure my drooling will stop soon ...

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  8. Oh, I'm swooning, John. And needless to say, I'm green with jealousy. I pinned some of the covers to my Pinterest boards. :)

    My favorite cover is: Jerry Todd and the Whispering Mummy. Love it.
    I added it to my 'Nancy Drew and Friends' board, of course.

    I love when you go on binges. Ha!

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  9. That's a nice bounty of loot, John. Love the cover of Frightened Fish!

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    1. I bought that book just for the DJ, TomCat. It's one of my favorites in this bunch. Miss Hargreaves, Rebecca, and Crocodile on the Sandback (a mere buck because it's ex-lib, but I only wanted it for the extremely hard to find DJ) were my big coups out of the lot.

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