Your Latest Stephen King Related Purchase:

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Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
How does it smell? I decided to get another copy and mine smells like it's been stored in a garage or attic - kinda mothbally or musty. Just wondering if they all smell like this?
I see some at the Value Village and I swear they were in the home of someone who smoked a pack a day for over 20 years - yikes!
(these are the ones I avoid)
if it was a signed SK book, then I think I could get over it!
 

becca69

Well-Known Member
May 21, 2009
264
1,391
Delaware
I see some at the Value Village and I swear they were in the home of someone who smoked a pack a day for over 20 years - yikes!
(these are the ones I avoid)
if it was a signed SK book, then I think I could get over it!

Well these were sold directly from Grant Publishing, so I was interested to know if all the books had this smell from being stored.
 

Alexandra M

Well-Known Member
Mar 12, 2015
3,678
21,844
Kelowna, B. C., Canada
I see some at the Value Village and I swear they were in the home of someone who smoked a pack a day for over 20 years - yikes!
(these are the ones I avoid)
if it was a signed SK book, then I think I could get over it!

Neesy
I have bought a couple of books like that. A book dealer told me to put them in the microwave for 2 minutes
and it will remove the smell (and the book mites). I tried it and it really helped.
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Well these were sold directly from Grant Publishing, so I was interested to know if all the books had this smell from being stored.
I don't know about smell - is the colour of the book sort of a dark brown?

My dear old Mom smoked from the time she was 14 until she died at age 76 so when we cleaned out the house some of those old books were in rough shape - completely stained with nicotine - darn shame it was
 

becca69

Well-Known Member
May 21, 2009
264
1,391
Delaware
I don't know about smell - is the colour of the book sort of a dark brown?

My dear old Mom smoked from the time she was 14 until she died at age 76 so when we cleaned out the house some of those old books were in rough shape - completely stained with nicotine - darn shame it was
No, it's not smoke. It's musty or maybe mothballs?
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
No, it's not smoke. It's musty or maybe mothballs?
See post above by AlexandraM - number 2705

or check out the tips below:

How to Remove the Mildew Smell from Books: 15 Steps

Aroma-Chemistry-The-Smell-of-New-Old-Books-v2.png
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
How does it smell? I decided to get another copy and mine smells like it's been stored in a garage or attic - kinda mothbally or musty. Just wondering if they all smell like this?
The original 1st printing of the Grant edition does have a rather distinctive aroma to it. It's the only Grant Dark Tower book that has this smell. I wouldn't call mine as having a musty smell though. It's a different smell which I attribute to the paper used. The pages are an off-white, almost a cream color also. I happen to like the smell of mine. As soon as I smell it I'm taken back all those years to when I opened it for the first time.
 

Spideyman

Uber Member
Jul 10, 2006
46,336
195,472
79
Just north of Duma Key
I am ON THE HUNT! for The Mist, have been for years. I had the cassette when I was a kid. Headphones on. Volume up. Lights out. So well done, that one.
Shoesalesman have told this story before. Driving home, The Mist cassette playing on a portable tape player in car, windows down, hot Fl day. Stop at red light just as all the screaming is occurring. Cop pulls up beside me- Strangest look on his face. I yell out that it's SK. Given the thumbs up!
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
The original 1st printing of the Grant edition does have a rather distinctive aroma to it. It's the only Grant Dark Tower book that has this smell. I wouldn't call mine as having a musty smell though. It's a different smell which I attribute to the paper used. The pages are an off-white, almost a cream color also. I happen to like the smell of mine. As soon as I smell it I'm taken back all those years to when I opened it for the first time.
...TWSS....
 

Shoesalesman

Well-Known Member
Aug 12, 2010
1,814
4,093
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Shoesalesman have told this story before. Driving home, The Mist cassette playing on a portable tape player in car, windows down, hot Fl day. Stop at red light just as all the screaming is occurring. Cop pulls up beside me- Strangest look on his face. I yell out that it's SK. Given the thumbs up!

Great story... and SK memory for you! ;-D

I had that happen too, but with Dead Kennedys cranked. The officer had no thumbs up for me, though. Only a look of despair for my generation.
:apologetic:

I like your story more, Spidey. Better ending.
 

Geminii23

Well-Known Member
Jul 10, 2015
223
1,677
VA
How does it smell? I decided to get another copy and mine smells like it's been stored in a garage or attic - kinda mothbally or musty. Just wondering if they all smell like this?

I am not usually in the habit of smelling my books. Pretty much just put a mylar protector on it and stick it on the shelf. I did confirm for you...yes it has a certain smell. I wouldn't say it is offensive. Kinda just reminds me of being in an old library. Doesn't really bother me though. If it was smoke damaged I would be really upset. Especially since I used to smoke. After quitting many, many years ago, I find that I am now hyper-sensitive to that smell. And I never smoked in my house or around my family so luckily none of my books have that problem.