Your best story of finding/discovering/purchasing a book

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Jonesy85

Well-Known Member
Feb 28, 2014
162
941
38
Illinois
A couple of years back, I was just finishing-up The Drawing of Three. I was loving the book but bummed-out at the same time because I wouldn't be able to borrow Wastelands from the Library(I had some fines and was broke), and I also didn't have a book store near me...
I went to the flee market with my father one Sunday, not even thinking anyone would be selling used books. We walked around for about an hour before deciding to hit the road back home. We almost didn't walk down the last row of tables. At the last table in the far corner of the flee market, there were 3 books(the only 3 books this person was selling)... They were The Drawing of Three, Wastelands and Wizard in Glass. All three were brand new, in plastic. And they were the editions with the illustrations! It felt like fate. I bought all three for a dollar a piece.

What are some of your cool book finding/discovering/purchasing stories?
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
I went to the flee market

Paris-Flee-Market-sign-KC-Oct-2009-200x300.jpg
 

DiO'Bolic

Not completely obtuse
Nov 14, 2013
22,864
129,998
Poconos, PA
An 1862 printing of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables for $1.00. My old catholic elementary school was closing down and getting rid of their collection. When I heard about the sale from my brother I decided to visit and went in hopes of getting the actual very first book I ever read Tuffy Taylor. I didn't find it, but came away with a pretty nice consolation prize.
 

HollyGolightly

Well-Known Member
Sep 6, 2013
9,660
74,320
54
Heart of the South
Tis Ka @Jonesy85 !

I love short stories, and one day, in the mail about 18 years ago, someone (I still don't know who) sent me an old, old copy (7th printing, 1941) of The Great Short Stories of Guy de Maupassant. I've never checked to see if it's worth anything - it's paperback, but in great condition, and precious to me. I think I know who may have sent it - but if it is who I think it is, they are long dead now, so I can't ask. I love short stories, they are my favorite and de Maupassant was a master at them. I have that King collection @king family fan mentioned (not signed though!).

My husband stopped in the thrift store near his office for me one day in January and came home with a box full of SK hardcovers - new condition, like they'd been sitting on someone's shelf untouched, waiting to be loved. There 8 or 9 books, and he paid $27. It was a great haul!
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
About seven years ago I went into a used/new bookstore in the Seattle area and immediatly went to the horror section. This is a large store and they have a few glass cases inside where they place the rare books. Usually there a few King titles inside. They know what they are doing and what the value of his books are. So, there I am standing at the horror section, looking at the King titles on the shelves and I spot a hardback copy of Carrie. My 'little voice' in the back of my head says 'Hey, that's gonna be a First Printing.' My other little voice (the BAD one) says 'No way.' I reach up and pull the book off of the shelf, look at it (it's an absolutely mint copy!) and open it to so I can see the front flap of the dustjacket. I see the price at the top of the dj says $5.95. My heart skips a beat. I open it to the copyright page and there, in black and white, it says First Edition. Now, my heart has just stopped! I turn it over (to where they place the price sticker at this store) and it says........wait for it........wait........$7.99!!!!!!!!! I just about fell over! Needless to say, I floated up to the cash register (we all float down here!), paid for it and just about ran out of the store, all the while waiting for someone to yell 'Stop! We made a mistake! It's really $799.00!' (which is what they were asking a couple months later when they had a copy in the glass case). This is the best book find I've ever had. There's been a couple others, but this one is the ultimate. Since those Doubleday hardbacks are the same size as a bookclub edition, I assume that the book buyer thought that's what it was. Too bad for them!
 

HollyGolightly

Well-Known Member
Sep 6, 2013
9,660
74,320
54
Heart of the South
About seven years ago I went into a used/new bookstore in the Seattle area and immediatly went to the horror section. This is a large store and they have a few glass cases inside where they place the rare books. Usually there a few King titles inside. They know what they are doing and what the value of his books are. So, there I am standing at the horror section, looking at the King titles on the shelves and I spot a hardback copy of Carrie. My 'little voice' in the back of my head says 'Hey, that's gonna be a First Printing.' My other little voice (the BAD one) says 'No way.' I reach up and pull the book off of the shelf, look at it (it's an absolutely mint copy!) and open it to so I can see the front flap of the dustjacket. I see the price at the top of the dj says $5.95. My heart skips a beat. I open it to the copyright page and there, in black and white, it says First Edition. Now, my heart has just stopped! I turn it over (to where they place the price sticker at this store) and it says........wait for it........wait........$7.99!!!!!!!!! I just about fell over! Needless to say, I floated up to the cash register (we all float down here!), paid for it and just about ran out of the store, all the while waiting for someone to yell 'Stop! We made a mistake! It's really $799.00!' (which is what they were asking a couple months later when they had a copy in the glass case). This is the best book find I've ever had. There's been a couple others, but this one is the ultimate. Since those Doubleday hardbacks are the same size as a bookclub edition, I assume that the book buyer thought that's what it was. Too bad for them!
That was intense! How very freaking cool!
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
I bought 6 books of Stephen kings off Craigslist for $50. One being The best Short stories of 2007. Signed by King. Limited edition. There were only 26 of these.A pop -up book of The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon and I can't remember the other titles now. It has been a while.
You have a book signed by Stephen King? AND you bought it off Craig's list for only 50 bucks along with five of his other books?
OH MY - you must have a horseshoe up your... um - gee you're lucky, eh?
:clap:
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
About seven years ago I went into a used/new bookstore in the Seattle area and immediatly went to the horror section. This is a large store and they have a few glass cases inside where they place the rare books. Usually there a few King titles inside. They know what they are doing and what the value of his books are. So, there I am standing at the horror section, looking at the King titles on the shelves and I spot a hardback copy of Carrie. My 'little voice' in the back of my head says 'Hey, that's gonna be a First Printing.' My other little voice (the BAD one) says 'No way.' I reach up and pull the book off of the shelf, look at it (it's an absolutely mint copy!) and open it to so I can see the front flap of the dustjacket. I see the price at the top of the dj says $5.95. My heart skips a beat. I open it to the copyright page and there, in black and white, it says First Edition. Now, my heart has just stopped! I turn it over (to where they place the price sticker at this store) and it says........wait for it........wait........$7.99!!!!!!!!! I just about fell over! Needless to say, I floated up to the cash register (we all float down here!), paid for it and just about ran out of the store, all the while waiting for someone to yell 'Stop! We made a mistake! It's really $799.00!' (which is what they were asking a couple months later when they had a copy in the glass case). This is the best book find I've ever had. There's been a couple others, but this one is the ultimate. Since those Doubleday hardbacks are the same size as a bookclub edition, I assume that the book buyer thought that's what it was. Too bad for them!
KA-CHING! :big_money: :clap:
 

Grandpa

Well-Known Member
Mar 2, 2014
9,724
53,642
Colorado
Back in college, I'd wander through the school library and just pick up books at random to read. I wasn't much interested in the classics.

When the Legends Die by Hal Borland. I was completely caught up in the story.

Sons by Evan Hunter (also known as Ed McBain in the "87th Precinct" series). I was powerfully affected by it and emulated the ending in a different story that I wrote later.

Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. Okay, so maybe that's more in the "classic" genre, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

All for free. I love the library, and that was the first personal era of using it more to its potential.
 

Shoesalesman

Well-Known Member
Aug 12, 2010
1,814
4,093
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Found/bought a signed UK paperback of Thinner at a used book store for under $5. Assume the cashier and the previous owner had no idea it was signed. Though only two people deep, that was the longest checkout lineup I've ever been in, and it seemed to last for hours.
Bought a signed hardcover of Clive Barker's Sacrament for $15 on kijiji. The guy knew it was signed, just didn't care or know who CB was.
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
34,805
The best one is the one that put me over the hump, a story I've told. Summer of ought-six, south Dakota, having just come across Wyoming, Sundance, the Devil's Tower, deadwood...in a gunslinger mood. Stopped to sniff books in a mall in Rapid City...picked up a copy of The Gunslinger, and that was all she wrote. I asked the shelf, "What did he do with this one?" Had only read It and Dreamcatcher prior. Didn't know at the time it was a series, but after flying...United?...I was hooked.
 

jfra3101

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2014
60
344
England
About seven years ago I went into a used/new bookstore in the Seattle area and immediatly went to the horror section. This is a large store and they have a few glass cases inside where they place the rare books. Usually there a few King titles inside. They know what they are doing and what the value of his books are. So, there I am standing at the horror section, looking at the King titles on the shelves and I spot a hardback copy of Carrie. My 'little voice' in the back of my head says 'Hey, that's gonna be a First Printing.' My other little voice (the BAD one) says 'No way.' I reach up and pull the book off of the shelf, look at it (it's an absolutely mint copy!) and open it to so I can see the front flap of the dustjacket. I see the price at the top of the dj says $5.95. My heart skips a beat. I open it to the copyright page and there, in black and white, it says First Edition. Now, my heart has just stopped! I turn it over (to where they place the price sticker at this store) and it says........wait for it........wait........$7.99!!!!!!!!! I just about fell over! Needless to say, I floated up to the cash register (we all float down here!), paid for it and just about ran out of the store, all the while waiting for someone to yell 'Stop! We made a mistake! It's really $799.00!' (which is what they were asking a couple months later when they had a copy in the glass case). This is the best book find I've ever had. There's been a couple others, but this one is the ultimate. Since those Doubleday hardbacks are the same size as a bookclub edition, I assume that the book buyer thought that's what it was. Too bad for them!
Oh man that's crazy! I bet the guy who sold you the book for $7.99 was gutted!
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
Oh man that's crazy! I bet the guy who sold you the book for $7.99 was gutted!
I sure hope not. Wouldn't want that on my conscience. I figured they just didn't have any idea what they had before it was priced and put out on the shelf. Their loss. But, I sure did pretty darn come close to running out of that store after buying it. I even thought about turning around, going up to the buying desk and asking them how much they'd pay me for the book (after removing any of the price stickers showing that I had just bought it from them) and see what they'd offer me. But, I'm not that mean. Mostly......
 

AnnaMarie

Well-Known Member
Feb 16, 2012
7,068
29,564
Other
My best story about getting a rare book is a little different.

My mom's brother decided to research the family ancestry. The family records have been destroyed by fire twice....once by accident and once on purpose (to protect people). So, my uncle was researching by talking to people. Since my grandfather was a much loved and well respected man, a lot of the people he talked to asked for a copy of the family tree when he completed it. He ended up writing a book about his father and his ancestors and descendants. (I'm in the book :D) someone had loaned the book to my dad, who let me borrow it. Nobody told me.....in the middle of the book were the dedication pictures. The youngest child, my mom, and the oldest child, my aunt that I was named after. Both died while he was researching the book so he dedicated it to both of them.

So, I hunted for a copy of the book, which was out of print. I found it in a museum which has books for genealogy research, but not for sale.

Pre-Internet days, so I sent a "letter-to-the-editor" of the newspaper of the city my grandfather had lived near. I got a package in the mail. It was from a guy working at the newspaper as a reporter. When the book was originally published, he had been working at the French newspaper and my uncle had sent him a copy of the book to write a review. He still had the book, so he sent it to me.

I actually ended up with two copies of the book, so I gave one to my sister.