Books Tell You Why. All About Collecting Rare Books

How to Identify Random House First Editions

By Kristin Masters. Apr 8, 2013. 10:15 AM.

Topics: Book Collecting, Modern First Editions, Learn About Books

Random House is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. The publishing house was founded in 1927 by Americans Bennet Cerf and Donald Klopfer, who had acquired the Modern Library imprint from publisher Horace Liveright two years before. As for the name, Cerf said, "We just said we were going to publish a few books on the side at random," and Random House was born. The company entered reference publishing in 1947 with the American College Dictionary. Random House acquired Alfred A. Knopf, Inc in 1960 and Pantheon Books in 1961.

Famous Authors' Words about New York City

By Kristin Masters. Apr 4, 2013. 10:00 AM.

Topics: Rare Books, Book Collecting, Book News

The rare book community is gearing up for the 53rd annual New York Antiquarian Book Fair, the biggest book fair in the world. The fair is one of the many reasons that New York has become an epicenter of literary culture. Here's a look at what famous authors have thought of New York City.

Are You Ready for the New York Antiquarian Book Fair?

By Kristin Masters. Apr 2, 2013. 1:20 PM.

Topics: Rare Books, Book Collecting, Book News

Next week we'll be taking a field trip (of sorts) to the Big Apple. The occasion? Only the biggest and best book fair in the world! If you'll be in the area, be sure to come and visit. You can also check out several other literary hotspots nearby.

Collecting John Steinbeck Books

By Kristin Masters. Mar 27, 2013. 12:35 PM.

Topics: Legendary Authors, Book Collecting, Pulitzer Prize, American Literature, Nobel Prize Winners

Born February 27, 1902 in Salinas, California, John Steinbeck truly made a mark on America as a writer. He won the Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath (1939), a novel that captured the daily struggles and strife of the Great Depression. Steinbeck wrote novels, travelogues, short story collections, and non-fiction, and his exceptional contributions to literature earned him the 1962 Nobel Prize. Steinbeck and his work have long fascinated collectors.

Consummate Book Collectors: ANL Munby

By Kristin Masters. Mar 13, 2013. 10:30 AM.

Topics: Rare Books, Book Collecting, Libraries & Special Collections, Book News

This year Alan Noel Latimer "Tim" Munby would be 100 years old and the ABAA recently blogged about an upcoming conference at King's College to mark Munby's centenary year. Bibliophiles and rare book collectors around the world are anticipating the event, and it's the perfect time to explore Munby's contributions to bibliography, collecting, and authorship.

How to Identify First Editions from Alfred A. Knopf

By Kristin Masters. Mar 11, 2013. 11:44 AM.

Topics: Book Collecting, Modern First Editions, Learn About Books

If you collect rare books, identifying first editions is an important skill. Each publisher has developed its own own conventions for denoting first editions/first printings. Alfred A Knopf, Inc is an excellent example of a publishing house whose style of indicating first editions has stayed relatively consistent over the years, which isn't always the case.

Top Rare Books for the Month of March

By Kristin Masters. Mar 5, 2013. 1:22 PM.

Topics: Rare Books, Book Collecting, American Literature, Modern First Editions

March has arrived, and with it some seriously chilly weather; the "snowquester" looms on the mid-Atlantic, and Northern states are still digging their way out of the latest storms. Thus March has truly lived up to the adage "In like a lion, out like a lamb"! A few rare books that would be perfect for this month...

Randolph Caldecott: A Life in Pictures

By Kristin Masters. Feb 15, 2013. 6:23 AM.

Topics: Caldecott Medal, Book Collecting, Children's Books

Randolph Caldecott, the namesake of the Caldecott Medal, started his career as a banker. Yet he was always sketching the buildings and landscapes that surrounded him. In 1861, Caldecott had his first drawing published in the Illustrated London News. After more of his work appeared in both local and London publications, Caldecott finally took the plunge and moved to London to make a life for himself as an artist.

Meet Vic Zoschak, Charles Dickens Expert

By Kristin Masters. Feb 7, 2013. 5:27 AM.

Topics: Legendary Authors, Rare Books, Book Collecting

Today we celebrate the birthday of Charles Dickens, a beloved author whose works defined the Victorian era. It's the perfect time to introduce our colleague and friend, the inimitable Vic Zoschak. Vic is the proprietor of Tavistock Books in Alameda, CA.

Candace Jordan, Chicago Socialite and Consummate Book Collector

By Kristin Masters. Feb 4, 2013. 4:21 AM.

Topics: Book Collecting, Libraries & Special Collections

Candace Jordan has made an incredible name for herself in Chicago society. A former actress and model, Candace now authors a Chicago Tribune column, hosts an online show called "Candid Candace Chicago," maintains her own blog, and regularly contributes to A Perfect Event and STATUS magazines.