BookFinder.com Journal

Marilyn by Norman Mailer to be republished

The two time Pulitzer Prize winning author Norman Mailer will be knocked off the BookFidner.com Report next year now that fine press publisher Taschen has paired the text from his biography Marilyn with photographs of the bombshell by Bert Stern.  The publishing house, who is famous for fantastically designed and exorbitantly priced art books such as the Muhammad Ali tribute G.O.A.T., will publish their version of the model's life later this year. You may recognize Mailer's biography "Marilyn" from its many appearances on the BookFinder.com Report, the book was first published in 1974 and was last published in the US in 1987.

In typical Taschen fashion no expense was spared on the final product and a "basic" version (shown below) of Norman Mailer, Bert Stern: Marilyn Monroe by Norman Mailer will set you back about a grand, and the more elaborate "art edition" ends up costing a cool $2,500.

The 100 most sought-after out-of-print books in America

If you are at all familiar with BookFinder.com you probably know all about our annual BookFinder.com Report which tracks the demand of the 100 most sought-after titles which are no longer in print in the United States.  The list differs from year to year as trends change and books get republished (Indie publishers take note, there may be a hidden gem in the list for you.)  This list is no different as number of titles from last year’s report have been republished in the past twelve months including The Sixteenth Round: from Number 1 Contender to #45472 by Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, Old Southern Apples by Creighton Lee Calhoun and Aran Knitting by Alice Starmore, leaving room for some new additions.  

In fact Alice Starmore, a superstar in the knitting world, took her own spot on the list. Aran Knitting lived on the BookFinder.com report for years before getting re-published in 2010 and now another one of her works, Tudor Roses, has jumped onto the list to take its place.  Tudor Roses is interesting because it includes a number of sweater designs inspired by the Tudor royals (eg. Henry VIII and Elizabeth I) and their over-the-top gold embroidery, velvet, jewels and lace.

Current events also have an impact on the list.  In A Payroll to Meet, David Whitford discusses the incidents surrounding Southern Methodist University's (SMU) receiving the "death penalty" from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); which involves banning the school from competing in a sport for a year or more (two in SMU's case).  This book has been out-of-print since 1989 but scandal in college football has never been more in vogue.  The recent rash of cheating, bribing and recruitment scandals to hit Ohio State, Southern Cal, Auburn, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, LSU, and the Hurricanes in Miami have renewed the interest in the grandfather of college football scandal.  I somehow doubt this book will see reprint but it’s always interesting to well researched books jump back into the spotlight because of current events.

View all 100 books in the 2011 BookFinder.com Report

BookFinder.com Report 2010: 100 most sought after out-of-print books

The eighth edition of the BookFinder.com report is now available for your reading enjoyment.

We changed up this year’s format ever so slightly, and have provided a list of the top 100 most sought after out-of-print books, regardless of category.   Among some of the usual suspects (Madonna’s Sex is, not surprisingly, once again on the top of the heap) we have some very interesting newcomers, including:

• The Secret of Instantaneous Healing by Harry Douglas Smith (a guide to mental healing)
• Basic Building Data by Don Graf (A compendium of tables and facts for anyone with an interest in selecting the right materials, location, and layout for a construction project).
• William Burges and the High Victorian Dream by J. Mordaunt Crook (a biography on the great Victorian era architect William Burges)

It also brought a smile to my face seeing Fly Fishing by J.R. Hartley show up in the list. This, of course, is the book that anyone who lived in the UK in the 1980s would remember from the now classic Yellow Pages advert which featured an man traipsing around London's used book shops looking for an old book, only finding success with the telephone directory. 

Neither the book, nor the author, existed at the time of the when Yellow Pages created this commercial.  So why, you may ask, is this book found in the BookFinder.com report? 

The beauty of this whole scenario is that in 1991 a spoof memoir by the fictional Mr. Hartley was published due to the popularity of the ad, and now the spoof is the out-of-print book which is sought after.  It kind of reminds me of the time paradox in Terminator, only with used books instead of cyborgs.

See the whole list in the 2010 BookFinder.com Report

BookFinder.com Report near misses

So now that the BookFinder.com report has been available online for a few weeks, I wanted to mention a few of the interesting books which we were forced to cut from the list.  By this I don't mean all of the thousands of in print books but rather books which nearly made the cut, I mentioned one such book in a post way back when I first started researching this years Report but there were many more.

One example is Dead in Dixie by Charlaine Harris which is technically out-of-print however after a short discussion we decided to leave this one off the list.  You see the book is an omnibus edition of the first three novels in Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series.  All three books are still available and a boxed set  as well as individual editions so we decided that Dead in Dixie failed to qualify.

Perhaps more interesting was The Essential Woodworker by Robert Wearing.  This book was last published in 1998 and is most definitely out-of-print, but was only ever printed in England.  So even though buyers in the US are eagerly looking for this book, and there are no new copies being printed, technically, we could not include in the list as it has never been in print in the United States.

The title which I was the most displeased with having to leave off the 2009 BookFinder.com report was Mother of the Children of the Holocaust: the story of Irena Sendler by Anna Mieszkowska.  This would have been our number one Biography however this book was also never printed in the US. 

The book details the work of Sendler who was a social worker who served in the Polish Underground during the German occupation and saved 2,500 Jewish children by smuggling them out of the Warsaw Ghetto.  Copies are very hard to track down and at the time of writing this post there are no copies available on BookFinder.com.  If you like you can keep checking back here, but unless we see a reprinting I would not hold my breath

Outside of the great story within what made this book so interesting was that despite the fact it had never been printed in the US it was adapted into a "Hallmark Hall of Fame production", titled The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler and broadcast on CBS April 19, 2009.   With that kind of press and huge search volume, I think a publisher could do well with a North American reprinting.

BookFinder.com Report 7 released

We have released the 2009 edition of the BookFinder.com Report.

The Report tracks the most sought-after out-of-print books in America, breaking down demand for popular out-of-print titles in ten different genre categories.

As usual this edition features a number of books with very interesting stories:

• Cop Without a Badge by Charles Kipps, had a sudden spike in demand after a run in with The Real Housewives of New Jersey
• The Recently Deflowered Girl by Edward Gorey, got a second wind on the back of an internet meme
• Secrets of the Federal Reserve by Eustace Mullins, a conspiracy theory propped up by the economic collapse

There are many more so go ahead and read the whole 2009 BookFinder.com Report

Also if any of you are interested I will be on CBC Radio One tomorrow (September 17th) on the All Points West program between 3:30-4:00pm PST.  I will be talking to Jo-Ann Roberts about the BookFinder.com Report.  If you like you can listen online here.

Author's family also seeking the most sought after out of print book in Australia

BookFinder.com’s most searched for out of print books in Australia list is making waves in Hawks Bay, New Zealand. The top book on the list, “The Guide to Fresh Water Angling in Hawke's Bay, by Charles Russell Barham” has been out of print for years and it seems the family of the author is also looking for a copy.

Hawks Bay Today first published BookFinder.com’s list at the beginning of January. When Barham’s widowed wife Maree returned home from her Christmas holiday and read about its online popularity she was floored. In a followup article published yesterday, Maree spoke to the paper, and explains that her family is also searching for a copy of her husband's book.

"I was just blown away, it's been more than 25 years since he died," she said. "When I saw the article in the newspaper I thought, 'what's this?'"

"To know that 40 years after it was published people are looking for it now is amazing. He put his heart and soul into that book."

She said Barham, who went by his middle name, was a great outdoors man and angler. Born in New Plymouth in 1932, he spent most of his adult life in the Bay.

The book's appearance in the news also stirred emotions for the couple's youngest daughter, Cathy Davel, who was 9 when her father died. Mrs Davel, who now lives in Wellington, said she didn't have much to remember him by or much to give her own children to know him by, either.

"I'm a mum now of two children and it would be special to have something to pass on to them."

So if you are a bookseller, or an avid angler, and happen to have a copy of this sought after tome send us a note and we will put you in touch with the family who would be very happy to hear from you. Come on everyone, let's make this a happy ending and find them a copy of this book!

Posted by Scott

Top out-of-print books in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom

Last week BookFinder.com revealed the most searched for out-of-print books from the United States and now, after some additional research time, we present the most searched for out-of-print books for Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

BookFinder.com most sought-after out-of-print books in Australia

1. “Guide to Fresh Water Angling in Hawkes Bay” (1968) by Charles Russell Barham
   Fishing guide for the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island
2. “Souvenirs of the Sunny South : being a collection of Australian horse verse” (1915) by William James Wye
   One of ten works by outback bush poet and horse lover Billy Wye
3. “The Raider Kormoran” (1959) by Theodor Detmers
   An account of the WWII naval battle between the German raider Kormoran and Australian HMAS Sydney, written by the Kormoran’s captain. The location of the Sydney’s wreck was only discovered March of this year, renewing interest in the important naval battle in Australian history. You can read this news article to get some of the back story.
4. “Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia” (1975) by Harold G. Cogger
   Comprehensive guide to the identification of Australia’s rich and varied herpetofauna
5. “Little Dream” (1969) by Cynthia Leonetti
   A children’s picture book about the land where dreams live before they are chosen to inhabit the heads of children for the night.

BookFinder.com most sought-after out-of-print books in Canada

1. “Waiting in the Wings” (1986) by Doreen Tovey
   In this book, the author focuses on her relationship with her husband Charles and adjusting to his passing, which is a departure from her usual focus of the idiosyncrasies of her cats.
2. “The Last Great Frontiersman : the remarkable adventure of Tom Lamb” (1982) by Leland Stowe
   Tom Lamb, described as “a backwoods giant,” lived his life in the northern Manitoban wilderness as a trapper, logger, bush pilot etc.; written by Pulitzer prize winner Leland Stow.
3. “Knitting Lace: A Workshop with Patterns and Projects” (1992) by Susanna Lewis
   An essential textbook when designing lace
4. “Cocaine” (1975) by Marc Olden
   Olden is best known for his crime fiction however he got his start writing non-fiction. His second book, Cocaine, investigates the rising tide of cocaine abuse in America. The contacts he made within law enforcement ranks and the knowledge gained about their world would bring a distinct authenticity to all his future crime novels.
5. “Once a Runner: A Novel” (1978) by John L. Parker, Jr.
   The cult classic distance running novel, coming back into print in April 2009

BookFinder.com most sought-after out-of-print books in the UK

1. “Whispering Wind : adventures in Arnhem Land” (1957) by Syd Kyle-Little
   Whispering Wind is the account of Kyle-Little’s early attempts to found a trading post on the coast of the Arafura Sea in the years immediately following World War II. Kyle-Little’s book was reprinted in Australia in 1993 but has once again fallen out of print.
2. “Walkers Pitch” (1959) by Richard Walker
   British angling author, considered by many to be one of the best fishermen of the twentieth century. Walkers Pitch is a collection of articles from his column in Angling Times.
3. “Sex” (1992) by Madonna
   The pop icon’s book of erotic photos, a perennial favourite
4. “The modern Antiquarian : a pre-millennial odyssey through megalithic Britain” (1998) by Julian Cope
   Book exploring the sites of Britain’s megalithic heritage written by British rock musician Julian Cope
5. “The Silent Scream and poems” (1979) by Larry Winters
   Also includes a biographical introduction by Daphne Brook, who visited the author and convicted murderer, in Barlinnie Prison, Glasgow, before his death there in 1977. Winters’ story was also the basis for the 1990 film of the same name directed by David Hayman.

I really enjoy comparing these lists and finding out how interests differ from country to country; only two titles ended up on more then one list (Madonna’s Sex and Once a Runner by John L. Parker). Both Canada and Australia love stories about their wilderness adventurers, and Australian out-of-print searchers are mainly looking for Australiana.

But the one trend I find really interesting is that on all four lists, you find instructional manuals for fishing, knitting, woodworking or the like. Publishers produce new instruction manuals every year, but when trying to hone your skills tried and true advice is worth its weight in gold—and I believe it after looking at the price for some of these books.

Is there an out-of-print book you have been in search of for ages ? (Or just trying to find it for a price you can afford?) Tell us in a comment.

Posted by Scott

Top 10 US out of print books of 2008

The BookFinder.com team spends a lot of time looking at used and rare market demand trends. Per our research, the following are the top 10 most sought-after out-of-print books in America in 2008.

1. Once a Runner: A Novel (1978) by John L. Parker, Jr.
   The cult classic distance running novel, coming back into print April 2009
2. Sex (1992) by Madonna
   The pop icon’s book of erotic photos, a perennial favorite
3. Promise Me Tomorrow (1984) by Nora Roberts
   An early novel that the bestselling romance novelist refuses to reprint, describing it as “mediocre”
4. Murmurs of Earth: The Voyager Interstellar Record (1978) by Carl Sagan
   A document from the first great era of space exploration
5. Carpentry for Beginners: How to use tools, basic joints, workshop practice, designs for things to make (1900) by Charles H. Hayward
   A century-old (!) title from a prolific Canadian carpentry author
6. A Lion Called Christian (1972) by Anthony “Ace” Bourke and John Rendall
   A memoir about a pet lion, coming back into print April 2009; the video of the authors’ reunion with Christian was all over YouTube
7. Comanche Heart (1991) by Catherine Anderson
   The second book in the series. The first, Comanche Moon was reissued and placed on the New York Times bestseller list. This will be coming back into print June of 2009.
8. Legally Sane (1972) by Jon K. Hahn with Harold C. McKenney
   An investigation of an international killing spree and the chilling accounts of a psychopathic murderer
9. Woodworker’s Essential Shop Aids and Jigs; Original Devices You Can Make (1992) by Robert Wearing
   An indispensable resource for DIY craftspeople
10. The Principles of Knitting: Methods and Techniques of Hand Knitting (1989) by June Hemmons Hiatt
    Incredibly popular comprehensive knitting guide

We’re excited to see that three of these long tail “bestsellers” will be coming back into print next year. We love out-of-print books, but I look forward to a world where no book ever has to go out of print again, thanks to the magic of print-on-demand and ebooks.

Posted by Anirvan

BookFinder.com Report 6 released

We’ve released the 2008 edition of the BookFinder.com Report.

The Report tracks the most sought-after out-of-print books in America, breaking down demand for popular OOP titles in ten different genres.

I’ve been fascinated by the dramatic stories—and sometimes shady publishing histories—behind some of the books on the list:

• Smith County Justice by David Ellsworth, an exposé of a long pattern of alleged police abuse in Texas
• The Autobiography of Howard Hughes by Clifford Irving, a hoax book that almost got published as the real thing
• Escape from Laos by Dieter Dengler, the autobiography of a US pilot held as a prisoner of war during the secret bombing of Laos
• Raven: The Untold Story of The Rev. Jim Jones and His People by Tim Reiterman, a journalist who was in Guyana investigating Jones as the massacres took place

Read the whole 2008 BookFinder.com Report.

[Now Reading: The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America by David Hajdu]

Posted by Anirvan

Helicopters?

Every year we put together the BookFinder.com Report, where we list the previous year's most sought-after out-of-print books in ten categories. For the past couple of years, one of the books we've listed in our Popular Science and Technology section has been a book with an intriguing name, about helicopters of all things. John F. Straubel wrote "One Way Up" in 1964, when he was working for the Hiller Aircraft Company here in Northern California. We've been wondering why this book is so popular, so we decided to pester the author. We were happy to discover that he had heard of the BookFinder.com Report and knew that people were searching for out-of-print copies of his book, although he himself couldn't say for certain why "One Way Up" was enjoying a renaissance in popularity. We learned that the book focused mainly on Stanley Hiller, Jr. and his various helicopters, vertical rising aircraft and assorted flying contraptions. There weren't many copies made, which might explain why the book is so hard to find these days. Stan Hiller died in 2006, and perhaps his death sparked a renewed interest in his life and work. Mr. Straubel told us that he was working on an expanded second edition of the book, and is also considering reprinting the original edition. So for those of you who have been running searches for "One Way Up," whoever you might be, there may soon be a fresh supply available. [Now reading: A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby] Posted by Wendy