Can Books Beat the Stock Market?

On radio 4's The Open Book there was a feature on Books and prices, and Books as an investment.

Mariella Frostrup interviewed Richard Davies from Abebooks about Books as an Investment. Interesting feature but no real revelations - Buy Books Because You Like Them, Buy 1st Editions, Buy Hardbacks, Must be in Mint Condition, and Signed.

View the web site for The Open Book
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/openbook/openbook.shtml

You can listen to the feature on the site (starts about 20 miniutes into the show)

Twilight and Stephenie Meyer

With the release of the Twilight film in the US I throught I would have a look at some of the prices that the Stephenie Meyer books are selling for.

There have been four books released in the series so far with Twilight being released in 2005 also New Moon (2006), Eclipse (2007), Breaking Dawn (2008)

Looking at Abebooks there are a number of 1st editions available including at the highest end the first three books in the series 1st Editions / 1st Printings at US$ 6500.00 £4500

Wow!

Not sure if anyone will pay that but it shows that if you hit on the right title at the right time small fortunes could be made.

Anyone got any tips on what will be the next hot title????

You can visit Stephenie Meyer links, book sales links and details below

http://www.modernfirsteditions.info/stephenie%20meyer/

Page Updates and Flat Signed Books

We have been adding new content to our author information pages and are gradually building up a sales database of actual results.

http://www.modernfirsteditions.info/patricia%20cornwell/
http://www.modernfirsteditions.info/j%20d%20salinger/
http://www.modernfirsteditions.info/stephen%20king/

We have also added links to Flat Signed Books and their ebay auctions for first editions on al the author information pages.

There current and completed listings section make interesting viewing. This edition of The Catcher in the Rye sold by Flat Signed Book in November 2008 for $1780 - J.D. Salinger "The Catcher in the Rye" (Little Brown, 1951) 1st Edition 1st Printing

Click here to view Flat Signed auctions and results

Jurassic Park author Crichton dies at 66

Michael Crichton, the bestselling author behind the Jurassic Park films and the long-running television series ER, has died unexpectedly in Los Angeles at the age of 66.

A statement released by his family said that the author died after a "courageous and private battle against cancer". He leaves behind his wife, Sherri, and Taylor, his daughter from a previous marriage.

Crichton was a prolific writer whose books spawned numerous film adaptations. More than a dozen of his novels, including Rising Sun, Congo and Twister made it on to the big screen, but it was Jurassic Park, his scientific thriller about the botched creation of a dinosaur theme park, which made him a household name. He co-wrote the screenplay for the film, which was directed by Steven Spielberg and won three Oscars for its special effects.

Visit http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/jurassic-park-author-crichton-dies-at-66-994915.html for more details

First Edition Books and The Number Line

I must admit when I first got back into collecting first edition books again I was not aware of the number line. It is possible that a few people reading this might be saying what's the number line?
I had always looked for the term "First Edition," "First Printing," "First Published," "Published," or "First Impression" to indicate whether a tome was a first.

Apparently now about 80% of publishers particularly in the US use the number line.

So what is it?

The number line is usually a series of numbers

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 or 8 6 4 2 1 3 5 7 9 etc

If a 1 is present in the line the book is a first edition first printing.

For a second printing the 1 is removed and the lowest number will be 2.

Pictured right is the number line from a first edition of Prey by Michael Crichton - this does not include any text mentioning First Published but does have 1 in the number line.

Some books may say First Published as well as having a number line.

I have several Eoin Colfer Artemis Fowl books. One of which I thought was a first edition

The first is Artemis Fowl with the following
First Published
10

indicating a First Edition 10th printing (so not really a first edition at all)

Occasionally the number line may be accompanied by a date line

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 90 91 92 indicates a third printing, published in 1992.

There seem to be a few exceptions to this rule.
Book Collecting Tips mentions that for Random House Publishers

A letter "B" in the middle of a number line that contains a "1" is an 11th edition.

Pictured right is a publisher page for Bridget Jones The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding.
This includes the text First Published 1999 as well as a number line at the bottom. This indicates a First Edition First Printing.

I have noticed lots of price differences on certain books with different First Edition Printings.

As well as lots of books on ebay indicating First Editions. These may well be First Editions but not necessarily a First Printing.

Frank L Baum and Oziana collection at Bloomsbury

Just went to check the results of Frank L Baum and Oziana auction at Bloomsbury and nearly all items are marked as unsold. I am not sure whether the results are just late coming in or whether the items were really unsold.

If anyone was present at the auction and has any news please post to let us know.

I will wait until the results are uploaded or I speak to Bloomsbury next week about the sale until I say more.

Eoin Colfer to be new Hitchhiker's author

http://www.modernfirsteditions.info/eoin%20colfer/

http://www.modernfirsteditions.info/douglas%20adams/

Fine to NM copies of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy are on abebooks for £500 - £800

This copy sold at Bloomsbury Auctions in June 2008 for £130 - The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, first hardback edition , original boards, dust-jacket, worn at corners with 2 small splits, 1979; and a signed copy of Mostly Harmless , 8vo (2)

This will definately generate renewed interest in the books.

From the BBC

Children's author Eoin Colfer has been commissioned to write a sixth instalment of the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy series.

Mostly Harmless, the last Hitchhiker book, was written by its creator, the late Douglas Adams, 16 years ago.

Now Adams's widow, Jane Belson, has given her approval to bring back the hapless Arthur Dent in a new book entitled And Another Thing...

Eoin Colfer, 43, is best known for the best-selling Artemis Fowl novels.

He said he was "terrified" by the prospect of creating a new Hitchhiker book almost a quarter of a century after being introduced to what he described as a "slice of satirical genius" in his late teens.

'Pressure'

The book also spawned a BBC TV series starring Simon Jones"My first reaction was semi-outrage that anyone should be allowed to tamper with this incredible series," he said.

"But on reflection I realised that this is a wonderful opportunity to work with characters I have loved since childhood and give them something of my own voice while holding on to the spirit of Douglas Adams.

"I feel more pressure to perform now than I ever have with my own books," he said, adding that he was "determined that this will be the best thing I have ever written".

Jane Belson said: "I am delighted that Eoin Colfer has agreed to continue the Hitchhiker series.
"I love his books and could not think of a better person to transport Arthur, Zaphod and Marvin to pastures new. The project has my full support."

Adams died of heart failure in 2001, aged 49.

Around 16 million copies of his Hitchhiker books, which have been translated into 35 languages, have been sold around the world.

Colfer was a primary school teacher in Ireland before he secured the largest ever advance for a children's novel by an unknown author.

His Artemis Fowl series, about a teenage criminal mastermind who wreaks havoc in this world and the next, went on to sell more than 18 million copies worldwide and a film adaptation is due to go into production next year.

And Another Thing... will be published in October next year.