don't pass up a book signed by the author.
And, as hard as it is to shell out full price for books these days, you can bet that a signed copy of whatever is worth more than the cover price of the book. Why? Because we're a society that seeks not only stories, but connections to the story-tellers. And in the age of the printed page, signatures are an intimate connection. Yes, we love autographs because they puts us one degree closer to that famous entity.
So, when I was at Barnes and Noble earlier this week and saw, not one, but two books that were signed, well...
The first book, The Marrowbone Marble Company by Glenn Taylor, I spotted on the New Arrivals in Fiction shelf. It was 20% off, so I didn't pay full price, but I still ended up paying more than I'm used to. I have to tell you, I was drawn to the book because of the really excellent cover, not because I knew anything about the book. I flipped it open and read the synopsis on the inside cover and thought it could be interesting - A WWII era novel that takes its readers into the 50s and 60s and shows how a community is held together throughout changing times. (very Cormac McCarthy).
I ended up paying about $20 for the book, but when I got home I looked up the listing price on ABEbooks.com and found that a signed copy was listing for between $35-100.
The second book, one that I'd not heard of, was The Little Book by Selden Edwards. This one was on the discount table for $5.98. At that price, it almost doesn't matter who the author is, you just buy the book. In this case, the story actually sounds interesting.
[...] When California rock legend Wheeler Burden wakes up in 1897 Vienna -- 50 years before his own birth -- he has no idea how he got there or how he'll get back, but he recognizes the city from the stories told by his favorite prep school teacher. [...]
When I looked this one up on ABEbooks.com, it was listing for between $20-200. Not a bad return on investment. Of course, it helps if you actually like the book.
Most bookstores will identify their signed copies with a little sticker on the cover, and unless they're an independent bookseller, they shouldn't charge you more than the cover price of the book.
I also found autographed copies when I worked at the Longmont Library. I would often peruse the used books for sale in the lobby and found a signed Elmore Leonard, and Dick Francis, just hangin' out for $2 a pop. At the Half Price Books in KC, KS my mom and I found, in the stacks with the rest of the used books, a signed Donna Leon (mystery writer)... and, of course, there is the infamous signed Jeffrey Deaver that I found at the Good Will store. (I didn't realize that it had mildew until I got it home).
Signed books can also be purchased from independent booksellers. My most recent purchase was for a signed Jasper Fforde (first edition) for $13. It was a book that was missing from my collection (I do so love Jasper Fforde) and I could've purchased a copy for $10 unsigned, or for an extra $3 be one degree closer to Mr. Fforde (who just signs his books "Jasper" - Seriously, how intimate is that?!).
Labels: autographed books, BN, Little Book, Marrowbone Marble Company, signed
