A Swell-Looking Book Used & Rare Books - Book Selling

Adventures of a Book Dealer
Among the Savages

A Collection of Humorous (and Perhaps Some Not-So)
Anecdotes on Book Selling, Collecting,
Bibliophily, Bibliogony, and More

             Introduction, Explanations, Caveats

The early reviews are out, the verdict is in. Several people have read the
first installment of my rambling essay on book selling. The consensus
seems to be that it imparts a somewhat relentlessly crankier, even
offensive tone, than I had intended. So while I will probably review,
rewrite and soften up some parts in a less cranky mode, let me first
offer a few words of explanation, clarification and warning.

A. I am not as cranky/misanthropic as I may come off in this essay –
though anyone who’s driven around the Chicago-area for a number of
years probably can’t help being something of a misanthrope at times.

B. I have a lot of great customers who with I enjoy talking about books
and more. I’ve had a lot of nice people sell me their books. They had
good books. The nicest people often seem to have the coolest books to
sell.

3. This is meant to be a humorous essay. (See changing from A, B to a
three is supposed to be a little funny.) I offer up these anecdotes and
comic foibles mainly for other book sellers and/or bibliophiles; for those
who can readily seem themselves and others they know in these pieces –
not in a literal sense, mind you, but in a figurative one. NO names are
ever used, and NO character appearing herein is meant to represent any
real person living or dead (and all that), wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Finally then, a word of warning: if you believe that you may be easily
offended by the ramblings of a semi-cranky, slightly misanthropic book
dealer, then read no further. If you are one of these afore-mentioned
yourself, then read on with self-recognizable, fraternal, delight.

Contents (thus far):

Page 1 . . . How Did I Get Myself Into This?
                I Sell My First Book
                Soon, You'll Have a Whole New View of Humanity
                I Can't Recommend Doing This, to Anyone

Page 2 . . . Comments on Some Common Species of Customer
                You Gotta Believe
                Those Dealer Scum

Page 3 . . . "Interesting" Questions
                "Interesting" Comments
                Those Affected Book People
                The Catch-22s of Buying

Page 4 . . . Condition and Age
                A Great Book for the Beginning Collector
                Nigerian Email Scams

Page 5 . . . The Free Box