| One hobby that is rapidly growing in popularity is that | | | | book are estimated to be left. There are hundreds of |
| of antique book collecting. Because there are still so | | | | thousands of copies of Sinclair Lewis's and John |
| many rare antique books around in places like small | | | | Steinbeck's later novels, but they are classic authors |
| town auctions and garage sales, there is a chance to | | | | and so first editions in great condition are still worth |
| collect classic works cheap and possibly make some | | | | decent money. |
| good money on the side selling these rare first | | | | Many great collectible books, especially the most |
| editions to serious collectors and rare book | | | | valuable, are first editions of books by famous |
| bookstores. | | | | authors that were written before the author became |
| If you're interested in collecting antique books and | | | | famous. This is why books like "Travels with Charley" |
| joining the legions of book hounds out there, one of | | | | by John Steinbeck, "It Can't Happen Here" by Sinclair |
| the first things you will need to learn is the difference | | | | Lewis, and "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest |
| between old books and antique books. | | | | Hemingway are great first edition books, but worth |
| Not every old book is going to be worth something. | | | | far less than nearly unheard of early books by these |
| There are many books from around 1900 that aren't | | | | authors like: |
| worth anything, even if they are uncommon, because | | | | 1. Hike and the Aeroplane (Sinclair Lewis) |
| they were just pulp fiction back then, and so not | | | | 2. Cup of Gold (John Steinbeck) |
| worth anything now, either. | | | | 3. In Our Time (Ernest Hemingway) |
| On the other hand, there are paperbacks from the | | | | These latter three books are worth $12,000-$60,000 |
| 1960s an 1970s that are worth a couple hundred | | | | for true first editions, in strong part due to the fact |
| bucks each (see Richard Bachman, or one of Dean | | | | that these were some of the earliest works by |
| Koontz's dozen pennames). This is usually because of | | | | these authors, who were all unknown at the time, so |
| a famous author writing these books under | | | | not only are they by famous authors, but they're |
| pennames, then becoming famous later on in the | | | | rare, as well. |
| career. | | | | Knowing the difference between just an old book, |
| When collecting books, the popularity of the author | | | | and a valuable rare book, is critical in becoming a |
| or the book does make a difference in how much it | | | | good book hound. |
| is worth. This is in addition to how many copies of a | | | | |