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Second-hand bargain book hunting…

Friday, December 3rd, 2010

Like many book lovers, I depend upon the second-hand trade for the sustenance of my addiction. Although a new book is nice, realistically, buying a new copy of every book I want to read is economically not viable. I therefore devote much of my spare time to bargain book hunting. Stalking through the wobbly shelves of crammed second-hand book stores like a giant clumsy dinosaur, rooting out cheap classics, forgotten classics, potential favourites, interesting editions, and obscure titles I would never have heard of or dreamt of reading, had they not fallen in the arc of my roaming eye.

Usually my hunt is rewarded with a few interesting finds; sometimes there is sadly nothing to tempt me, but occasionally, just occasionally, I hit upon the great golden prize I didn’t even know I was looking for. Such was my interpretation of an unexpected discovery I made at a Covent Garden stall a couple of weeks ago – but my excitement was dampened by the revelation of the cost of the thing.

The book in question derives its importance from its association with the sole effort I have made to personalise my workspace. Propped up on my desk is a postcard of a book cover; the book is The Penguin John Lennon (as in a Penguin publication; not a penguin called John Lennon). The cover picture features that Beatle dressed as Superman, a JL emblazoned on his puffed out chest, and he is looking rather imperiously down upon the observer. I adore that postcard; it combines my love of books and my huge love of the Beatles in one delightfully quirky composition. Yet I had never set eyes upon the book itself until that evening in Covent Garden, when there, suddenly, it was.

With childish hunger I lunged for the thing, bemoaned that the protective plastic wrapping prevented me from rifling through it, and demanded to know the price. ‘£25’ the man said. He must be joking I thought. That’s more than a new book!  ‘It’s an original’ the man said. Well what on earth does that mean? I thought. Did John himself bind the thing?

Being locked in plastic I could not check the copyright page. I also hadn’t a clue how many editions there had been, whether it was still in print, or whether a first edition was valuable – which consideration is itself a concession to that curious custom that a book printed closer in time to it being written is more precious than the same book printed today, even if the content (so – the book) does not differ a jot.

To cut lengthy dithering short, I did not, in the end, buy The Penguin John Lennon.  I decided that it would be a little rash. On later reflection, £25 is, in the grand scheme of things, not exactly a lot. But the fact that it was enough to deter me does shed light on my own hypocrisy and pose a question: although I consider second hand books, and the second hand book trade, invaluable; how much do and should I really, monetarily, value an old book?

Georgina Phipps, Editorial Administrator

Lara Says:


Or you could have spent a cool couple of million on this? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11242275

Posted on December 6th, 2010 at 8:56 am

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