What obsolete title would you love to stumble upon? (we'll keep an eye out for you)

Somewhere in the threads, there was a brief discussion about women's birthing positions. Googling to document my point, I came across Labor Among Primitive Peoples, published in 1883. I'd love to be able to wrap an old copy as a gift to my older daughter, as she is a member of the local Midwive's Alliance, as a doula.

White Pony in the Hills by Anne Bosworth Greene
The Wild Heart by Helen Griffiths
Jump-Shy by Joan Houston

These can be found, but they're horribly expensive ($100).

If I could find any of these for the $20 range, I'd buy them.

Fuzzi, there's a copy of White Pony in the Hills on ebay right now for 24.95 .

http://www.ebay.com/sch/?_nkw=white%20pony%20in%20the%20hills%20Greene&clk_r...

How much do you want to spend 2wonderY?

Well, I see that I can get a paperback print on demand for about $20. I may do that for a birthday or Christmas gift. I'd just love to stumble upon an original copy.

You know, at a yard sale, for less than $5..!!

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell is a memoir I've looked for for a while. I'm not too concerned about having something totally pristine, would rather find a hardcover copy than paperback; but mainly would just like to read it.
Gerald Durell is in a cycle of scarcity right now. Other years his books cropped up more frequently.

Also: Six Impossible Things (? may not be the correct title) by Elizabeth Cadell I'd love to find a hardcover copy or library rebind (the format in which I first read Cadell in my teens)

Marchpane, My Family and other animals is pretty widely available through online sites like ABEbooks for only a few dollars. I love the Cadell, too, but it's harder to find, and much more expensive.

I just recently got Six Impossible Things in paperback, it was pretty hard to find. I'd eventually like to get the others in the series, preferably in hardback. I may never be willing to pay the hardback price, though. I've only paid what I thought was a REALLY high price once - when I scored my copy of My Friends George and Tom, I snagged it because it was $100 LESS than I'd been seeing as the asking price for years. What can I say - I love the book and re-read it regularly.

I might have an extra copy of My Family and Other Animals. I'll poke around this weekend. In my mind I have a hardback and a Penguin paperback. I haven't seen the paperback in awhile, though - I may have given it away already.

Wow, I hadn't really looked for Six Impossible Things online! I borrowed it from the library when I discovered Cadell, and then read and re-read a number of her books over the years. Gerald Durrell was less than $5 and Cadell more than $50.

I've often wondered at the comparative values of things... for instance, finding it a bit skewed that many old houses in Athens County are valued at less than an SUV.

So, apparently I have no idea what books I own - even the ones I've cataloged. I don't have Six Impossible Things, I have The Lark Shall Sing. I don't have a single copy of My Family and Other Animals, much less one to give away - sorry about that. I do have one copy of Birds, Beasts and Relatives. I really would like to read Marrying Off Mother.

I am trying to collect Girls Gone By versions of the Chalet School books - at reasonable prices. $80 for a paperback? $261.03? not including shipping...

>MDGentleReader: Did you check AwesomeBooks.com for Girls Gone By books? They have quite a few of them for around $30 each, with free shipping.

Edit: That should be $20, not 30.

Thanks for looking, MDGentleReader. Marrying Off Mother is one I hadn't heard about-- have to see if it's in the public library. I'll keep an eye out at the free boxes too-- that's where I've found a bunch of other treasures of the tattered ilk.

I'll be making a written list to carry with me to the Trinity Book sale in a few weeks, from this thread. So nows the time to post titles or authors you yearn for.

Add to my previous "wants":
Author Glenn Balch: anything written by him except White Ruff or Christmas Horse
Author Jim Kjelgaard: Firehunter
Sky rocket: the Story of a Little Bay Horse by Margaret Cabell Self
Grey Dawn by Albert Payson Terhune

Thank you!

I am looking for the Yale Shakespeare Merchant of Venice. 4 1/2 " x 6 7/8". Little blue cloth covered hardback book. This version originally published in 1923 by Yale University Press, updated in the 1950s.

Picture located here:



I spent some time figuring out how to add the picture to my post and gave it up.

That I no longer own particular volume is one tiny sin I lay at the door of the September 11, 2001 plane highjackers.

If you happen to come across any of Gerald Durrell's many books he published to raise money for his causes, I wouldn't mind two or three. I only own Birds, Beasts and Other relatives, Rosie is My Relative (a DELIGHTFUL book) and will soon own Marrying Off Mother and other Stories.

ETA: I figured how to this admittedly dull picture to my post.

My dh had a collection of Warren comics he'd left at his mother's for a short time. He asked her to send them, and she did. They left Boston on September 11th, and did not reach their destination.

However, losing his comics is trivial when we consider the loss of life that day.

Very true.

I'd love to stumble across anything by Sally Watson, especially Lark, Linnet, or Jade. Also any mysteries by Augusta Huiell Seaman.

Last call for this season. The sale is next week.

1. White Pony in the Hills by Anne Bosworth Greene
2. The Wild Heart by Helen Griffiths
3. Jump-Shy by Joan Houston
4. Author Glenn Balch: anything written by him except White Ruff or Christmas Horse
5. Firehunter by Jim Kjelgaard
6. Sky rocket: the Story of a Little Bay Horse by Margaret Cabell Self
7. Grey Dawn by Albert Payson Terhune

If you find any of these, I'd love for you to buy them!

I really don't want to go above $5.00 per copy, but I'd go $10.00 each for these:

White Pony in the Hills by Anne Bosworth Greene
Jump-Shy by Joan Houston
Firehunter by Jim Kjelgaard
Sky rocket: the Story of a Little Bay Horse by Margaret Cabell Self

I'd like readable copies, NOT MUSTY. As long as the pages aren't falling out, I'm good. I trust your judgment. :)

And I could get a money order in the mail as soon as you let me know you got them. :) :)

Oh, and I'd pay postage, too. :) :) :)

1. Adventures of A Boomer Op ----found it
2. Along the Line - Swan ---- Found it - 30 December 2017
3. The Fast Men of America

Any or all of these would be a welcome find....not very likely though... they are a tad obscure.

Oh. hey, alco! Didn't see you come in the door. Those are railroad titles, I presume?

Yes 2wonderY, they are. #1 is a first person by a temp telegraph operator, #2 is a collection of first person stories of working on the railroad, and #3 is a first person collection of highball artists - high speed locomotive engineers.

I have to report that I came up empty at this year's booksale. I saw two ratty copies of Kjelgaard's Big Red, and that was it. I spent less than $10 on a few books for myself and family - compared to my usual $70 or more. They had twice as many books, but most of it was junk and drivel.

They always have a category "pre-1940 fiction" and the sign was placed, but there were no books. *pout*

I will keep the list though and my eyes open.

Thank you for looking.

On the plus side, I found Sky rocket: the Story of a Little Bay Horse online for under $20.00. It should be arriving soon. :)

#6 I know it's a long time since you asked and you're probably sorted now, all the same . . . My Family and Other Animals is still a very popular book in the UK - one of those it would be unthinkable to be unavailable. If you haven't already got it from ABE or any of the similar shops suggested by Aviddive (#7) then you can order it from Amazon.co.uk - http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_13?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&...

I would love it if obscure/out of print titles were made available as ebooks. I would love to read Fire Hunter again, but it is almost unavailable due to the high cost of a used paperback ($28.00???).

The Wolf King is highly recommended, but I cannot pay $160 just to read it!

Project Gutenberg has some, but not Kjelgaard's works.

Come on, if you own the copyright, make the book available, please!

I am very, VERY excited!

My father, who is 84, is visiting. We were talking about books, and wound up talking about his Bookhouse collection he had as a child. I decided to give him a taste of nostalgia, Googled the collection just to show him pictures...

...AND FOUND A SET FOR SALE THROUGH AMAZON!

They were affordable, and so I ordered them.

The series is My Bookhouse, and was published starting in the 1920s. The editions that my dad received as a child were published in 1928 (his birth year) and had red covers. They are not easily found.

The books have been shipped...I want to do a happy dance!

Oh, YAY! Enjoy them together.

I am looking for the 1905 R. F. Fenno version of Black Butterflies by Berthe St. Luz which has a cover designed by William Starkweather: http://www.archive.org/stream/blackbutterflie00davigoog#page/n1/mode/1up
The book is also referenced by Richard Minsky in The Art of American Book Covers and was created during the Golden Age of Book Illustration.

Ooh! StonyBrook, are you going to add your collection and add covers on LT so that we can help you admire Starkweather?

adding a touchstone for The Art of American Book Covers

It's been a good year:

1. White Pony in the Hills by Anne Bosworth Greene - not yet found...
2. The Wild Heart by Helen Griffiths - found a copy!
3. Jump-Shy by Joan Houston - found a copy!
4. Author Glenn Balch: anything written by him except White Ruff or Christmas Horse - found Lost Horse, Winter Horse, Wild Horse Tamer, Wild Horse...
still looking for Horse in Danger and Stallion's Foe.
5. Firehunter by Jim Kjelgaard - found a copy!
6. Sky rocket: the Story of a Little Bay Horse by Margaret Cabell Self - found a copy!
7. Grey Dawn by Albert Payson Terhune - found a copy!

That's a pretty good percentage, fuzzi!

Trinity Book Sale again the first week of November. 50,000 books. I will take a list from this thread with me, though I can only get there late in the week.
I used to work right across the street from the Trinity Church, but my office moved 45 miles away.

Ruth, I'm really wanting White Pony in the Hills by Anne Bosworth Greene. It's hard to find at a decent price, so if you see it for less than $30, I will pay you to buy it for me! It can't be musty, though...old book smell is okay, but I'm allergic to must. :(

Thanks, SylviaC! I've been making a concerted effort to find these books, and it's paying off. :)

I'd like to find Angola and the River Congo by Joachim John Monteiro. The 1875 Macmillan and Co 2 volume set, for a reasonable price. Unfortunately they're mostly around $200-$300.

Ouch...

Bookfinder.com has a couple in good shape for about $130, see here:

http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&ref=bf_s2_a1_t1_1&qi=t...

#39 Oooh thank you Fuzzi, haven't actually heard of bookfinder before.

Watch out, Henri...it can be a dangerou$ place...

Considering the amount I just spent on a 1732 first edition thus of one of Voltaire's books elsewhere I'm sure it's not too dangerou$ ;)

My daughter has acquired her own motorcycle and is learning to ride it. A book title she would love to find not only for the kitsch value, but for the story itself is How to be Sexy with Bugs in Your Teeth, a seeming cult classic from the 70s. Amazon has it for over $300, which is way too much. If you come across it for $30 or less, I'd be glad to have it.

>43 2wonderY: Oooh, I wish I had it to give you for her. Good luck!

Many years ago I gave away a lovely copy of The White Witch by Elizabeth Goudge (touchstone for the title not working). Why I did this, I really can't say.

I love her writing so much, and wish I could have that book again...without searching it out and spending $$$ online.

FYI: I have found copies of all the books listed in post 33, but there's one more I would really like: Horse Show Hurdles. Most copies I have found are in the $150 range, which I will not pay...but $20 or so is doable.

>43 2wonderY: >44 SaintSunniva: I hope you find those...be sure to check Ebay as well.

>43 2wonderY: ouch...Ebay has it for $300+.

>44 SaintSunniva: it's available, and inexpensive, here: http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&ref=bf_s2_a1_t1_1&qi=E...

>46 fuzzi: Thanks for the link, I had never heard of bookfinder before. I may treat myself to Jean Bothwell's Indian books some day soon...

edited for touchstone

>45 fuzzi: i saw a copy online for $40 in MA if that helps? (Still very expensive but better than the €440 one I also saw along the way...). Let me know if you want the link.

>48 skullduggery: yes, please, link me.

>49 fuzzi: pm-d you!

>50 skullduggery: got it!!!! Thank you SO much.

It's a reading copy, but the scans looked good enough.

>51 fuzzi: Oh good, hope it's ok when it arrives. Such fun when you find books you've been looking for!

It has four tiny holes that go through the cover and into the pages, but it looks to be a good reading copy. I couldn't afford the $100+ most copies sell for.

>52 skullduggery: it came today, and it's even better than I thought. The tiny holes could have been made by a pin, or needle. I doubt I'll notice them once I start reading it.

Thank you SO much for telling me about this copy. The seller was really nice, too.

Helen Clare's Merlin's Magic,a delightful children's book. I have seen it quoted as $1200-1500. Recently there was one in UK for £800. Gotta win the Lottery to afford that! :0)

>54 fuzzi: Oh, that's great news - I'm so happy it worked out for you!

I have a couple on my wishlist if anyone happens across a nice copy with a dust jacket for less than $50 in any country (I'm used to postage). (They were published in the 60s so strictly speaking they're about 10 years too modern to fit into this group, but I hope you'll forgive me including them as I've been hunting for an affordable copy for years!) I have the other three in the series but every time I find these ones they cost hundreds... The touchstones don't have covers, so I'll add them in as well for visual folks.

• Sir Lancelot of the Lake by Roger Lancelyn Green and


• Tales of the Greeks and Trojans by Roger Lancelyn Green

>56 skullduggery: I put those two titles in my ebay search list.

>57 fuzzi: Thanks fuzzi!

>55 dustydigger: That one looks lovely. The cheapest I could see it for was £170, but will keep an eye out.

D.E. Stevenson's Mrs. Tim books after Mrs. Tim of the Regiment are hard to find at a reasonable price.

Revisiting this thread...

>43 2wonderY: I have saved that book on my ebay wish list, still haven't seen it for less than $200.

>59 jnwelch: >56 skullduggery: not seen those, still keeping an eye out.

Almost every book I listed here has been found and purchased, woo! However...here are current wants:

Christmas Horse by Glenn Balch in the 1970 Apollo edition...I cannot locate a copy online, anywhere. The cover is green, a rider and cows.

Summerhills by D.E. Stevenson, good condition. The cheapest I've seen it for is $40, no way I am paying that. I just want to READ it.

Chip the Dam Builder and Kalak of the Ice by Jim Kjelgaard, either as a reading copy is fine. They list for $100 and up, nuh uh.

Buff, A Collie, The Faith of a Collie, My Friend the Dog, and A Highland Collie, all by Albert Payson Terhune, readable copies.

I can handle "old book smell", but not mustiness.

>44 SaintSunniva: I found that book, are you still needing a copy?

>61 fuzzi: If you have The White Witch, I would surely love it. Thank you!

>60 fuzzi: Thanks for the update - I have seen Summerhills from your list (but located in NZ - not sure how postage would hit you) - I'll PM you the link.

>56 skullduggery: I recently managed to find the Lancelot book (yay!), but am still hunting for Tales of the Greeks and Trojans by Roger Lancelyn Green...

Edit: finally found it :)

>62 SaintSunniva: on its way!

>63 skullduggery: I so appreciate it, but the postage tripled the price of Summerhills. I just can't...I've spent that much before on a used book, but not an unknown/unread tome.

>64 fuzzi: I totally understand! I'm in Oz, and I often see books that I'd really love, but then postage just adds so much I have to pass. I'll still keep an eye out ;)

>65 skullduggery: thank you!

::dusting cobwebs off thread::

How's the acquisition hunt coming along?

Still looking for these:

Christmas Horse by Glenn Balch in the 1970 Apollo edition...I cannot locate a copy online, anywhere. The cover is green, a rider and cows. (found it on eBay)

Summerhills by D.E. Stevenson, good condition. The cheapest I've seen it for is $40, no way I am paying that. I just want to READ it. (found it for less than $10!)

Chip the Dam Builder and Kalak of the Ice by Jim Kjelgaard, either as a reading copy is fine. They list for $100 and up, nuh uh. (found Kalak as a reprint, Chip is also available as a reprint but seller on eBay and Amazon wants $20, so I'm waiting)

Buff, A Collie, The Faith of a Collie, My Friend the Dog, and A Highland Collie, all by Albert Payson Terhune, readable copies. (found 3 of the 4, only still looking for My Friend the Dog)

>67 fuzzi: No joy wrt >21 alco261: fuzzi. On the other hand I have managed to find a number of recent first person accounts of which I was not aware so all is not gloom and doom over her in the world of first person accounts of working for the railroad.

>67 fuzzi: how sure are you that Apollo published an edition of Christmas Horse? I looked on a few Balch pony lover websites and worldcat they all listed it as being published by Tab and Scholastic only. (These titles have the rider and cows but covers are yellow and orange). It looked like only Wild Horse was published by Apollo?

Christmas Horse is the right touchstone, I think.

>69 skullduggery: I owned it as a teen.

Also, when I was trying to replace some childhood favorites a few years ago, after joining LT, I did some research, assisted by some members here. My memory was confirmed: Apollo did publish Christmas Horse in 1970. I missed getting a copy on Ebay but am hopeful that eventually another copy will turn up.

Addendum: here is the thread I was referring to, and it was bookel who found it for me: https://www.librarything.com/topic/163809

And here's the cover:

>68 alco261: sorry you've not found those yet.

>71 fuzzi: thanks - the photo will help me look!

>71 fuzzi: That's ok. Among the new-to-me books I found is one titled Danger Signals. I have the original printing from 1890. What makes the book curious is the way it is set up. The book is 2 inches thick and has 272 pages. The text on each page has top and bottom margins of 1.75 inches and side margins of 2 inches. Consequently the text is 3.5 x 5 inches on each page. If the book had been printed with the usual margins it would have been at least half as thick as it is.

The accounts are all true and the sub-title of the book says it all "Absorbing Stories of Men with Nerves of Steel - Indomitable Courage and Wonderful Endurance" - now if that just doesn't grab your attention and make you want to drop everything and start reading I guess I don't know what would. :-)

>73 alco261: I'd love to see that book!

>72 skullduggery: wonderful. I only saw it the one time, on Ebay, and it was already sold when I found it.

>74 fuzzi: Success - found one of them - Swan - Along the Line - now we wait for the postman to ring twice. :-)

>75 alco261: woo hoo! I am so happy for you!

Found it on Ebay for $75!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/193218882118?ul_ref=https%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%...

.>77 fuzzi: oh sheesh!

>77 fuzzi: Ah me, just when you think you've seen everything possible in the way of book titles along comes fuzzi to prove you wrong. :-)

>77 fuzzi: Just can't believe the title!

>77 fuzzi: This darling is just keeping a persistent eye out for a book my daughter was interested in over 3 years ago. See >43 2wonderY:

Bless you, Lor!

>77 fuzzi: The pictures don't match the like new claim.

English Medieval Embroidery by Grace (Mrs. Archibald) Christie. A classic study, published in 1938 and long out of print; copies can be found in research libraries and occasionally for sale -- for multiple hundreds of dollars.

>83 erj-rnc: Me, too. I have an early (1920) edition of Samplers and Stitches as well as a later (1985) reprint to work from. I wonder why nobody reprints English Medieval Embroidery. I'm sure lots of us would buy a good reprint.

Embroidery and Tapestry Weaving is available from Gutenberg (with images) https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/20386
but somehow an ebook isn't the same as having even a reprint in your hands.

Mrs. Christie

>81 2wonderY: you're very welcome. I have the title saved as an Ebay search. The copies that pop up are usually hundreds of dollars.

Maybe not TBSL, but researching one of my favorite topics, bibliomysteries, I found a book called Death of a Bookseller. Unfortunately though, the only copy I've found is $400! Looks like this might be something for interlibrary loan, possibly.

>86 toast_and_tea: bookfinder.com has several copies available, starting at about $50.

>67 fuzzi: If you're still looking for a reading copy, there's a paperback reprint of Kalak on Amazon at the moment for $12 (https://amzn.to/2OGccVV), or it might be cheaper via Ebay depending on your location: https://ebay.to/33jeaAO

And there's also a nice set of vintage hardback Terhunes on Ebay as well that includes a few of the Collie titles you were after, here: https://ebay.to/2rmlFtL

Still haven't seen that slippery Christmas Horse edition though...

>88 skullduggery: thank you! I did finally find the Christmas Horse edition I wanted on Ebay!

>89 fuzzi: oh, that’s great! It’s always nice to hear when people find their out of print books :)

>90 skullduggery: thank you. Earlier this year I completed my library of books by Anne Bosworth Greene when I found Punch the Cruising Dog. I've not read it yet, but soon...

Trying hard to find a copy of Nicky and His Forest Friends

>92 toast_and_tea: try bookfinder.com, there are several copies available (though not cheap):

https://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&ref=bf_s2_a1_t1_1&qi=...

>92 toast_and_tea: AbeBooks has one copy:

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&cm_sp=SearchF-_-home-_-...

Time to wake up the thread!

I updated my list:

Still looking for these:

Christmas Horse by Glenn Balch in the 1970 Apollo edition...I cannot locate a copy online, anywhere. The cover is green, a rider and cows. (found it on eBay)

Summerhills by D.E. Stevenson, good condition. The cheapest I've seen it for is $40, no way I am paying that. I just want to READ it. (found it for less than $10!)

Chip the Dam Builder and Kalak of the Ice by Jim Kjelgaard, either as a reading copy is fine. They list for $100 and up, nuh uh. (found Kalak as a reprint, Chip is also available as a reprint but seller on eBay and Amazon wants $20, so I'm waiting)

Buff, A Collie, The Faith of a Collie, My Friend the Dog, and A Highland Collie, all by Albert Payson Terhune, readable copies. (found 3 of the 4, only still looking for My Friend the Dog)

I've been looking for books by Emil Liers but they've been prohibitively expensive. Today I found An Otter's Story at a decent price, supposedly in "very good" condition, so I ordered it, love eBay!

>95 fuzzi: It's great to see that you are whittling away at your list! Not many to find now!

>96 Sakerfalcon: I've added to it as well...argh.

Indian Saddle-up by Glenn Balch

Rebel Siege by Jim Kjelgaard

Rebel Horse by Jim Kjelgaard

Master of Sunnybank: by Irving Litvag

Dog's Guide to Buying Humans by Joyce Stranger

Edited to update for a recent acquisition!

I've known about the novel of railroad fiction, The Boomer , by Harry Bedwell for a long time but it has been out of print since well before I was born and those copies one can find listed in places like Bookfinders are, shall we say, a tad pricey. In any event, I was doing a search on railroad titles recently and I discovered the University of Minnesota Press decided to reprint the book complete with an introduction by James Porterfield so, for a mere $12 I now have a copy to read. While this book was not on my must have list, it is a welcome addition to my supply of repurposed trees.

>98 alco261: I've noticed long out of print books suddenly being reprinted, and we are richer for it.

I just found a copy of Adventures of a Boomer Op which brings my still-looking-for-it list down to one - The Fast Men of America. I saw a copy of this offered many years ago but at $400 plus shipping from England that was just a bit outside my comfort zone for funds expended for books.

>100 alco261: If you’ve mentioned that second one before, I’m not seeing it, and it doesn’t appear to be catalogued on LT. Mention the author please, so we know what to look for.
I try not to buy books anymore, but I always peruse the antique/collectible corner of Half Price Books.

>101 2wonderY: - I don't know the author. All I ever knew was the title and when I found the one copy for sale I forgot to note who wrote it. The book is a late 19th Century publication so I guess there is always hope it might make the republication list.

>102 alco261:. I found the full title in an 1886 National Police Gazette

Fast Men of America: or Racing with Time from the
Cradle to tbe Grave

https://archive.org/details/the-national-police-gazette-v-048n-0455-1886-06-05-p...

in a list of recommended books at the end of the edition.

The only other google link suggests it’s about trains. Is that right?

>103 2wonderY: Thanks - that sounds like the book so I'll just keep looking.

>58 skullduggery: Woo-hoo! 6 years later ,last week,I managed to get a very battered dirty looking copy,without dust jacket,of Merlin's Magic for a mere £80. Thats amazing when I think of the huge prices charged over the years. Now I dont know if I dare read it,in case the Suck Fairy got at it.Didnt dare tell my family what I paid,they would think I was crazy. And once we start paying triple prices for our energy in October,no more buying books for the forseeable future.So celebrations are in order! :0)

>105 dustydigger: congratulations!