Kenji Wrote:That's nice story.
I have a similar story. That was when I was looking for "The Damnation Game". It's Clive Barker's book. I really really wanted to get it. So, I made the rounds of many used-book stores in Tokyo. Every stores are very large. But I couldn't find out. I was almost gave up.
One day, I passed by my neighbourhood's used-book store. It's very small store, and all books were dusty. I felt something strange, so I went into the store, then I found The Damnation Game in this small book store.
I said,"Oh, I was looking for this!"
And, store owner said, "Really? I bought this book, a few days ago."
Can you believe this? But this is true.
I have a similar tale with George RR Martin's Game of Thrones.
I read the paperback about the time the second in the series cam eout in hardback. So I bought the second one in HB, and then the 3rd in HB. The UK covers are great, and so far all sync up nicely, but I was missing the first one in HB.
A browse of the internet showed they were selling for close to £300!!! I wasn't quite that keen, but tried various bargains so ended up, by mistake, with a book club edition (small size), and a US edition (different cover design).
Dang. I was never going to get this damn book.
The local WH Smith's in Kensington where I worked had a refurbishment, and in the rearranging they had a bigger section for hardbacks. Obviously they didn't have enough hardbacks to fill the shelves so they dug around in their cupboard and pulled out whatever there was.
Imagine my shock as I'm browsing a regular book shop (not a used book shop), and see the hardback of Game of Thrones sitting on the shelf waiting to be bought. Seven years after it's release!
I picked it up like it was a dream, I looked around for the hidden cameras that were going to let me know it was a trick, I opened up the inside, and yes, it was the first edition.
On weak knees I took it to the till, and I was shaking as I handed it over (I didn't want to let it go). I half expected him to say there'd been a mistake, but he didn't. £16.99. I paid, I left, I wanted to scream out in joy.
Phew. Never felt like that about a book before, and what were the odds?
T'was destiny, I tell ya.
Dave
Dave Wrote:Imagine my shock as I'm browsing a regular book shop (not a used book shop), and see the hardback of Game of Thrones sitting on the shelf waiting to be bought. Seven years after it's release!
I picked it up like it was a dream, I looked around for the hidden cameras that were going to let me know it was a trick, I opened up the inside, and yes, it was the first edition.
On weak knees I took it to the till, and I was shaking as I handed it over (I didn't want to let it go). I half expected him to say there'd been a mistake, but he didn't. £16.99. I paid, I left, I wanted to scream out in joy.
Phew. Never felt like that about a book before, and what were the odds?
T'was destiny, I tell ya.
Dave
In some places, for some people, it's sometimes happening.
Congratulation!
Dave Wrote:I have a similar tale with George RR Martin's Game of Thrones.
I read the paperback about the time the second in the series cam eout in hardback. So I bought the second one in HB, and then the 3rd in HB. The UK covers are great, and so far all sync up nicely, but I was missing the first one in HB.
A browse of the internet showed they were selling for close to £300!!! I wasn't quite that keen, but tried various bargains so ended up, by mistake, with a book club edition (small size), and a US edition (different cover design).
Dang. I was never going to get this damn book.
The local WH Smith's in Kensington where I worked had a refurbishment, and in the rearranging they had a bigger section for hardbacks. Obviously they didn't have enough hardbacks to fill the shelves so they dug around in their cupboard and pulled out whatever there was.
Imagine my shock as I'm browsing a regular book shop (not a used book shop), and see the hardback of Game of Thrones sitting on the shelf waiting to be bought. Seven years after it's release!
I picked it up like it was a dream, I looked around for the hidden cameras that were going to let me know it was a trick, I opened up the inside, and yes, it was the first edition.
On weak knees I took it to the till, and I was shaking as I handed it over (I didn't want to let it go). I half expected him to say there'd been a mistake, but he didn't. £16.99. I paid, I left, I wanted to scream out in joy.
Phew. Never felt like that about a book before, and what were the odds?
T'was destiny, I tell ya.
Dave
There you go, Dave! But doesn't the Good Book teach us, "Seek, and ye shall find?"
Kenji Wrote:That's nice story.
I have a similar story. That was when I was looking for "The Damnation Game". It's Clive Barker's book. I really really wanted to get it. So, I made the rounds of many used-book stores in Tokyo. Every stores are very large. But I couldn't find out. I was almost gave up.
One day, I passed by my neighbourhood's used-book store. It's very small store, and all books were dusty. I felt something strange, so I went into the store, then I found The Damnation Game in this small book store.
I said,"Oh, I was looking for this!"
And, store owner said, "Really? I bought this book, a few days ago."
Can you believe this? But this is true.
I know it's true! Here's another example of a Colin Wilson find. Back when I worked at the Barnes&Noble Sale Annex, I had a co-worker named Mike Schaefer who was also a Wilson collector. One day I found among the used books bought that day, a copy of Wilson's THE CRAFT OF THE NOVEL (unpublished in America at that time). I said, Mike, of course you're welcome to read it, as soon as I'm done. And he said, no, Michael, just got me a feeling the Library Angel is gonna strike again... The next day--the =next day= another copy of the book came in... Ah, Kenji, it's a grand Multiverse, if we only give it a chance. :p