Book Collection

When considering addition of a book to your collection,  you must consider condition of the book.  If the copy is reasonably priced and if you cannot expect to find a better copy then you must decide whether to settle for a copy in lesser condition. If you decide to settle for a volume in less than desirable condition, it is normally with the hopes of upgrading when you have the opportunity to purchase a better copy.

Probably the best avenue to follow when describing the condition of a book is to list all of the obvious problems, defects and signs of wear and also to provide your impression of the overall condition. When reading book descriptions, one should pay attention to the listed detail of condition and regard an overall condition term such as “good”, “very good” or “fine” as the general impression of the bookseller, which may or may not coincide with your general impression of the same volume. Traditionally, book condition relates to the age of the book. Some books are difficult to find in a fine condition,  those that normally receive considerable usage,  as opposed to being read once or a few times are cookbooks and children’s books.

As a beginner you should strive to collect books of very good or fine condition. There may be some bargains among the very worn books, but you should probably avoid the worn bargains unless you know the book is very scarce or rare. In general do not purchase books or pamphlets which have  missing pages or portions of text, unless you have a personal reason for doing so. And in general it is a poor idea to purchase odd volumes and not complete set, thinking that you will be able to find the missing volumes at a later date, it seldom happens.