Out of print books

Luke Freeman
Luke Freeman Posts: 61
in Education
Hello type designers, show me a sign though – I was book hunting trying to find: 
The stroke: theory of writing Gerrit Noordzij
Counterpunch: making type in the sixteenth century, designing typefaces now Fred Smeijers
I can't get them any more, that's a sign of the times though.

I have contacted Hyphen Press and no future plans to republish, if anyone comes across them on the cheap and not going for crazy money could you please message me.

Regards,
Luke
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Comments

  • Stephen Coles
    Stephen Coles Posts: 1,008
    edited May 2016
    Here's the only copy I can find of Counterpunch under $100. The only available copies of The Stroke under $500 are the Spanish edition. Unfortunately, there is high demand and very little supply for these two titles right now, but if you're patient I'm sure the price will come down.
  • Johannes Neumeier
    Johannes Neumeier Posts: 380
    Found myself in a similar situation in regard to "The stroke" and also had contacted the publisher. The answer I got was that they are looking to pass that title on to another publisher.

    What I don't really understand is why Hyphen Press wouldn't reissue a new edition - there seems to be plenty of demand and it fits their portfolio, at least from what I can tell. Any ideas why this would be so?
  • Luke Freeman
    Luke Freeman Posts: 61
    I love you Stephen Coles, thank you – ordered the book hope they have it in stock
  • Luke Freeman
    Luke Freeman Posts: 61
    edited May 2016
    Johannes Neumeier said:
    Found myself in a similar situation in regard to "The stroke" and also had contacted the publisher. The answer I got was that they are looking to pass that title on to another publisher.

    What I don't really understand is why Hyphen Press wouldn't reissue a new edition - there seems to be plenty of demand and it fits their portfolio, at least from what I can tell. Any ideas why this would be so?
    That sounds like the same e-mail I got, word for word. I met Robin from Hyphen Press he did say he was planning to retire. Not sure the direction of Hyphen Press will go in, as it looks less likely to reprint past books, some lucky and gone on 1st 2nd 3rd edition.

    Guess it's just type design is a niche, rarely are there any good books being published. Only if I got into type design younger I might have been able to get hold of them.
  • Winston Scully
    Winston Scully Posts: 16
    Man, The Stroke: theory of writing is a hot one right now. All of us in Type@Cooper West have been hunting hard the past three weeks it seems. New Metaphor had a cheap copy, but was snatched up super quick. Good luck in your search.
  • Simon Cozens
    Simon Cozens Posts: 752
    I got both "The Stroke" and "Counterpunch" from my local art bookshop, Manic Books in Melbourne, for $43 and $55 AUD respectively. They still seem to have copies.

    But dammit, I am happy to publish reprints under one of my imprints. There's no reason books should go out of print in a print-on-demand world, no matter how niche they are.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
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  • Nina Stössinger
    Nina Stössinger Posts: 155
    Simon Cozens said:
    There's no reason books should go out of print in a print-on-demand world
    Well, there are some legal things to consider, before you run off scanning stuff.
  • Simon Cozens
    Simon Cozens Posts: 752
    Sure, I'm aware of that; I wasn't planning to. And yes, I'm aware it's usually the legal things that prevent the books coming back into print - getting rights agreements from all the relevant parties is often a headache.
  • Luke Freeman
    Luke Freeman Posts: 61
    For anyone seeking Detail in typography it's back in print with another publisher 
    http://editions-b42.com/books/detail-typography/

    If you are fluent in French Counterpunch (I'm waiting on feedback if they will print an English version)
    http://editions-b42.com/books/contrepoincons/
  • Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian
    Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian Posts: 2,044
    edited June 2016
    If you can only afford either Counterpunch or The Stroke, the former wins hands-down. Assuming you want to learn about type.
  • Aaron Bell
    Aaron Bell Posts: 93
    New Metaphor had a copy today at Typographics 2016. Email them and ask. 
  • James Puckett
    James Puckett Posts: 1,998
    Aaron Bell said:
    New Metaphor had a copy today at Typographics 2016. Email them and ask. 

    It’s absurd that in 2016 people have to go to rare book dealers to buy contemporary books about typography. It’s a shame the authors can’t just set up a damned Big Cartel + Pulley store to sell ebooks. Or just do what Jan Middendorp did and make the entire book searchable on Google books.
  • Aaron Bell
    Aaron Bell Posts: 93
    @James Well, it is an out of print book. Once out of print it isn't really "contemporary" anymore.
  • Kayley Hill
    Kayley Hill Posts: 27
    Counterpunch seems to be on sale through Amazon at £22.50. So maybe no longer OOP?
  • Thomas Phinney
    Thomas Phinney Posts: 2,896
    It seems to be available through Amazon UK as a regular, in stock book. But Amazon US still lists Counterpunch as only available in used copies, starting at over USD $90. Perhaps it just got reprinted and hasn't made it to their US warehouses.
  • Peiran Tan
    Peiran Tan Posts: 22
    edited January 2017
    Watch Typotheque’s own web shop. Last year I bought two copies of The Stroke (English ed) from them, 20 Euros each. Now it’s sold out but they might get more in the future.

    Now, does anyone know where to get a used or new copy of Bollnow’s Human Space for a reasonable price?
  • Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian
    Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian Posts: 2,044
    Lowest price I'm seeing for "Human Space" is almost $400. For "The Stroke" 20 Euro is a fair price.
  • Luke Freeman
    Luke Freeman Posts: 61
    I would advise be careful as not all sellers are genuine, as most online links claiming they have copies of Counterpunch for it's original price isn't true.

    The Stroke is going down in price to £300 through Abe books, if it's going for retail price than it's in another language. 
  • Johannes Neumeier
    Johannes Neumeier Posts: 380
    It hasn't been mentioned here in name, but I personally had been looking for a copy of "The Origin of the Serif", and only recently found this source in the US that sells it at reasonable price. Recommended :)
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • James Puckett
    James Puckett Posts: 1,998
    Johannes Neumeier said:
    It hasn't been mentioned here in name, but I personally had been looking for a copy of "The Origin of the Serif", and only recently found this source in the US that sells it at reasonable price. Recommended :)
    Thanks for sharing that link. At Typecon Denver a n old student/friend of Catch gave a talk about Catich. Afterward he told me that Reed College has a room filled with unsold copies of The Origin of the Serif that they can't decide what to do with.
  • Kayley Hill
    Kayley Hill Posts: 27
    Luke Freeman said:
    I would advise be careful as not all sellers are genuine, as most online links claiming they have copies of Counterpunch for it's original price isn't true.

    The Stroke is going down in price to £300 through Abe books, if it's going for retail price than it's in another language. 
    I would agree but in this case the seller is Amazon itself (since it's offered with Prime attached) rather than a third party seller.
  • James Puckett
    James Puckett Posts: 1,998
    The first time Counterpunch prices spiked (about ten years ago) I walked into a bookstore in rural Wisconsin and found a new copy sitting on the shelf. It’s become one of those exceptional texts that I’ve read and traveled with enough that the cover is now taped together.
  • Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian
    Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian Posts: 2,044
    edited February 2017
    I bought "Counterpunch" for $27 from a store in Ghirardelli Square shortly after it came out. The chapter on J/j inspired my Alphabet Reform effort. As you were.
  • Kayley Hill
    Kayley Hill Posts: 27
    Well I think that the AmazonUK entry was a mistake, they said it would take a month to deliver it and now the delivery has been put back another month. Also the Amazon original price version has been removed (only resellers on the page now).
  • Luke Freeman
    Luke Freeman Posts: 61
    Kayley Hill said:
    Well I think that the AmazonUK entry was a mistake, they said it would take a month to deliver it and now the delivery has been put back another month. Also the Amazon original price version has been removed (only resellers on the page now).
    I put in an order start of the month, risk it for a biscuit as they say. It will be interesting to see what happens. I kinda of knew it's too good to be true. 
  • Luke Freeman
    Luke Freeman Posts: 61
    I’ll get banned for this, oh well.

    Counterpunch 2 is in the works.  


  • Peiran Tan
    Peiran Tan Posts: 22
    Luke Freeman said:
    Kayley Hill said:
    Well I think that the AmazonUK entry was a mistake, they said it would take a month to deliver it and now the delivery has been put back another month. Also the Amazon original price version has been removed (only resellers on the page now).
    I put in an order start of the month, risk it for a biscuit as they say. It will be interesting to see what happens. I kinda of knew it's too good to be true. 
    Well, Amazon UK eventually cancelled my order. They say for some reason it can’t be fulfilled.

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