Out of print books

Sander Pedersen

I've read a few out-of-print books, including The Stroke and Counterpunch, at no personal cost, thanks to inter-library loans. I'm sure it's particular to different countries, library databases and university library policies which books are available, but maybe it's worth looking into, if this isn't too obvious to mention.

Luke Freeman

Lets just hope Amazon’s isn’t using algorithmic pricing on those books. 
https://www.wired.com/2011/04/amazon-flies-24-million/

Johannes Neumeier

The ones I've been looking for were usually priced by individual market place sellers, so not Amazon itself. The Counterpunch offering (I also waited for in vain) seems to have been a result of miscommunication about replenishing supplies between publisher and Amazon, I believe.

Beau Williamson

Algorithmic pricing is a service available to all amazon sellers.
Can't believe I passed up Counterpunch when I had the chance. I have the Stroke and it was well worth reading (obviously, I guess). Pairs really well with 'Lettering and Drawing: Contour and Silhouette' by Nicolete Gray.

I picked up an extra copy of Tracy's 'Letters of Credit' in case I ran into someone looking for a copy.

Sander Pedersen

I got the 2008/09 edition of Hochuli’s Detail in Typography as it was required reading as a student, and I see that used editions are still priced quite high (~$130), even though there are new reprints.

Luke Freeman

Sander S. Pedersen said:

I got the 2008/09 edition of Hochuli’s Detail in Typography as it was required reading as a student, and I see that used editions are still priced quite high (~$130), even though there are new reprints.

Hope you didn’t buy that more recently, as Detail in Typography has been reprinted under a different publisher for retail price http://editions-b42.com/books/detail-typography/

Mainly Éditions-b42 have out of print books but in French such as:
Counterpunch and While You're Reading.

Sander Pedersen

Luke Freeman said:
Hope you didn’t buy that more recently, as Detail in Typography has been reprinted under a different publisher for retail price

I didn't, I bought it at retail some years ago.

Simon Cozens

Does anyone have a source for "Dutch Type"? (Or copies they want rid of?)

James Puckett

Simon Cozens said:

Does anyone have a source for "Dutch Type"? (Or copies they want rid of?)

I found mine at Strand Books in Manhattan about five years ago. It was a brand new copy someone had just sold them. At that time there wasn’t a copy for sale anywhere online so I got it for $40. I know that isn’t helpful, but I just love to gloat. They also sold me a Photo-Lettering One Line Manual for $9.95 and a VGC catalogue for $15.

John Hudson

There are four copies of Dutch Type listed at abebooks.com but prices range between $425–$900

John Hudson

Oh, and there's a copy on eBay for AU $1,117.95 

Jan Middendorp

Dutch Type:
I’m really sorry for the book’s rarity. There should be 3,500 copies around (of which I have only 2, one quite worn, after having given away quite a few), so chances are that dozens of copies will gradually turn up in places like Strand books. The curse of the Internet is that when one or two booksellers start pricing around $750, all booksellers think that is what the book is worth, resulting in years and years of zombie shelf life for most copies. Thank heaven for offline bookshops.
One reason why the original publisher, 010, hesitated about a reprint was that two Dutch cultural funds had subsidized the 1st edition with substantial amounts: reprinting the book with the same production standards would be expensive and risky as long as there was doubt about the salability of another x,000 copies. By the time it was clear the interest was high, 010 had been absorbed by an architecture publisher; and I was still thinking about doing an update, no facsimile.
Due to health problems, I can’t work much any more. Doing an update seems out of the question and even organising and coordinating a facsimile reprint looks like too much of an exhausting job, with a new publisher and the necessary update of hundreds of copyright clearances. Probably the book’s lack of availability will enhance its mythical status. Do I like that? Nah…

James Puckett

Jan, is the entirety of Dutch Type available on Google books at your instruction?

Jan Middendorp

The publisher gave permission to Google without asking the authors, at least not me. I was a bit pissed of at first, now I see it as a (very) partial solution to a problem I feel unable to solve otherwise, right now.

Chris Lozos

We wish you well and good health, Jan.

jeremy tribby

Is there much of a difference between the first (1997) and second (2011) edition of Fred Smeijers' Counterpunch? I'm in the market for a copy, and the jump in price between the two is steep

Simon Cozens

I've just heard from the publisher at Wiley dealing with the MIS Press list. They would be happy for the rights of the Fontographer book to revert back to Stephen Moye if he asks for them. (That's the first step to either bringing the book to a different publisher or being able to reuse some of its content.) Does anyone have recent contact details for him?

Luke Freeman

Just wanted to update everyone:

Reprint of Gerrit Noordzij’s 'The Stroke, theory of writing'
https://www.kabk.nl/en/events/reprint-gerrit-noordzij-the-stroke-theory-of-writing

Paul Miller

Sander S. Pedersen said:

I got the 2008/09 edition of Hochuli’s Detail in Typography as it was required reading as a student, and I see that used editions are still priced quite high (~$130), even though there are new reprints.

Is this book worth getting?

I ask because it is available on Amazon for less than £20.

Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian

Luke Freeman said:

Reprint of Gerrit Noordzij’s 'The Stroke, theory of writing'

It's good to see the price of that work drop to where it belongs.
That said, I should have sold mine while it was crazy over-priced!