Edition of a Book

[Mark]

Does anyone know of a website where you can enter the name of a book and its author and it lists all the editions that have been printed of that book. This is a general book question and not just related to angling books.

[Dave Burr]

BookFinder.com and Abebooks.com are my go-to sites Mark, they have so many books on them you can usually work out the reprint rate.

Hope this helps

[Mark]

BookFinder.com and Abebooks.com are my go-to sites Mark, they have so many books on them you can usually work out the reprint rate.

Hope this helps

I tried them Dave but they only list the books that are for sale so other editions that they don't have would be missing.

[Pallenpool]

Crikey that would be an undertaking and a half. I know University libraries keep edition dates and numbers but how one would go about collecting edition data of all published material? - I wouldn’t know where to start. It’s not as if you can go to the current editions publishers for the previously published.

[Dave Burr]

BookFinder.com and Abebooks.com are my go-to sites Mark, they have so many books on them you can usually work out the reprint rate.

Hope this helps

I tried them Dave but they only list the books that are for sale so other editions that they don't have would be missing.

I googled your question and it would seem that the only way to be sure how many editions there were is to contact the publisher....

or not to be so nosy

[Olly]

I have older - not very old - books with the data in the edition itself.

'Observers' books for example - Editions with dates.

[Pallenpool]

BookFinder.com and Abebooks.com are my go-to sites Mark, they have so many books on them you can usually work out the reprint rate.

Hope this helps

I tried them Dave but they only list the books that are for sale so other editions that they don't have would be missing.

I googled your question and it would seem that the only way to be sure how many editions there were is to contact the publisher....

or not to be so nosy

Dave I have tried this and came up with not a lot. Of course things may have changed. The only info I was ever offered was the editions from the publishing house at the time of release and any previous editions published by them. Of course in a fair few cases this would be satisfactory. But as we do not know the book in question that will be for Mark to decide whether or not it has any merit in pursuing.

[Mark]

But as we do not know the book in question that will be for Mark to decide whether or not it has any merit in pursuing.

Its not angling books I am really relating to as angling books only get reprinted two or three times at the most unless it Izaak Walton etc and most never get reprinted at all so angling books are easy to identify.

Lets say a book was first printed in the 1970's and reprinted 7 or 8 times all the way through to the 2000's and each reprint has a different front cover. How do I know I am purchasing the last edition. I suppose its a matter of research, I just thought there might have been a website that had already done this for me.

[Duckett]

But as we do not know the book in question that will be for Mark to decide whether or not it has any merit in pursuing.

Its not angling books I am really relating to as angling books only get reprinted two or three times at the most unless it Izaak Walton etc and most never get reprinted at all so angling books are easy to identify.

Lets say a book was first printed in the 1970's and reprinted 7 or 8 times all the way through to the 2000's and each reprint has a different front cover. How do I know I am purchasing the last edition. I suppose its a matter of research, I just thought there might have been a website that had already done this for me.

You may know this already Mark but are you referring to “reprints” (no substantial changes, typos, punctuation etc.) or “editions” (substantial changes or revisions made). If you end up in dialogue with the book trade, it might help if you are specific.

I don’t know the answer to your question but have you considered asking the British Library? I have a friend who is an academic proof reader and she’s always telling me how amazed she is at how knowledgeable and helpful they can be.

Phil

[Mark]

But as we do not know the book in question that will be for Mark to decide whether or not it has any merit in pursuing.

Its not angling books I am really relating to as angling books only get reprinted two or three times at the most unless it Izaak Walton etc and most never get reprinted at all so angling books are easy to identify.

Lets say a book was first printed in the 1970's and reprinted 7 or 8 times all the way through to the 2000's and each reprint has a different front cover. How do I know I am purchasing the last edition. I suppose its a matter of research, I just thought there might have been a website that had already done this for me.

You may know this already Mark but are you referring to “reprints” (no substantial changes, typos, punctuation etc.) or “editions” (substantial changes or revisions made). If you end up in dialogue with the book trade, it might help if you are specific.

I don’t know the answer to your question but have you considered asking the British Library? I have a friend who is an academic proof reader and she’s always telling me how amazed she is at how knowledgeable and helpful they can be.

Phil

Its not fishing related and I don't want to go as far as the British Library etc, I will do some quick research on the internet, I just thought there was a simple solution for all general reprints, not to worry but thank you for the advice everyone.