How do find different publications of a book?

November 10, 2007 7:25 PM

How can I find out what different versions of a book are currently in publication? Especially for older works with open copyrights, how do you find out if some random publisher's putting out a really nice hardbound, vs the paperback that's all you can find on Amazon?

I know a few places - Easton, Folio Society, Everyman's Library - that do these sorts of things, but it's inconvenient to check every specialty publisher I can think of individually, and there are probably others I've never heard of. Is there a better way?

Right now, for instance, I'm looking for a version of John Gardner's translation of Gilgamesh. Doesn't seem like that's one of the definitive translations at this point, and Amazon's only got it in paperback. AbeBooks has some used hardcovers in various states of disrepair - is that the best option?

But I'm also asking generally because there are other books I've noticed with the same situation. As another example, Godel, Escher, Bach is only in paperback on Amazon too. I'd rather buy a nice version of these books once, pay more, and have them forever.

Are there better ways of searching? Or is this just one of those things where you have to do some digging and hope you get lucky.

posted by tirade to media & arts (6 comments total)

"Books in Print" is the definitive source for that. But it's printed on paper. All big bookstores have it, though, behind the counter. Go ask to look at it.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 7:47 PM on November 10, 2007

There's also an electronic version of Books in Print, but you'll need to find a library that subscribes to it.

(Re Gardner's Gilgamesh, specifically: one of my emeritus colleagues did the introduction and notes for that translation, so if you want, I can ask him if there's another edition coming out.)
posted by thomas j wise at 8:14 PM on November 10, 2007

AbeBooks has some used hardcovers in various states of disrepair

Actually, AbeBooks lists a number of copies of Gardner's Gilgamesh in "very good" condition with "very good" dustjackets. Check #6, e.g., which is listed at just $9. And #8 here gets you a very good copy of Gödel, Escher, Bach for $20.

Aside from checking Books In Print for news about forthcoming editions, that's really your best bet - used copies in very good shape found at abebooks, bookfinder.com, ebay/half.com, etc.
posted by mediareport at 8:35 PM on November 10, 2007

I can suggest an online solution, although it is not as perfect as the "Books on Print" option suggested by Steven C. Den Beste and others: Play a bit on the site of a small search company named Google.

If, instead to search within the general "Web" option (which gave you the poor results you mention), you'll choose Google Book Search (not to be confused with Google Scholar), the search results for "Godel, Escher, Bach " will give you the book. You then click on "More editions of this book", and here you go -- you get much more options than the poor list on Amazon et all. You can then buy the book online from the usual sites or find it at a library near you.

Not all US publishers let Google give you a free preview of their books, but almost all of them agreed to list their catalogues with the ISBN numbers, creating in effect a giant online version of the "Books in Print" catalogue.
For the record, the books you mention are not under "open copyrights" at all. In the case of books that are really in the Public Domain, you'd better search within the "Web search" of Google, since the text is probably online.
posted by dov at 10:48 PM on November 10, 2007

Thanks, these are all helpful. I'll see if I can track down a local Books in Print in the future.
posted by tirade at 1:17 PM on November 11, 2007

Also, thomas, thanks a lot for the offer, but you don't really need to go that far. I should be able to find a decent copy used if nothing else is in print right now.
posted by tirade at 1:21 PM on November 11, 2007