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Every year around this time the BookFinder.com team puts our heads together, crunches the numbers and cranks out the BookFinder.com Report; a snapshot of the nation's search trends for out-of-print books.  After 10 years of researching the most sought after out-of-print books in America, we’ve learned a few things:

• Sex still sells: 20 years after it was first published, Madonna’s Sex has been the most sought after out-of-print book on BookFinder.com for the past ten years.
• Nora Roberts has very little influence on her fans: Despite Nora Roberts pleading with her fans to avoid Promise Me Tomorrow (a book she herself has described as mediocre), the book remains painfully expensive and highly sought after. 
• Stephen King knows this pain all too well, he decided to take his novel Rage, which is about a school shooting, out-of-print some time ago and he just can't seem to shake the demand.
• Publishers should re-print more Alice Starmore books: Starmore is a rock-star of the knitting world; known for creating some of the world’s most intricate patterns and having written a number of books.  Her book Aran Knitting appeared on every BookFinder.com Report from 2003-2010 until it was re-printed in 2011, only to be replaced by Tudor Roses (#60 in 2011 and #13 in 2012).  Starmore also has several other out-of-print books including In The Hebrides (1995) and Stillwater (1996).

Many of the books we see on the BookFinder.com report persist on the list for years.  Sometimes they were simply limited-run books that remain popular and demand always outstripped supply. Sometimes a popular author decides they want a certain chapter of their writing career to stay firmly in their rearview mirror (see Roberts, Nora).  However, even after 10 years, there are still out-of-print books coming back out of the woodwork.  Here are a couple of this year’s surprises:

• Kyle Onstott’s Mandingo has featured on several past reports. However, this year the author appeared on the 2012 Report three times: Mandingo, DRUM, and The Black Sun; more than any other author.
• Big League Sales-closing Techniques by Les Dane is considered by many to be a salesman’s bible, even though it’s been out-of-print since 1971.  Word-of-mouth recommendations on internet bulletin boards and review sites have pushed the price of this out-of-print guide through the roof.

• Pure, White and Deadly; the Problem of Sugar by John Yudkin was first published in 1972 and outlines research showing that refined sweeteners are closely associated with heart disease and type-two diabetes.  The book was all but forgotten, despite being highly topical, until it was featured in Robert Lustig’s lecture “Sugar: The Bigger Truth” which attained YouTube viral success.   Because of this, Yudkin’s book was re-printed in the UK but remains out-of-print for Americans.

See the 2012 BookFinder.com Report, the hot 100 out-of-print books of the past 12 months.

On a recent and most adventurous trip to the South of France, I had the pleasure of visiting the small village of Montolieu. Known as the “Village of Books,” Montolieu has a grand array of artisans that specialize in book binding and printing as well as antiquarian bookstores specializing in everything from vintage periodicals and antiquities to comics, art and kids books.

Today’s post will unearth some of my favorite finds from my trip, including books illustrated by J.P. Miller, Charley Harper, and Alain Gree.

I went with a few other folks to Montolieu during the awkward hour of 11:30A, which is right before all shops close up for lunch. I was on a time crunch, and the first (and only) bookstore I visited was La Rose Des Vents, which translates to “The Compass” in English. The shop was fairly small and had two rooms, with regional and history books in the front and children’s books in the back.

While there, I was able to find a few neat books, including a drawing book titled Voyage a Travers Le Monde (Journey Through the World), c. 1974. The book provides instructions on how to draw various cultures from around the world, not by any means accurately by the way.

In addition to that book, I was able to find Le Manege Vivant (c. 1950), which is the French edition of The Marvelous Merry-Go-Round, written by Jane Werner and illustrated by J.P. Miller. I had not seen the book before, and the hippo alone on the cover  was enough reason to hold onto it! Upon opening the book, I was pleased to see so many whimsical and colorful illustrations, trademark of Miller’s style.

AbeBooks Europe GmbH has acquired the business assets of ZVAB.com, a Germany-based online marketplace for collectors of rare books.

More than 3000 antiquarians from 27 countries use this site that counts 35 million used, antiquarian, and out-of-print books in a variety of different languages. This deal will be finalized in the second quarter of 2011.

The press release has this quote from ZVAB founder Bernd Heinisch: “The combination of ZVAB and Abebooks creates broader opportunity and faster functionality enhancements for our company. Our goals remain the same: more orders, more functionality and outstanding customer service.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

So now that the BookFinder.com report has been available online for a few weeks, I wanted to mention a few of the interesting books which we were forced to cut from the list.  By this I don't mean all of the thousands of in print books but rather books which nearly made the cut, I mentioned one such book in a post way back when I first started researching this years Report but there were many more.

One example is Dead in Dixie by Charlaine Harris which is technically out-of-print however after a short discussion we decided to leave this one off the list.  You see the book is an omnibus edition of the first three novels in Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series.  All three books are still available and a boxed set  as well as individual editions so we decided that Dead in Dixie failed to qualify.

Perhaps more interesting was The Essential Woodworker by Robert Wearing.  This book was last published in 1998 and is most definitely out-of-print, but was only ever printed in England.  So even though buyers in the US are eagerly looking for this book, and there are no new copies being printed, technically, we could not include in the list as it has never been in print in the United States.

The title which I was the most displeased with having to leave off the 2009 BookFinder.com report was Mother of the Children of the Holocaust: the story of Irena Sendler by Anna Mieszkowska.  This would have been our number one Biography however this book was also never printed in the US. 

The book details the work of Sendler who was a social worker who served in the Polish Underground during the German occupation and saved 2,500 Jewish children by smuggling them out of the Warsaw Ghetto.  Copies are very hard to track down and at the time of writing this post there are no copies available on BookFinder.com.  If you like you can keep checking back here, but unless we see a reprinting I would not hold my breath

Outside of the great story within what made this book so interesting was that despite the fact it had never been printed in the US it was adapted into a "Hallmark Hall of Fame production", titled The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler and broadcast on CBS April 19, 2009.   With that kind of press and huge search volume, I think a publisher could do well with a North American reprinting.

Earlier this week the LA Times printed a story about four Martin Luther King Jr. books which are slated to be brought back into print in time for the celebration of what would have been King's 80th birthday (Jan. 18th, 2010). 

This sort of thing happens all the time, books that have been all but forgotten are rejuvenated with a new print run allowing new generations to enjoy them.  Most of the time I hardly give this a second thought since it happens so often however this week I have been spending a lot of time looking at books on the verge of the in/out-of print boarder line.

I have been allocating all my spare time to research for the annual BookFinder.com Report - which lists the most sought after out-of-print books in the US, and more often than not these are the books that are right on this line.  Last year a number of books on our list were brought back into print due to the surge in popularity and I think we might see a few more this year.

When finished list is always interesting to read but for every book that makes it onto the list there are a number of books which just fail to meet our criteria because they are brought back from the out-of-print abyss just as interest in its out-of-print counterpart starts to increase.

One such book is the autobiography of moonshiner Popcorn Sutton titled Me and my Likker.  A local legend in Tennessee as a distiller he wrote the book in 1999 only to have it fall out-of-print for ten years until this past March when Bent Corner Books, a Knoxville bookstore, republished the work after Mr. Sutton's passing.  It is still amazingly hard to find, but it is back in print.

If I get the time I might try and compile a blog post with a few more of these near-misses but in the mean time I have to get back to the report.

[Now reading: Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre]

Author: Sheree Fitch (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Kim LaFave (on JOMB)
Published: 1994 Doubleday Canada (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0385254555

“My eyes belong only to me, they tell me I’m me and nobody else.
But if I were not inside my body, who would be me?”

Breezy, upbeat illustrations and beautifully worded wonderings give us a stirring glimpse of the fresh and often forgotten preschool perspective in this thought-provoking reminder that, when it comes right down to it, we’re all small.

Pop over to ayuddha.net for today’s full menu of poetry offerings. Poetry Fridays are brought to us by Kelly Herold of Big A, Little A.

HOTLINE VOICES: Thelma Slater, Chair of the Mayor’s Literacy Commission in Canton, Ohio, checks in with her fifty-something son to recall some of his childhood favourites including Dr. Seuss.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487.

Miroslav Sasek: This is the United Nations c1968

Its about time that we have a little Miroslav Sasek love up in here.The Czechoslovakian born illustrator is well known for his This Is Series of children’s books. Most of the books in the This is series are centered around a certain city, for example This is San Franscisco or This is Paris, but in this case it’s an international organization. Through Sasek’s playful ink and gouache illustrations, he guides us through the building. I wish I had books like these when I was a kid. I could stare at this for hours.

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©2008 Grain Edit

Palestine Poster designed by Faustino Perez in 1968

Hop on over to So Much Pileup. There showing OSPAAAL posters all week.

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©2008 Grain Edit

Posters for Centre de Creation Industrielle 1969-1972

Beautiful work form the highly underrated  French designer Jean Widmer. These posters were created for the Centre de Creation Industrielle. Jean designed the logo as well as all the exhibition posters for the Centre until 1975. He’s mentioned in interviews that his work was influenced by some of the Swiss modernists including Josef Muller Brockmann and Max Bill.  You can easily see that influence in this poster series.

also worth checking:

Publicity and Graphic Design in the Chemical Industry by Hans Neuburg

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©2008 Grain Edit

Author: Tony Johnston
Illustrator: S.D. Schindler
Published: 1996 Penguin (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0140562672

Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Haunting, humour and expertly crosshatched seventeenth century detail make the moonlit migrations of a borrowed bone a slightly spooky Hallowe’en favourite.

Other books mentioned:

• Bill in a China Shop
• Paddle-to-the-Sea

More Hallowe’en and October reading on JOMB:

• Rattlebone Rock
• Oh No, Not Ghosts
• Cinderella Skeleton
• Cat Magic
• Halloween Hoots and Howls
• Snowsong Whistling
• Pumpkin Soup

HOTLINE VOICES: Z of GeekDad and HipsterPlease.com tells us about Llama, Llama Red Pajama (by Anna Dewdney). Thank you!

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave us a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487.

This is every cat’s nightmare.

Very similar in style to this 70s Japanese poster. Has to be the same designer.

Can someone translate this?

Is this the designers name?

Also worth checking:

1960s Japanese graphic design magazine

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©2008 Grain Edit

This is turning out to be Maraid day. She has an amazing collection of photography and ephemera, plus she always posts beautiful labels to our Mid Century Modern Sticker, Label and Stamp Club.

Get lost in her collection.

Swedish Almanac 1970

Thanks to Michael Murphy for reminding me just how awesome her collection is.

Also worth checking:

70s  Czech Matchbox Label

70s Czech Matchbox Label part 2

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©2008 -Visit us at Grain Edit.com for more goodies.

Which? magazine offers reviews and advice for various products and services. It looks like it’s a British version of Consumer Reports magazine. In addition, to the cool cover each issue features interesting information graphics and illustrations. Some of the illustrations remind me of the work of Bill Sokol. Anyone know who the art director for the magazine was?

You can check out some of the issues over at the always yummy Delicious Industries.

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©2008 -Visit us at Grain Edit.com for more goodies.

Design Coordination and corporate image - FHK Henrion + Alan Parkin c1967

This is an excellent book on the subject of corporate identity. All the big design guns are in here. The best part, for each case study the designer explains the problems he encountered and his thoughts behind the design etc.

Includes case studies by Dick Merricks, Metra International, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Barilla, BTR Industries, Watneys, Braun, IBM, Westinghouse, PAM, Olivetti, Celanese Corporation, Olympic Games Tokyo 1964, Clydesdale Bank, Mazetti, Pirelli, London Transport, Therma, Italsider, British Rail, Rohm and Haas, Herman Miller, Anker Bier, Lunch Bier, British Traffic Signs, Sainsburys, Steendrukkerij de Jong

Designers Include: Otl Aicher, Saul Bass, Lester Beall, Erberto Carboni, Eugenio Carmi, Wim Crouwel, Design Research Unit, Crosby, Fletcher, Forbes, Charles Eames, Olle Eksell, FHK Henrion, Yusaku Kamekura, George Nelson, Paul Rand, Willelm Sandberg, Giovanni Pintori and more.

Also worth checking:

List of Corporate Identity Projects

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©2008 -Visit us at Grain Edit.com for more goodies.

From top to bottom:

1. SWB ausstellung c1950 designed by Hans Neuburg

2. Anwendungstechnik moderner anstrichstoffe c1963 designed by Franz Fassle 

3. Franz Roh: aenne biermann – 60 fotos c1930 designed by Jan Tschichold

4. Wettbewerb für einen neubau des stadttheaters zürich c1961 designed by Walter Bangerter

The book covers above come from Felix Wiedler’s excellent book ( design ) stories website.  We’ve mentioned book design stories on grain edit before, but I’d like to thank Richard at Ace Jet for reminding me just how awesome this site is.

Prepare to put aside a few hours to browse this site. Felix has done amazing job of cataloging design work from Siegfried Odermatt, Richard Paul Lohse, Josef Muller Brockmann, Armin Hofmann, Max Bill, Max Huber and others.

Also worth checking:

Swiss Graphic Designer: Donald Brun

Karl Gerstner and Markus Kutter - Die Neue Graphik

Publicity and graphic design in the chemical industry - Hans Neuburg

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From top to bottom:

1. SWB ausstellung c1950 designed by Hans Neuburg

2. Anwendungstechnik moderner anstrichstoffe c1963 designed by Franz Fassle

3. Franz Roh: aenne biermann – 60 fotos c1930 designed by Jan Tschichold

4. Wettbewerb für einen neubau des stadttheaters zürich c1961 designed by Walter Bangerter

The book covers above come from Felix Wiedler’s excellent book ( design ) stories website.  We’ve mentioned book design stories on grain edit before, but I’d like to thank Richard at Ace Jet for reminding me just how awesome this site is.

Prepare to put aside a few hours to browse this site. Felix has done an amazing job of cataloging design work from Hans Hartmann, Siegfried Odermatt, Richard Paul Lohse, Josef Muller Brockmann, Armin Hofmann, Max Bill, Max Huber, Hans Erni, Otl Aicher, Gottfried Honegger-Lavater, Nelli Rudin, Anton Stankowski and many others.

Also worth checking:

Swiss Graphic Designer: Donald Brun

Karl Gerstner and Markus Kutter - Die Neue Graphik

Publicity and graphic design in the chemical industry - Hans Neuburg

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The Jungle Race - c 1967- Published by  Bancroft & Co.

Super cool children’s book from Czech illustrators G. Seda and J. Pavlin. One of many pop up books the duo illustrated during the 1960s and 70s.

The short version of this story is: a lion, an elephant and and a giraffe try to put together a race and find out that their friends are totally lame. Their loser friends include trendy Zebra fashions snobs, snorkeling hippos and an antelope that likes to get tossed in the air by a gaggle of monkeys.

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Design Magazine June 1961

Ken Garland served as art editor for UK based Design Magazine for six years. This is just one of many amazing covers that was conceived during his tenure.

also worth checking:

10 years of Vendre Magazine cover design

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Giovanni Pintori exhibition catalog c2003

Giovanni Pintori won a scholarship in 1930 (at the age of 18) to study at the ISIA in Monza under design heavyweights like Marcello Nizzoli and Edoardo Persico. After graduation he was invited to work for Olivetti in the Development & Advertising Office located in Milan. Three years later he would become the head of the department. Over the next 27 years he created an impressive body of work for Olivetti that would earn him a lasting international reputation.

This book was made in conjunction with a 2003 exhibition that highlighted many of Pintori’s designs for Olivetti.

Seen above: posters and advertisements for Olivetti 84, Lettera 22,  Elettrosumma 22 typewriters and the Olivetti Tetractys printing calculator

Also worth checking:

Olivetti Divisumma calculator

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1950s Japan: The blossoming of the graphic designer exhibition book

Packaging -  Honen salad oil - design by Kenji Ito 1959, Snow ice cream -design by Tadashi Masuda 1959, KAO soap - design by Hideo Amano 1958

Advertisement for Toyo Rayon fiber co. - design by Yusaku Kamekura 1950

Paul Rand: His work from 1946 to 1958 - cover design by Yusaku Kamekura

Sense in Modern Design - design by Hiroshi Ochi 1959

Isamu Noguchi Photography book 1953 - cover design by Yusaku Kamekura

If your planning to be in or near Tokyo within the next few days it would be worth your while to visit the Japanese graphic design in the 1950s exhibit at the printing museum. The exhibition features over 400 items, including newspaper and magazine advertisements, pamphlets, wrapping paper, packaging, and books, in an attempt to demonstrate all aspects in the development of graphic design in the 1950s as the foundations of postwar design were being laid.

I was able to get my hands on the catalog for the exhibit (seen above). I’m so sad that I won’t be to see this collection in person. The work is astounding. Lots of pieces by Yusaku Kamekura, Hara Hiromu, Takashi Kono, Ayao Yamana, Ryohei Yanagihara and others.

The exhibition runs through July 6th, 2008. You can get all the details here.

Also worth checking:

1960s Japanese book cover design

1960s Japanese magazine cover design

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Bedside Nurse magazine design from 1968, 1969 and 1970

Charles Goslin (1932-2007) began his career at Lester Beall’s studio in 1954 and left to pursue work at corporate identity firm Lippincott & Margulies in 1958. Three years later he parted ways again, but this time to begin what would be a lengthy career as a freelance designer and illustrator. During this time he started teaching at Pratt Institute as well, where he became known for unique assignments.

For those interested in learning more about Charles Goslin, former student Scott Santoro has written lovely piece about him here.

Also of interest:

Graphic designer Clarence Lee - He worked at Lester Beall’s studio in 1958, possibly at the same time as Charles Goslin.

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British Airways standard playing cards - 1970

Woah, British airways on acid! Anyone know who designed this deck of cards?

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Author: Michael Bedard (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Les Tait (on JOMB)
Published: 1999 Tundra Books (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0887765734 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Thoughtful, unhurried narrative and rich, enveloping art capture the clutter and compassion of two celebrated sculptors, a fledgling robin’s rescue and the birth of a life-changing friendship.

You can learn more about sculptors Frances Loring and Florence Wyle here. Read about the recently published adult book, And Beauty Answers: The Life of Frances Loring and Florence Wyle, here.

Aha! I found a photo of their studio church on Glenrose Avenue!

Author: Tony Ross (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Tony Ross
Published: 2004 Andersen Press (on JOMB)
ISBN: 1842703382 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Thumps, chomps, head butts and the might of the spunky youngest make this refreshingly ridiculous version of the original Grimm’s tale a shockingly fun read.

Other books mentioned:

• Little Wolf Books (on JOMB)

You can read a version of the original Grimm’s fairy tale here.

Author: Mary Ann Hoberman (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Laura Huliska-Beith (on JOMB)
Published: 2002 Little, Brown and Co. (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0316363286 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Twenty-eight pages of mystery, mischief and marvelously meandering rhyme take us on a distraction-packed cat-finding mission that introduces youngsters to the numbers 1 to 28 and — perhaps, more importantly — introduces adults to the delightful art of dawdling.