Customer Reviews

Book Repair for Booksellers: A guide for booksellers offering practical advice on book repair

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm amazed that someone found this book "useless." As a professional bookseller I keep my copy in the top drawer of my repair table (along with my essential book repair supplies) while other books on the subject sit on a shelf. THIS book gives all the info you need for simple cleanups and repairs with clear, uncomplicated instructions, including some that are NOT in the academic repair manuals. The author also sells a full line of repair products, which are also right there in the drawers. I can't say how many hundreds of dollars this books has saved me, both in money saved from hiring professional services for small jobs, and in the added value to books that I have cleaned and repaired following these guidelines. Kudos to the author, and deep gratitude! Lee Kirk, The Prints & The Paper (bookseller)

I keep this how-to book with my box of book repair supplies, which this book and earlier guidelines by the author helped me to compile, many from the author's own website at very reasonable prices.

I am a college professor so the books I can afford to collect are often not in the best of condition, and although I am considered a person who knows how to repair many different kinds of things, I am no book repair expert. With the simple, step-by-step instructions I have returned many books to good useable and even gift-giving condition.

I read the negative review by M. Diamond and was amazed at how she could come to her conclusions about the usefulness of the book. So, I decided to review Diamonds other reviews. One of her other negative book reviews starts with, "First, let me acknowledge that I haven't actually read this book." I don't think the value of her reviews needs further consideration.

Prof. Bartlett

A very useful "how to" with step-by-step directions for a wide range of book cleaning jobs and small repairs. This manual is great for finding solutions for specific problems in order to improve the appearance and overall condition of books. I owned the last edition ("Unbound") and bought this one too as the author had greatly expanded it. It is the kind of book you flip through whenever you are stumped -- it proves that it really is possible to take a worn or dirty book and make it look (and work) much better, primarily with supplies you have on hand or can easily obtain. The author clearly has a lot of practical experience and I have been very pleased with the directions provided and the results.

I own a number of books on repair and binding, but most of these are directed either at librarians (who seem to put tape on everything) or professional conservators. I think this book fills an important niche - for collectors or sellers who don't have the time or expertise to do extensive repairs -- particularly when a book is not of enough value to warrant such treatment -- but who also don't want to do anything that might damage a book or decrease its value. Book Repair for Booksellers proves that there are lots of small, safe & relatively quick things you can do that can both brighten up and better preserve a cherished book or make one more presentable to buyers.

Book Repair for Booksellers: A guide for booksellers offering practical advice on book repair

I am a book lover, a former librarian, and a professional bookseller. I have owned this handy guide in every edition yet published, and keep the latest one always at hand. I have *never* had a book repair question that it could not answer, and the results that I have obtained by following its clear and detailed instructions have been excellent, extending the life and improving the appearance of my books.

Book Repair for Booksellers: A guide for booksellers offering practical advice on book repair has paid for itself time and again.

The author also maintains a website where videos of repair techniques may be viewed, and repair supplies purchased at reasonable cost.

This is the third 'edition' of book repair for J Godsey and each has been better than the last. Starting with "DISCARDED BOOKS the facelift for ex-library books", then on to "Unbound: Book Repair for Booksellers" and finally this little phamphlet "Book Repair for Booksellers: A guide for booksellers offering practical advice on book repair". Don't let the small size fool you, it is chock full of tips to prolong the life of a book. It is an excellent guide for the book lover on cleaning and repairing used books; what to do about writing, bookplates, pockets, stickers, tape, crayon in books; fixing cocked spines, missing endpapers, shaken hinges, loose leaf, etc. etc. etc. Fully explained and illustrated steps.

Contents: Preface; Toolbox; Book Anatomy; Exterior; Augmentation; Leaves; Spines; Boards; Hazards; Protection; Ephemera; Shipping; Repair Index; Vendors.

Godsey provides booksellers and those who love used books with solid advice on how to handle those all-too-often found problems. The book is well illustrated and sensibly laid out, and the writing is clear and informative. For anyone who regularly buys or handles used books, this guide will pay for itself many times over. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

As a professional bookseller this book is an essential reference for me. Instead of being buried in my reference library, this is in arm's reach for near daily use in the minor and often major repairs to my inventory. While not the polished production of a major trade publisher, it is everything it should be: practical, useful, and straightforwardly-clear in its instructions. If lost, I'd buy another immediately. BTW, dropping my review personna for a moment: I'm more than amused that the previous reviewer found the book "useless." To me this speaks volumes about the reviewer.

I keep this book by side in the office and work area since it is the best and most valuable book of its kind available today. The author had published an earlier edition a few years ago, and this one expands in all areas on that volume. If you have book repair questions or needs, this is the book to get. By the way, the author is also a good source of basic repair items, such as erasers.

This is a great book, especially for folks like me who don't consider themselves very handy. The instructions are easy to follow, and you can make simple repairs that really improve the appearance of your books. Highly recommended.

One of the most best publications I have found to help me with repairing books. Excellent information all in one place. You will not be disappointed.