A handy-book about books, for book-lovers, book-buyers, and book-sellers

Before algorithms chose your next read, people learned the book world by touch, talk, and hard-won know-how. John Power opens that door. A handy-book about books is a brisk, companionable books and reading handbook for anyone who has ever lingered at a stall, scanned a catalogue, or wondered what makes one copy worth more than another. Know what you are buying. Written as a practical book trade reference guide, it moves with the clear purpose of a literary nonfiction manual: to sharpen judgement, deepen taste, and make sense of the everyday decisions behind how to buy books and how to sell books. Power keeps an eye on book collecting and values without losing sight of the pleasure of reading, offering a steadying perspective for the curious browser and the serious buyer alike. As a snapshot of the pre-internet book market, this is also a small piece of publishing and bookselling history: a record of traditional print culture, its habits, and its standards, from the counter to the collector. It reads today as both an antiquarian books collectors guide and a working guide for booksellers, and it remains a thoughtful gift for book lovers who enjoy the craft as much as the content. Republished by Alpha Editions in a careful modern edition, this volume preserves the spirit of the original while making it effortless to enjoy today - a heritage title prepared for readers and collectors alike.