Antiquarian Bookselling in the United States

?This first formal history of antiquarian bookselling in the United States begins with the colonial origins and ends with the 1940s, when World War II changed the nature of the trade in this country. The author examines the nature of the book trade, its early combination with printing and publishing, its areas of specialization, its encouragement of regional interests, and its cultural impact. Stern shows that the antiquarian booksellers' passionate love of books, prodigious memories, and untiring efforts helped individuals and libraries throughout the country build lasting collections and preserved much of what might have been lost. Large libraries should acquire this volume, and anyone interested in the role of books and bookselling in American social histry will want to read it.?-Library Journal