I am rereading Casanova Was A Booklover by John Maxwell Hamilton. (I am supposed to be reading Heart of Darkness, but just can't seem to get going.) Here are some interesting book facts:
In 1998 140,000 new books were published in the US. Using 1990 census data, that is one book for every 1264 US citizens over the age of 24.
35,000 of those books were by first-time authors. Using this calculation, 455,000 different people, or 1 out of every 388 Americans write at least one published book each decade.
Book royalties (also from the 90's): The royalty on a romance novel is aobut 4% on the first 150,000 copies, and between 2 and 3% for every copy sold after that. A serious non-fiction hardcover generally pays the author 5 to 10% for the first 5,000 copies and in 10 to 15% increments thereafter.
The median income for authors in 1980 was $5000, while the median income from all sources was $27,000 that year.
Famous book thieves: A former Groton instructor stole more than 2500 volumes from the Harvard Library. Cardinal Domenico Passionei, a vatican librarian stole the books he was supposed to safeguard. When at the abbey, he would throw books out the window and pack them off when his visit was over. Gustav Hasford, and Academy Award winner for the movie Full Metal Jacket was convicted of stealing thousands of books.
Books most often stolen (from 1998):
- 1. The Bible
2. The Joy of Sex
3. Practice for the Armed Services Test tied with The Joy of Cooking
4. Curses, Hexes, and Spells (books about the occult).
5. Steal This Book by Abbie Hoffman. (A used paperback copy is worth about $125.
6. Standard Federal Tax Reporter (law school libraries have more theft than any other specialized libraries.
7. Encyclopedia Britannica
8. The Red Pony, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and Catcher in the Rye
9. The Birds of America - Audubon
10. The China Lobby in American Politics ( it is thought that this book's detractors stole copies to prevent it from being read).
In 1999 Borders Group invested in a high-tech company whose equipment would allow Borders to print quality paperbacks on demand, in its bookstores. Customers would have immediate access to out-of-print books. (I haven't ever heard of this service being offered).
Jan.
