The bestselling used book list is very similar. The Da Vinci Code is number 1 here too, followed by In Cold Blood, Tuesdays with Morrie, The South Beach Diet, and Freakonomics. Surprisingly, there's only one Harry Potter in the top 50, and that's at 17, and no Tolkien. What is popular must be changing. No Shakespeare here either.
The most searched for books was an interesting list, since Abe's relative, BookFinder, also put out such a list (see January's issue in the AE Monthly archives). BookFinder searches multiple listing sites, while Abe, naturally, searches just its own. Those who went to BookFinder were searching for some quite obscure and very hard to find old books which, for whatever reason, have seen a resurgence in interest. Most did not have a single copy available on Abe at the moment. The Abe group consisted of much better known titles, including a few literary notables. Number 1, Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown, not only does have a copy available on Abe, it has 1,174 copies available. You can pay anything from $1 to $3,550. Next comes the omnipresent Da Vince Code (2,373 copies available), followed by To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, Harry Potter and the Something-or-other, and Catcher in the Rye. The only title common to Abe and BookFinder's top 10 was Madonna's never-reprinted 1992 Sex, perennially number 1 on BookFinder, number 7 on Abe.
Finally, there is a top 10 authors list, and this is certainly a mixed bag. The top spots go to Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, Albert Terhune (of dog books fame), Charles Dickens, and Dan Brown. Also in the top ten is the prolific Nora Roberts, with over 40,000 books currently offered on Abe. How often does she show up on the same list as Dickens? Not too often, I hope.
You may view all of Abebooks' top ten lists at the following link: Abebooks' top 10.
Editor's Note: Richard Davies, Abebooks Public Relations and Publicity Manager, comments on this article in the Letters to the Editor. His letter, dated Feb. 1, 2007, may be found at the following link - Click here for Letter.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue, inscribed by the author pre-publication. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Autograph sketchleaf including a probable draft for the E flat Piano Quartet, K.493, 1786. £150,000 to £200,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
Rare Book Hub is now mobile-friendly!
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 156: Cornelis de Jode, Americae pars Borealis, double-page engraved map of North America, Antwerp, 1593.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 206: John and Alexander Walker, Map of the United States, London and Liverpool, 1827.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 223: Abraham Ortelius, Typus Orbis Terrarum, hand-colored double-page engraved world map, Antwerp, 1575.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 233: Aaron Arrowsmith, Chart of the World, oversize engraved map on 8 sheets, London, 1790 (circa 1800).
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 239: Fielding Lucas, A General Atlas, 81 engraved maps and diagrams, Baltimore, 1823.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 240: Anthony Finley, A New American Atlas, 15 maps engraved by james hamilton young on 14 double-page sheets, Philadelphia, 1826.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 263: John Bachmann, Panorama of the Seat of War, portfolio of 4 double-page chromolithographed panoramic maps, New York, 1861.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 265: Sebastian Münster, Cosmographei, Basel: Sebastian Henricpetri, 1558.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 271: Abraham Ortelius, Epitome Theatri Orteliani, Antwerp: Johann Baptist Vrients, 1601.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 283: Joris van Spilbergen, Speculum Orientalis Occidentalisque Indiae, Leiden: Nicolaus van Geelkercken for Jodocus Hondius, 1619.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 285: Levinus Hulsius, Achtzehender Theil der Newen Welt, 14 engraved folding maps, Frankfurt: Johann Frederick Weiss, 1623.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 341: John James Audubon, Carolina Parrot, Plate 26, London, 1827.
![<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/00d5fd41-2542-4a80-b119-4886d4b9925f.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.")
