Rare Book Monthly
Kindle: Incredible Reading Tool, Evil Book-Killer, or Overpriced Technology?
The electronic paper screen is easy to read.
There are currently over 100,000 books available for the Kindle, including most on the New York Times bestseller list. But you don't have to buy a book to check it out; the Kindle will download around 15 pp. from the beginning of the book for free and if you like it, you can then download the full text. If not, nothing lost.
Similarly, there are free newspaper subscriptions for the first month, automatically downloaded to the device. Subscriptions are also available from a selected number of international newspapers as well.
If you have files in MS Word (as well as images in standard file formats) you can upload them to Amazon from your computer and for a small fee, they will convert them to Kindle format for your device.
Kindle material is full-text searchable and you can go directly to specific articles or chapters using hyperlinks. Whenever you leave a book or magazine, Kindle keeps track of where you are in the text so that the next time you open up the file you are right where you left off. You can also mark the text and create blocks of material that are both noted and annotated and can eventually be uploaded to your computer.
For those interested in online blogs, subscriptions to some of these can also be created and automatically downloaded to the Kindle. If you are interested in publishing, you can easily create a file in Word or Adobe, send it to Amazon to Kindle-ize it, and then publish it to Amazon's Kindle store. This seems like a huge opportunity for legitimate publishing as well as pure trash.
From a reader's perspective, I find the screen very easy on the eyes, non-glare even in direct sunlight. If 200 titles directly on the Kindle do not suffice, inexpensive add-on memory is available.
I can readily see the Kindle in the hands of a student: instead of having to lug hundreds of pounds of books around, it is going to be a heck of a lot easier putting this small device in a backpack. It's also a real plus for people whose eyes are not what they used to be because no special editions of books are needed -- you can buy books at whatever size font and then use the device to enlarge the fonts to make them most comfortable.
Unlike a wireless computer, you do not have to locate a hot spot, as Amazon's Whispernet seems more than capable of sending and receiving wherever. And did I mention that there is no extra charge for accessing this network: access "comes with" the purchase of the device, as does unlimited storage for your purchases on Amazon's servers.
Rare Book Monthly
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Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Bible, in English. Fine restoration binding in the style of the Queen’s binders.Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Magnus Hundt, the elder. First edition of one of the earliest printed books with anatomical illustrations.Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Agatha Christie. Cards on the Table. First edition.Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Beautiful and Damned. First edition, first printing.Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Isaac Asimov. I, Robot. First edition, presentation copy.Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Bible, in English. Geneva-Tomson-Junius. London: Robert Barker, [colophon 1612]/1611. -
Sotheby’s
Original Film Posters
10 September 2026Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: The Invisible Man (1933). Extremely Rare US Leader Press One Sheet. £20,000 to £26,000.Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: You Only Live Twice (1967). Italian Advance Quattro Fogli. £10,000 to £15,000.Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: A Dog's Life (1918). Extremely Rare US One Sheet. £50,000 to £70,000.Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: La Belle et la Bête/Beauty and the Beast (1946). French Style A Grande. £12,000 to £18,000.Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). US Lenticular Prototype One Sheet. £10,000 to £15,000.Sotheby’s, Sep. 10: Théâtre d’Ombres (1897). Exceptionally Rare French Poster. £8,000 to £12,000. -
Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 11. Blaeu's Superb World Map on a Polar Projection (1695) Est. $5,500 - $7,000Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 702. Munster's Largest 16th Century Edition, with Over 220 Woodcut Maps (1598) Est. $18,000 - $20,000Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 101. Rare Jo Mora "Carte" Showing a NYC-to-Seattle Route through Panama Canal (1933) Est. $900 - $1,100Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 65. The Waldseemuller/Fries "Admiral's Map" (1541) Est. $8,000 - $9,500Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 46. Contains all 30 Plates from Atlas Coelestis in Full Original Color (1742) Est. $16,000 - $18,000Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 129. The First Map to Name New Scotland and Cape Cod (1625) Est. $8,000 - $9,500Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 663. The First Printed Map Devoted to the Pacific in Full Contemporary Color (1589) Est. $7,500 - $9,000Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 629. De Jode's Rare Map of Eastern Asia (1593) Est. $7,500 - $9,000Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 171. De Bry's Influential Map of Colonial North America (1591) Est. $11,000 - $13,000Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 691. Superb Hand-Colored Image of the Holy Trinity (1502) Est. $800 - $950Old World Auctions (Sept 16):
Lot 606. Important, Early Atlas of Japan with 75 Woodcut Maps in Printed Color (1837) Est. $2,000 - $2,300 -
Koller, Sep. 16: FRANZÖSISCHE REVOLUTION - ASSEMBLÉE NATIONALE - Extrait des Procès-Verbaux de L'Assemblée Nationale, Des 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26 Août & premier Octobre 1789.Koller, Sep. 16: MOURADJA D'OHSSON, IGNACE. Tableau général de l'Empire Othoman, divisé en deux parties dont l'une comprend la Législation Mahométane, l'autre l'histoire de l'Empire Othoman [... ]Koller, Sep. 16: BOTANIK - Blackwell, Elisabeth. A curious herbal, containig five hundred cuts, of the most useful plants, which are now used in the practice of physick.Koller, Sep. 16: SCHEUCHZER, JOHANN JAKOB. Physica Sacra. Iconibus Aeneis illustrata procurante & sumtus suppeditante.Koller, Sep. 16: HAIMONSKINDER – Eyn schön lustig Geschicht, wie Keyser Carle der groß, vier gebrüder, Hertzog Aymont von Dordons Süne [...]Koller, Sep. 16: KRÄUTERBÜCHER - HORTUS SANITATIS - [H]ortus Sanitatis. De herbis et plantis. De animalibus et reptilibus. De avibus et volatilibus. De piscibus et natalibus…Koller, Sep. 16: GAUGUIN, PAUL, MALER (1848-1903). Eigenhändiger Brief mit Unterschrift und Couvert. An den Künstler und Freund Daniel de Monfreid in Paris. -
Forum Auctions
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
24th September 2026Forum, Sep. 24: A Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster and Borough of Southwark, 1746 [bound with] A Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster, [c.1755]. £30,000 - £50,000Forum, Sep. 24: Gafurius (Franchinus). De Harmonia Musicorum Instrumentorum Opus, first edition, Milan, Gotarto da Ponte, 1518. £20,000 - £30,000Forum, Sep. 24: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, first edition, first impression, 1937. £10,000 - £15,000Forum Auctions
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
24th September 2026Forum, Sep. 24: Stackelberg (Otto Magnus v). Costumes et Usages des Peuples de la Grece Moderne, first edition, Rome, 1825. £15,000 - £20,000Forum, Sep. 24: Piranesi (Giovanni Battista). Le Antichita Romane, 4 vol., Rome, Bouchard and Gravier, 1756. £10,000 - £15,000Forum, Sep. 24: Henry VIII's Primer.- Church of England.- The Primer, set foorth by the Kynges maiestie and his clergie…,, first edition, by Richard Grafton printer to the Princes grace, 1545; bound with 2 others, similar. £10,000 - £15,000Forum Auctions
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
24th September 2026Forum, Sep. 24: Darwin (Charles). On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, fifth edition, ink inscription in the author's hand laid down to half-title, 1869. £6,000 - £8,000Forum, Sep. 24: Siebold (P.F. von) J.G. Zuccarini and F.A.W. Miquel. Flora Japonica, 2 vol., first edition, Leiden, for the author, 1835-70. £6,000 - £8,000Forum, Sep. 24: Illuminated manuscript facsimile.- Constitution Of India (The), Dehra Dun, Survey of India Offices, [c. 1950]. £3,500 - £5,000Forum Auctions
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
24th September 2026Forum, Sep. 24: Mao Tse-tung. Quotations of Chairman Mao, prototype edition, Shenyang, compiled and printed by the Political Department, Air Force Division of Shenyang Military Region, 1963. £3,000 - £4,000Forum, Sep. 24: Richardson (John). Fauna Boreali-Americana; or the Zoology of the Northern Parts of British America, 4 vol., first edition, Norwich, Josiah Fletcher, 1829-37. £4,000 - £6,000Forum, Sep. 24: Mite (The), the printer/publisher's own copy with the original type and printing blocks for all three of its editions (1891, 1893 & 1896), Grimsby, Ernest A. Robinson, 1891. £3,000 - £4,000.