"What is a Book Club Edition?"
Kristen asks:
Good morning!
I noticed that you have a “book club edition” of THE ESCAPE available for sale. Could you tell me what a “book club edition” is?
We are running low on inventory of the hardcover edition of THE ESCAPE, so I would like to purchase it if it’s a regular book.
As always, many thanks!
Best,
Kristen
John Replies:
Hi Kristen.
In short - NO it is not a regular book.
A book club edition is a volume produced by one of the various book clubs, such as The Doubleday Book Club, and The Literary Guild, These are not first printings, and are not really collectible.
By far the most famous is The Book of the Month Club, founded 1926. It is a subscription based e-commerce service that offers a selection of five to seven new hardcover books each month to its members. Books are selected and endorsed by a panel of judges, and members choose which book they would like to receive, similar to how the club originally operated when it began in 1926.
Additionally , Reader's Digest Condensed Books offers a series of hardcover anthology collections, published by Reader's Digest and distributed by direct mail. Most volumes contained five current best-selling novels and nonfiction books which were abridged (or "condensed") specifically for Reader's Digest. The series was published in 1950 and is still operating.
Book club editions differ from "publisher released editions," often are of a smaller size and therefore readily identifiable as book club copies. Each book club edition differs enough that the practiced collector can tell them from original releases, none have prices on the front flyleaf, most lack barcodes, etc.
Like the common practice used by publishers, book clubs dump their excess inventory off to "bargain book companies" like Book Depot, American Book Company and others. These remainder companies sell these "remainders" to the market at discount prices.
This is where we acquired our book club editions of The Escape.
Hope this helps. If you ever need further information please drop me an email.
Best,
John
Ask John at: [email protected]
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