The Goldstones, a husband-and-wife book collecting/writing team, follow two previous memoirs about their occupational adventures (Used and Rare, 1997; Slightly Chipped, 1999) with this entertaining offering. The title chapter recounts the saga of John Anderson, a Connecticut book dealer and forger, who inscribed many rare books with false signatures and then sold them to dealers and collectors. He was finally discovered when a copy of Passages from the Letters of John Butler Yeats,
with forged signatures of Ezra Pound and William Butler Yeats, that he offered for sale was questioned by experts at the New York Antiquarian Book Fair. Through informed descriptions of the twists and turns this case took, the authors illuminate the conflicts within the world of the Antiquarian Bookseller's Association of America. The Goldstones write with flair and humor, exemplified by an account of a book meeting in Florida where they were invited to speak. On the way, Lawrence's front tooth broke in half, and, unable to find a dentist on Saturday, he glued the piece back on and successfully performed. Included also is a description of a trip they took with their daughter to the Library of Congress, a critical look at selling rare books online and anecdotes about book fairs and bookstores where the Goldstones continue to search for treasure. This is an undemanding and fun read for bibliophiles, whether antiquarian collectors or not. (June)
