# Does my Amazon.com book actually exist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 5, 2006, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566 "2006-09-05T23:26:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/21 "2006-09-06T13:45:59Z")
[QUOTE=astro] [Here it is!](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000F6E5LO.01-A122D88AIJR0NL._SCLZZZZZZZ_V56010957_.jpg) [/QUOTE] Man, you messed me up. I just looked that up. Not only can you find it, but it appears there are about 1900 of them listing in various places online, although due to redundant listing the available online quantity may be closer to 800. At this point I’d kill to know what Eve wants, though, just out of abject curiousity. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/22 "2006-09-06T13:47:52Z")
[QUOTE=Johanna] SNIP Back in May I ordered a manga titled _Blue_ by Kiriko Nananan. Every time I checked my open orders for the next three months, it was always just about to be shipped. Then suddenly in August every trace of my order vanished down an Orwellian “memory hole.” No electronic evidence remained that I had ever ordered it. How can they do that? [/QUOTE] Are you sure it wasn’t the same black cat? ---
**Author:** ![Long\_Time\_Lurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@Long\_Time\_Lurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Long_Time_Lurker)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/23 "2006-09-06T15:16:15Z")
[QUOTE=Eve] Nope, I’ve tried all other online bookselling search sources, here and abroad, and they either say “Item not in stock” or direct me right back to that same damn Amazon listing. Crap. [/QUOTE] Have you tried the [Strand](http://www.strandbooks.com/home/)? With 18 miles of books, how can you go wrong? In case you don’t know, it’s on Broadway and I think 12th. Just south of Union Square. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/24 "2006-09-06T15:56:54Z")
[QUOTE=Long Time Lurker] Have you tried the [Strand](http://www.strandbooks.com/home/)? [/QUOTE] Constantly. It’s only three subway stops from my office. I’m looking for **Variety Obituaries, vol, II, 1929-1938**. I already have vol. I (1905-1928), and it’s my _favorite_ bedside reading. Now I can’t wait to find out what happens in vol. II! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/25 "2006-09-06T16:12:02Z")
[QUOTE=Eve] Constantly. It’s only three subway stops from my office. [/QUOTE] \ :mad: :mad: :mad: ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/26 "2006-09-06T16:37:57Z")
[QUOTE=Eve] . Now I can’t wait to find out what happens in vol. II! [/QUOTE] Everybody dies.Knowing you, you probably want a copy of your own for convenient reference. But if you just want to read it, you should be able to get a copy through inter-library loan. Several New York area libraries have the complete 15-volume set, but in some, they’re for reference only. Do a Google search for \*\* “find in a library” “variety obituaries” site:.worldcatlibraries.org \*\* Then enter your zip code in the location field. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/27 "2006-09-06T16:46:08Z")
If you have $2000 you can get all 12 volumes from [abebooks.com](http://abebooks.com). ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/28 "2006-09-06T16:49:37Z")
[These guys](http://www.ecampus.com/book/0824008367) claim to have it in shock\*. \*typo reflects the price ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/29 "2006-09-06T17:35:45Z")
[QUOTE=Tapioca Dextrin] [These guys](http://www.ecampus.com/book/0824008367) claim to have it in shock. [/QUOTE] I just e’d them: > [@](#): > > I see you have this item on your site. I tried to order it from amazon.canada, and they finally gave up and admitted they couldn’t find a copy. Do you actually know of a copy available that I can order now, or is it a “we’ll send you one if we can dig it up somewhere” situation? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/30 "2006-09-06T17:48:38Z")
[Amazon.co.uk](http://Amazon.co.uk) [is even more expensive](http://www.amazon.co.uk/Variety-Obituaries-1929-38/dp/0824008367), and also has the dreaded “4-6 weeks”. And yes, I have had a similar thing happen, when ordering directly from [Amazon.co.uk](http://Amazon.co.uk), not from a Marketplace seller. I wanted to buy a Field Mice album and stupidly didn’t order when it was in stock, and by the time I got around to it it was “usually dispatched within 4-6 weeks”. They cancelled the order in the end. Now it’s only available from Marketplace sellers, and I don’t want it enough to pay £45 for it… ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/31 "2006-09-06T17:49:46Z")
They also have the other volumes in their [catalogue](http://www.ecampus.com/isbnbrowser2/isbnstart/0824) (just serch for variety) Good luck 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/32 "2006-09-06T20:41:29Z")
My suggestion: Go to [www.amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com) Enter your book’s ISBN in the search field, which will be: 0824008367 On the right side of the next screen, you’ll see a box entitled “More Buying Choices”. Inside of this box, click on the button “Order It Used”. You can place a pre-order, which means that you’ll be first in line when one of Amazon’s marketplace vendors lists his. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/33 "2006-09-06T22:06:09Z")
[QUOTE=Eve] Nope, I’ve tried all other online bookselling search sources… [/QUOTE] Offering help that’ll probably be useless, I found something on fetchbook.info, which offers a number of sources, although I don’t know if they’re just middlemen between the customer and the same copy you can’t get on Amazon. Regardless, BiggerBooks has an actual phone number, but they close at 5:00 est, so I couldn’t ask if it was really in stock. hehe. If it’s any consolation, the Oliver Byrne edition of Euclid’s Elements that I want costs a mere $10,750. I don’t think I’ll be getting it soon. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/34 "2006-09-06T23:10:42Z")
I got a really nice, thoughtful computerized form letter from Amazon! > [@](#): > > I’m sorry, but sometimes unexpected fluctuations in supply can add time to our original availability estimate. We have learned that “Variety Obituaries” is back-ordered and our supplier is not able to tell us exactly when they expect to have more in stock. I apologize that you were not notified sooner of this change. We have already contacted our appropriate department regarding this situation and they have contacted a different supplier to obtain this item for you. I do apologize that you were not notified sooner of this change in availability. It is our policy to notify customers whenever such delays occur. I do understand that such changes can be frustrating for you. Please accept my most sincere apologies for this inconvenience. Thank you, nonexistent computerized customer service person! Hope I hear back from ecampus . . . ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/35 "2006-09-07T02:34:44Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Slant] Are you sure it wasn’t the same black cat? [/QUOTE] An indication that something has been changed in the Matrix code? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/36 "2006-09-07T02:57:22Z")
Well, if the window behind my computer monitor acquires a brick and mortar presence in the next minute then we’ll know. . o O (Fresh out of violin cases…) ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/37 "2006-09-07T03:36:32Z")
Well my DVD did arrive today, only 7 weeks after I ordered it. I hope you have the same good luck, **Eve**. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566/38 "2006-09-07T03:53:40Z")
[QUOTE=Khadaji] There was another one, I children’t Christmas tale by Koontz called Santa’s Twin that I eventually canceled when in, in March, they postponed it once again (it \*would \*have been a gift for my godson had it ever arrived.) [/QUOTE] Wow, I’m surprised you had trouble finding that one. I have a copy in the living room that I picked up in an indie book store during an after-Christmas sale; there seemed to be an excess of them at one point, anyway. Since I read it as an adult and found it entertaining, I’m pretty sure your godson won’t have outgrown it yet 🙂 If you’re still interested, people have it and the sequel for sale at [Half](http://search.half.ebay.com/koontz-twin_W0QQmZbooks). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-my-amazon-com-book-actually-exist/371566.md?page=1)