# Finding a particular Ripley's book **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [May 15, 2022, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-particular-ripleys-book/964466 "2022-05-15T22:51:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-particular-ripleys-book/964466/1 "2022-05-15T22:51:42Z")
When I was grade-school age, in the late 1970s, I owned a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not collection, in hardback with a green cover. I would love to be able to find that edition again, but haven’t had much luck hunting on my own. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-particular-ripleys-book/964466/2 "2022-05-15T23:41:06Z")
Any more details? Exact year? Was it one of their annual releases? Did it have a theme, like ghosts or sea monsters? Was the green on the dustjacket or inside cover? Any pictures, etc.? I did find this: [https://www.ebay.com/itm/384551722306?epid=1105933407&hash=item5989119d42:g:fr8AAOSwSo5hps2q](https://www.ebay.com/itm/384551722306?epid=1105933407&hash=item5989119d42:g:fr8AAOSwSo5hps2q) eBay has a lot of Believe It or Not books, though only a few that sorta match your description. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-particular-ripleys-book/964466/3 "2022-05-15T23:47:14Z")
There was no dustjacket, and no illustration like that on the front. I can’t manage an exact year (my memory of owning this book places it ca. 1977, but I do not recall if it was new when it came into my possession). No theme. I do recall illustrations inside the book, but not on the cover, which IIRC was not the usual fabric on a hardcover. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2022, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-particular-ripleys-book/964466/4 "2022-05-15T23:54:22Z")
There’s this one, though quite old (1934): [https://www.ebay.com/itm/393809660771?hash=item5bb0e28b63:g:kmIAAOSwpuRhwMoh](https://www.ebay.com/itm/393809660771?hash=item5bb0e28b63:g:kmIAAOSwpuRhwMoh) Greenish, no pictures on the outside, and a cover that’s fabric smoothed out with… paint? Some kind of resin? ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2022, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-particular-ripleys-book/964466/5 "2022-05-16T00:02:21Z")
I’ll let you know about the cover when it gets here. Might be older than the one I remember, but it was at a low enough price to be worth checking out. Still willing to check out other possibles. Any incorrect ones or duplicates, I can always donate to a thrift store. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2022, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-particular-ripleys-book/964466/6 "2022-05-16T00:16:42Z")
There were comic book editions. Perhaps your green covered book was a compendium of several of those. bing search link: [ripley’s believe it or not comic books - Search (bing.com)](https://www.bing.com/search?q=ripley%27s%20believe%20it%20or%20not%20comic%20books&qs=n&form=QBRE&=%25eManage%20Your%20Search%20History%25E&sp=-1&pq=ripley%27s%20believe%20it%20or%20not%20comic%20books&sc=2-38&sk=&cvid=22C99FD11D1646BD9A2911D612EBE25C) ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2022, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-particular-ripleys-book/964466/7 "2022-05-16T00:47:04Z")
Am I the only person in here who came in expecting a discussion about Patricia Highsmith’s series? Stranger ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2022, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-particular-ripleys-book/964466/8 "2022-05-16T06:18:30Z")
Look at Abebooks. [https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchEntry](https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchEntry) Sort by Publication Date Ascending. Limit to hardcover. After you get results Check the Seller Supplied Images ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2022, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-particular-ripleys-book/964466/9 "2022-05-16T17:25:50Z")
Nope. Cracked my knuckles and flexed my fingers for absolutely nothing.