# Help with info on a book **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 14, 2019, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-info-on-a-book/829516 "2019-02-14T02:20:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-info-on-a-book/829516/1 "2019-02-14T02:20:56Z")
I have a copy of Tom Sawyer that doesn’t have any information at all. It was with some other books that had 1945 copyrights. I don’t thinks it’s rare or anything but I would like to know more about it. My google-fu has failed me. Any help appreciated. There are several large b&w in the front before the book starts. [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/f209a461-552b-4a3d-aa1a-12c5ecad2c8f.jpeg) ](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/f209a461-552b-4a3d-aa1a-12c5ecad2c8f.jpeg) [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/1c1bad23-c926-4b1e-9edb-db4efbd5853d.jpeg) ](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/1c1bad23-c926-4b1e-9edb-db4efbd5853d.jpeg) [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/a4463206-a316-4fc7-8f0d-464943fdec25.jpeg) ](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/a4463206-a316-4fc7-8f0d-464943fdec25.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-info-on-a-book/829516/2 "2019-02-14T03:10:16Z")
Here’s some stuff about Halcyon House, the publisher [Halcyon House Illustrated Library – A Series of Series](https://seriesofseries.owu.edu/halcyon-house-illustrated-library/) Someone else with the same problem (trying to find out the value of a Halcyon House book) [Abebooks](http://forums.abebooks.com/discussions/AbeBookscom_Community_Forum/General/Halcyon_House_publishers/abecom/31452.1?redirCnt=1&dbg=6&nav=messages) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-info-on-a-book/829516/3 "2019-02-14T05:56:54Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > Here’s some stuff about Halcyon House, the publisher [Halcyon House Illustrated Library – A Series of Series](https://seriesofseries.owu.edu/halcyon-house-illustrated-library/) > > Someone else with the same problem (trying to find out the value of a Halcyon House book) [Abebooks](http://forums.abebooks.com/discussions/AbeBookscom_Community_Forum/General/Halcyon_House_publishers/abecom/31452.1?redirCnt=1&dbg=6&nav=messages) Thanks for the link. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-info-on-a-book/829516/4 "2019-02-20T21:56:01Z")
WorldCat shows two records for versions of Tom Sawyer published by Halcyon House, with a total of 6 libraries worldwide holding them. From [this page](https://seriesofseries.owu.edu/halcyon-house-illustrated-library/), I gather they were simply a reprint house, a la Book of the Month Club. I wouldn’t plan my retirement around it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-info-on-a-book/829516/5 "2019-02-20T22:30:53Z")
The library I volunteer at gets these occasionally. They were reprints of books that were already public domain at the time, and are not particularly valuable. (As I write this, that library is gearing up for a book sale on Friday. The woman in charge of it is really big on overpricing things, and “We’re saving this for the next sale” and then complains that we don’t have any storage room, etc. etc. etc. I’ll bring some chocolate with me tomorrow when we set up. She really is a lovely woman; this is just a pet peeve I have. I’m sure I do things that annoy her; in fact, I KNOW I do because I will not hesitate to pull off a price sticker if I think it’s unreasonable - like $20 for an old children’s book with crayon marks in it and the cover half-falling off.) ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-info-on-a-book/829516/6 "2019-02-21T01:13:39Z")
You might try looking at the different editions on Goodreads in case they have more information.