The Grand Illusion
My house burned down in January in the big LA fires, including my complete collection of your books. How do you recommend I replace them? Is there a good website? Especially I would like the Recluce Saga and the Corean Chronicles, plus a few SF. Any advice appreciated.
First, I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your house and everything it contained.
As for replacing those books of mine that you lost, I’m assuming that you’re interested in paper copies, since every book I’ve written is available as an eBook. Your two best bets are either Amazon or a large new and used bookstore. Powell’s Books in Portland has a fairly good selection, although many of of the earlier Recluce books will likely only be available as used. Here’s the link: https://www.powells.com/books/search?query=%22L.+E.+Modesitt%22+&page=1
Another suggestion would be Thrift Books. They are an online bookstore featuring both new & used. You can save a particular book to a wish list and they will send you an email when it is in stock.
I found eBay to be quite useful in my quest to replace my Modesitt paperbacks with hardcovers.
Many libraries will list books on eBay they are looking to unload, and they’ll be in good to excellent shape. Although one might assume they primarily get rid of unread or out-of-date books, much of what they are disposing of and replacing are (a) excess or duplicate books they received as a bequest from a local bibliophile; (b) excess or duplicate books they purchased as part of a lot at an estate or sheriff’s sale; and (c) in-print or otherwise findable books that hit a certain level of wear or readership. Since they don’t want a book to fall apart in a patron’s hands or while out on ILL, that level of wear is not high.
(That said: you will sometimes get books that have never been lent or read or even opened, so it is imperative that you BE CAREFUL and take steps to properly loosen the binding on receipt, lest it crack on you….or worse, just plain disintegrate, leaving you with a pile of folios)
If you know where the local locations are for estate sales and sheriff’s sales (many towns or counties centralize them), you can check the listings yourself and pop in to buy what interests you – just know that you may be buying in lots. Some estate administrators will also use eBay, so that’s another reason to check there regularly.
Finally, some libraries or universities will have book disposal sales once or twice a year for the same reasons as above, so you can always check those out.