Slightly Chipped: Footnotes in Booklore

by Lawrence Goldstone, Nancy Goldstone

More than a sequel, Slightly Chipped: Footnotes in Booklore is a companion piece for Used and Rare. A delight for the general reader and book collector alike, it details the Goldstones' further explorations into the curious world of book collecting. In Slightly Chipped, they get hooked on the correspondence and couplings of Bloomsbury; they track down Bram Stoker's earliest notes for Dracula; and they are introduced to hyper-moderns. Slightly Chipped is filled with all of the anecdotes and esoterica about the world of book collecting that charmed readers of Used and Rare.

Genres: Books About Books, Nonfiction, Memoir, History, Reference, Biography, Literature

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Lawrence Goldstone is the author of fourteen books of both fiction and non-fiction. Six of those books were co-authored with his wife, Nancy, but they now write separately to save what is left of their dishes.
Goldstone's articles, reviews, and opinion pieces have appeared in, among other publications, the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, Hartford Courant, and Berkshire Eagle. He has also written for a number of magazines that have gone bust, although he denies any cause and effect.
His first novel, Rights, won a New American Writing Award but he now cringes at its awkward prose. (Anatomy of Deception and The Astronomer are much better.)
Despite a seemingly incurable tendency to say what's on his mind (thus mortifying Nancy), Goldstone has been widely interviewed on both radio and television, with appearances on, among others, "Fresh Air" (NPR), "To the Best of Our Knowledge" (NPR), "The Faith Middleton Show" (NPR), "Tavis Smiley" (PBS), and Leonard Lopate (WNYC). His work has also been profiled in The New York Times, The Toronto Star, numerous regional newspapers, Salon, and Slate.
Goldstone holds a PhD in American Constitutional Studies from the New School. His friends thus call him DrG, although he can barely touch the rim. (Sigh. Can't make a layup anymore either.) He and his beloved bride founded and ran an innovative series of parent-child book groups, which they documented in Deconstructing Penguins. He has also been a teacher, lecturer, senior member of a Wall Street trading firm, taxi driver, actor, quiz show contestant, and policy analyst at the Hudson Institute.
He is a unerring stock picker. Everything he buys instantly goes down.

Reviews

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great look at the wonderful pastime of book collecting. Just as good as the Goldstone's first book - Used and Rare. Recommended for all book lovers and collectors.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book I've read by the Goldstones, and while their writing style is enjoyable, I was a bit disappointed in this one. The first half is more focused on their adventures in book collecting (which is why I wanted to read it) but the rest of the book wanders. There is a long chapter talking about the Internet and how it affects the rare book business, but it felt like a magazine article from 1998 and I had to skim to get through it. And there is another long chapter on a Sotheby's auction of items belonging to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (aka King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson), which was interesting, but again, it felt like a dated magazine piece.

Despite the mishmash of topics in "Slightly Chipped," the Goldstones are such pleasant narrators that I plan to read more of their books.

[Janie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delightful peeks into book collecting. I love books, to have them, to hold them, to get them, to read them, to read about them, to talk about them . . . but I've never figured out the desire to have first editions or other collectible volumes in pristine condition for the sake of having them or reselling them for profit, especially when they cost a lot of money. My perspective for having books is primarily utilitarian and finding a used copy for one cent plus $4 shipping suits me. But I really enjoyed reading about others who have them and go to lengths to get them. (Thanks, Laura!)

[Eric_W · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Goldstones, apparently on their way to a trilogy, successfully followed their first book with this one. It’s another delight. Becoming more accomplished as rare book aficionados, they are able to provide even more enlightening and amusing anecdotes of the book trade. They are informative as well about many of the authors whose books are collected. I had never heard of "Bloomsbury" members, being literature-challenged, but it seems the august members of that strange coterie are very collectible, not just because many were good writers, but also because they were prolific and lived lives (there are more than twenty-five 900- page biographies of the members) that would be unbelievable on most soap operas.

The group consisted of Lytton Strachey, Virginia and Leonard Woolf, Clive Bell, Roger Fry, Duncan Grant, and John Maynard Keynes, although there is some dispute about others. The group had a unique ethos "which can be summed up by the sort of incisive comment the group and Lytton Strachey in particular were known for. Upon arriving at Clive and Vanessa Bell's apartment one evening, Lytton noticed a stain on Vanessa's dress, 'Semen?' he inquired." Another interesting story of the Bloomsbury folks is that Virginia Woolf and her husband, Leonard had often spoken of starting their own press. One day, while walking by a small printing supply company, they saw a hand press for sale in the window. They bought it, took it home, and taught themselves how to set type.

Thus began Hogarth Press. It reflected their ineptitude visually. Virginia routinely confused the h’s with the n’s. They had trouble with the ink, and the woodcuts they used for illustrations never inked up just right. These volumes are, of course, quite valuable today, especially because their print runs were so small (the first was 134 copies, which sold out, making them a small profit). One of the delights of the Goldstones’ books is learning about many authors of years ago with whom I was completely unfamiliar, for example, William Mcfee (nautical stuff) and Josephine Tey (British mystery writer who died in 1952).

No stranger to book signings, having traveled along to many of Sheila’s, not to mention many at ALA and ABA, I got a huge kick out of an anecdote they relate that happened to a friend of theirs. This author was sitting at the table in the bookstore with lots of his books but hadn’t been aproached by anyone for over an hour when a woman and child came over. “Are your the author of these books?” she asked. He assured her he was. “You wrote them,” she inquired again, “and you’ll be here for a while.” He answered again in the affirmative. She then asked if he would watch her child while she went shopping. The Goldstones don’t relate his response.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly not as good as Used and Rare, which I loved. While there was some of the charm from their first book whenever they wandered back to the book collecting world, too often they strayed onto tangential topics, such as how Sotheby's auctions are conducted. Perhaps this was written too soon on the heels of Used, and they had not gathered enough new material for a book of the same caliber. Not the worst book about books, but not the best either.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't quite as enjoyable as the Goldstones first book, in large part because it doesn't chart their personal foray into collecting as much is it gives an accounting of their socialization into the book collecting world. In this respect, it is theoretically interesting, in that it provides a nice (though perhaps somewhat problematically teleological) accounting of how collecting progresses from a personal/individual endeavor into a collective/club-based hobby. The book is also notable for the inclusion of information on the Internet, particularly the early days of book dealers selling on the Web. It's funny how dated many of the predictions are, and how others sound as if they could have been made yesterday. Ultimately, for me, what made this book less rewarding than the first was its longish digressions onto content-related aspects of books. This is very common in book collecting accounts, and probably gives good insights into the importance of content and biography to the book collector, however to someone not interested in the personal travails of Dickens, for example, it only serves as a digression before the next interesting bit about the practices and beliefs of collectors more generally.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slightly Chipped is the second book that Lawrence & Nancy Goldstone wrote about their love of books and book collecting. And it’s even better than their first book, Used and Rare. These books are like a trip back in time. Slightly Chipped was published in 1999 when the internet was just starting to be used for book sales. I had to laugh when Nancy says to her husband:
“Do they really think people are going to use a computer to buy books they’ve never seen from a dealer they’ve never heard of and give him a credit-card number to boot?”
It’s hard to believe that things have changed so much in the past 20 years. Computers were just starting to be used and there was no high-speed internet – just dial-up. Book dealers avoided posting pictures of their books because the pages were too slow to load.
There is a big focus on mysteries and book stores that specialize in selling mysteries. Lawrence and Nancy even attend the Edgar awards and it wasn’t nearly as exciting as I hoped. The Goldstones have such an entertaining writing style and their love of books shines through. I am looking forward to reading their third – and last – book about books, Warmly Enscribed.

[Gary · Rating 1 out of 5]

The content of this book has little to do with book collecting and more to do with name-dropping. Unfortunately, Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone come off as pretentious and boring. They spend a considerable amount of time discussing what people wear and how much they spend on dinner, but very little time talking about... books. After reading all their books about books, I can only conclude that they have learned very little about the book world and they remain book-collector-wannabes. Worse, they are disrespectful of the very people they write about and who provide them with free content.

The entire book is nothing more than an over-inflated magazine article possibly suitable for publication in Reader's Digest or maybe GRIT magazine. It would have been much better if they had actually written more about booklore and books and less about wardrobe and how much money they have or how they might scam a free meal. The book is full of pretense and sadly lacking in interesting content. I hope the Goldstones aren't this annoying in person. Pretentious and obnoxious.

[Lea · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a sequel to Used & Rare, which I LOVED. Unfortunately, it isn't nearly as good. Only a few parts in the beginning are like U&R (I liked reading about hypermoderns for example), the rest is a TON of filler. No, I don't care about what the authors ordered at a restaurant (something they describe more than once). I also don't care about Larry's vacation to Jamaica in the 80s. There is also a chapter on the Windsor auction at Sotheby's that is only veryyyy tangentially related to the subject of rare books.

This reads like their publisher wanted a sequel and they simply didn't have enough new material so they just wrote in a bunch of random stuff, tried to be funny, and hoped it would stick. Well it didn't for me.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading this book and the Goldstones' earlier book titled "Used and Rare". Both books are set in New England and focus on the Goldstones' adventures hunting for books in used and rare bookstores, learning about first editions and becoming collectors, attending book fairs and auctions, museums and libraries, etc. Every once in a while they throw in a history lesson about a book or manuscript they come across, making it a fun, easy read for anyone interested in becoming a book collector or generally interested in learning more about the world of books.

[Cade · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sigh...I love books on books, because let's face it, I am an unrepentant, lifelong book geek. I enjoy learning all the weird tidbits of history, etc. BUT a lot of books on books tend toward the upper crust collecting set and are a little...bougie for my taste. This one sort of fell into that realm. I enjoyed reading it, and it was interesting, but ultimately, not amazing. It was also published in 1999 which made the section on internet book buying particularly amusing.

It has been on my tbr for quite some time along with the Goldstones' first book Used and Rare which I think follows a similar idea, so I'm glad to finally get around to it in any case.

[K A Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Slightly Chipped" is perhaps the most entertaining book about book collecting that I've had the pleasure of reading. I formed an immediate attachment to the Goldstones and devoured this book in an afternoon. In the hope of slaking my book habit vicariously (fat chance - this book is re-igniting the flame), I've ordered the other two volumes in this series and eagerly await their arrival. Thanks, and HUZZAH to the authors for sharing their biblio-adventures!

[Ronald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like a sequel to their first book, Used and Rare, but each chapter spent time on something other than strictly old books. There were stories of authors and other historical figures, restaurants where they are, and several auctions, one being at Sotheby's.

Altogether, almost as enjoyable as their first.

[Jane Cairns · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read both this book and Used & Rare, a previous memoir by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone. Of the two, I prefer Used & Rare. Slightly Chipped continues the Goldstones' foray into book collecting, but the style of this volume is somewhat less inviting. Although I enjoyed their discussion of William Morris and his Kelmscott Press, I found the long segment about the auction of the effects of Edward, Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson boring. Maybe it's just me. I've never been all that enamoured with their story. Reading about the disposal of their books and household items several years after both of their deaths was not all that interesting. Still, a fairly good read, especially for book collectors and lovers of books as objects.

[Camilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a cozy reading experience. I truly enjoyed reading about a variety of areas within the rare boom community, as well as some history on authors or books mentioned. Now I need to get my hands on their book, Used And Rare.

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a sad thing to see a sophomore effort on the same topic take a tailspin. I purchased this book because I enjoyed the Goldstones' first on book collecting, but this one is pitiable. There were paragraphs and pages I skimmed because I had no interest in reading the plot of a book. The sections dealing with book buying and selling on the Internet are worthless now; yes, Larry and Nancy, people are willing to trade in books they can't hold in hand. The authors tell us the Mystery Writers of America awards is dull, dull, dull -- then proceed to go on about it for pages. But, for me, there were two points that never should have made it past an editor, much less been included in a book about people who know things about books. Charles Todd is referred to as "he" multiple times when, as most of Todd's readers know, a mother and son team write the popular series. And a conversation with a Texas collector leads to a reference of the vast warehouses in Citizen Kane and "the red stool." Rosebud was a sled, not a stool. So sad. I'm done with the Goldstones, but do check out Used & Rare, their first book. This one has died the painful death of unnecessary sequels.

[Samuel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up after reading Used and Rare: Travels in the Book World. In some parts Slightly Chipped was somewhat of a snooze-fest, but overall I found the same matter of fact writing style that described the Goldstones' adventures in book collecting. I would love to have read more about their exploits and discoveries specifically regarding books, however. A more substantial majority of this second book on their escapades through book land used a lot of "filler" that didn't have so much to do with finding and purchasing books which were the part I enjoyed. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read which becomes helpful in trying to catch up on my 2019 reading challenge. I also really enjoy the informal lessons on literature that the Goldstones' inject into their writing.

[Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the Goldstone's books. I just felt that they sometimes went a bit off topic in this one. Occasionally venturing into history lessons that don't have that much to do with the books they are talking about. Still a good read, but would have liked an index of books discussed and a list of the dealers they spoke with.

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Goldstones struck me as very naive booksellers (and/or book buyers). If you walk into a well-stocked bookstore and have never heard of the Bloomsbury group and then feel compelled to give snapshot profiles of all of them once someone explains Virginia Woolf and her family and friends . . . well, not much credibility in my book. I was disappointed.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did think this was going to be a book about grading used books, but I wasn't disappointed, This book took me to the world of book collectors and the things that are out there. when you are new to any subject sometimes you don't even know enough to know what questions to ask. this book was just a glimpse into a new hobby and even kind of fun, This was a good read.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my kind of book about books. Quick narratives of browsing in bookshops that lead to studies of other books and authors and auctions. Good book fun. Well written and personable authors that I’d like to be friends with.
I do appreciate the humor reading the section of internet buying after an additional 20 years of I garnet development.

[Bri Lamb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than their previous book, Used and Rare. By this point the Goldstones have a wider knowledge on the book trade and talk more in depth about it, even venturing into a Sotheby's auction. It was also interesting to note the opinions of Internet engagement in the rare book world at the time of publication.

[Marcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars really. The first book was much better. Too many diversions away from books and book collecting.

[Bruce Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slightly Chipped, Footnotes in Booklore by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone (pp 213). In the truest sense of the words, this book was a reader’s delight. Published in 1999, it was a followup to Used and Rare, another fine (enjoyable) book about book collecting. Despite not being a collector, or at least not a serious collector—the only portion of my library that constitutes a collection is an approximately 1,000volume assemblage of books about boating, only a few of which were purchased in the $100 to $350 range—hearing the Goldstone’s stories about used and rare book collecting was often fun and always engaging. They wrote (both books) with such ease that flipping through the pages was akin to sitting across from them in a living room, coffee cup in hand, listening to their book-related adventures. Their second volume was relatable, in part, because they collected reasonably priced books: not thousand dollar gems. Their subject matter focus was literature/fiction, so they mentioned numerous titles and authors about which I know nothing, but there were enough familiar names to hold my interest. If you collect books—or more simply, know how to read—you might want to pick this one up. It provides inspiration for visits to local booksellers, an endangered species, and an impetus for buying (if such a thing is ever needed).

[Angela Tenore · Rating 5 out of 5]

a treat

I stumbled across the Goldstones accidentally and am very quickly devouring everything they have written - at least about books. This is the second book I’ve read by them after Used and Rare and I’ll continue to keep reading as long as the books stay enjoyable and chatty!

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and fascinating. Inside the world of booksellers and buyers written with good spirit and humor.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not nearly as good as Used and Rare.

[Gail Kennon · Rating 2 out of 5]

written in a warm and humorous style that was pleasant to read but mostly superficial fluff. lovely dust jacket.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my next life, I plan to be a second-hand book seller/writer. I want to trot along side the Goldstones as they hunt down obscure addresses and sift through piles of old books to find the gems, you know, those books that you never regret buying but will mourn for the rest of your life if you don't.

Clearly book collecting is a fine art and I often wonder what makes one book collectable and another book, not. I think partly, the answer is in the eye of the beholder. But the other part is is the workmanship and beauty of the cover. The heft of the treasured volume in the hand. The thrill of the find and the collecting of those books that truly move you for ever and ever afterwards. Let's be honest. Many books are just plain pretty and make you fall in love at first sight. You just know that the book and you are clearly "meant" for each other. This is what the Goldstones convey in this little book, interspersed with information and stories about the rare book world and the people who live in it. A very nice read!

[Jo Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having spent the years in which the Goldstones wrote both their books working in an indie used bookstore in Seattle, I can say I could totally relate to them. The start of Internet book selling. Amazon slowly taking over the online book buying world. The ridiculous prices of modern first editions. (As a book buyer for the indie store, I bought a first edition of Stephen King's The Shining for $10 from a young guy, figuring I could sell it for $50. The cover was ugly and I at first thought it was a book club edition. When my boss came in the next day, he repriced the book for $350 and it sold three days later. I still wish I could recall the young guy and give him $90 more.)
I'm not sure this is a book that will appeal to the average reader. I found it to be more for insider's who can nod their head and say, "Yep, that's how it all went down." I like their easy writing style and it's obvious they love books. Plus I get to live precariously through them, because no way can I ever pay that kind of money for books. I'm pretty happy for the lucky surprises I occasionally find at a library book sale.