About this blog


News and musings about books, authors and collectible first editions brought to you by Squid Ink Books.com

Monday, December 4, 2017

Holiday Catalogue For 2017

Our Holiday Catalogue, featuring 65 items, will be mailed during the next several weeks. Interested in receiving a copy? Drop me an email at bob@squidinkbooks.com. Several of the featured fiction titles are shown below.








Wednesday, August 16, 2017

New E-List Added To Webpage

We have added a six page E-List to our webpage. Many Hemingway items and several special Hillerman items, as well as the first 87th Precinct mystery in hardback.


Monday, May 29, 2017

In Memoriam - Timothy Alan Maddox


My oldest son, Tim (46), died suddenly this Mother’s Day evening at Banner University Medical Center in Tucson. 

He was an accomplished artist and a talented gardener/landscaper, who had expert-level knowledge of horticulture and tropical fishes.  He created beauty and generously shared his work and talents.  Tim loved nature, animals, and was fascinated by astronomy.  We will terribly miss his shy smile and wry sense of humor, but also know that he is finally at peace.



Thursday, February 2, 2017

More on The Great Taos Bank Robbery States

Another example – an update in February 2017

Back in October of 2013 I did a post about the states of The Great Taos Bank Robbery, showing that collectors and dealers have mis-identified the first versus second states of this book for many years. Louis A. Hieb published a bibliography of Hillerman books and writing titled, Tony Hillerman: From The Blessing Way to Talking God A Bibliography (Press of the Gigantic Hound, Tucson, 1990). His book has become the definitive reference regarding Hillerman books published from 1970 through 1989. Hieb, however, described the two states of this particular book in reverse chronological order - the details of this inadvertent transposition are described in the 2013 post.

One of my customers, John Van Derhoof of Long Beach, California, is an avid Hillerman collector. He recently bought a copy of The Great Taos Bank Robbery that was apparently a Review Copy. He sent along some photos of this example and I show them below.




Although John’s copy is a bit worn, compared to Dan Stouffer's, shown in original post, it also indicates that the first state of the original first edition of this title was just as described in detail in the original post. The first edition, first state book and jacket were distinctly different than the later state, or perhaps a second printing after 1979, that has been mistakenly considered to be the first state for many years. Note that the first issue of this book has two photographs on the back panel of the dust jacket. Thanks to John for sending along this additional proof.







Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Orwell And Trump Administration

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."-- George Orwell, "1984" 

Sales of Orwell's 1984 have taken off after only a few days of Trump's "Administration", which has been characterized by actions similar to those of Orwell's famous novel. "Alternative facts" (aka blatant, obvious lies) have undoubtedly played a role in sending readers off to take a new look at 1984.


Shown here is a U.S. first edition of 1984, in the red dust jacket variant. Some first editions had blue dust jackets - second below. Book was published in U.S. in 1949 by Harcourt and Brace. Copies in collectible condition can be found in the $300 to $500 price range.