
In Search of the Elusive Lily Book!
Darrell Roeder
As you may recall from the last newsletter Ann & I have taken over the responsibility of being the Society Librarians. We have a multitude of knowledge available to all members with this invaluable resource, and I believe we should all make use of it to further our "Lily Growing Experience". To get on with this story - one of the books in the library is Lilies of the World authored by Woodcock & Stearn. The first printing was in 1950 and the second printing, which we have in the library, was done in 1953. This book is considered in Lilydom to be "The Authority" on lily growing. After looking through the book I decided I had to have a copy for my own personal library. How does one go about looking for a book that was last printed in 1953? Well I called a few "old" book stores to inquire with no luck. My father lives in Milwaukee and I had him check the big stores down there for some of the older lily books, but again we struck out. So the only place left was to try my trusty little computer again. So off we went in search of this publication. I started on Amazon.com but as it is out of print and not readily available they said they would have to perform a search for it and gave me a form to fill out and they would get back to me in 10 to 14 days, not quite what I had in mind. The next stop was Barnes&Noble.com. This area was much easier to find an out of print book. As on Amazon you filled out a form with some info and then it browsed through it's list of books and told me that there were four different copies available. From there you can either call with your credit card info or do it right over the web. I purchased one from somewhere in Washington and they informed me that "all sales are subject to prior sale". So then it was a waiting game to see if the sale went through. After about four days I was notified that the book had been sold and that I should look for another copy. Well I ran the search again, and believe it or not the other three copies that were available when I ordered the first copy were no longer listed! So what does a guy do now I had to wonder. Well I went to search and ran a search on book stores. After sifting through many stores that were listed I found a search engine for a bunch of stores called Advanced Book Exchange. With this one you type in the info of the book you want to look for and it will search it out. This time I came across six copies - all overseas from England to New Zealand. Some were pretty cheap and the condition report indicated why, some were torn and tattered, but I did find a first printing in good condition for what I considered a good price and sent a message requesting info on the shipping charges through the search engine. The store got back to me that night already and we set the deal in motion. It took about 5 weeks for the book to make it over from England. But the book was packed quite well and survived the ordeal no worse for wear. It was also everything they said it was, condition wise. The dust cover is still complete and there is not a mark on any of the pages. About the only thing I did notice was some discoloration on the top of the pages where it must have had dust sitting on it for a good number of years. The fellow was also kind enough to send me a list of other Lily books that he has on hand, both of which are also out of print. The first is Lilies: Their Culture and Management written by Woodcock & Coutts. A second printing from 1936 with 242 pages. The second is Lilies for English Gardens written by Gertrude Jekyll. A first edition printed in 1901 with 76 pages. While on Barnes & Noble I also managed to find a copy of The Lilies of Eastern Asia by Ernest Wilson that I ordered for myself. This is another book considered by many to be very authoritative, especially with the growing of species lilies. As I write this it is sitting next to me on the desk and I am enjoying the information I thus far acquired from reading it! I am not endorsing one search engine or another I am just relating my experience. Darrel Roeder, WRLS Newletter Editor and Librarian Top

In Search of the Elusive Lily Book!

Darrell Roeder

As you may recall from the last newsletter Ann & I have taken over the responsibility of being the Society Librarians. We have a multitude of knowledge available to all members with this invaluable resource, and I believe we should all make use of it to further our "Lily Growing Experience".

To get on with this story - one of the books in the library is Lilies of the World authored by Woodcock & Stearn. The first printing was in 1950 and the second printing, which we have in the library, was done in 1953. This book is considered in Lilydom to be "The Authority" on lily growing. After looking through the book I decided I had to have a copy for my own personal library.

How does one go about looking for a book that was last printed in 1953? Well I called a few "old" book stores to inquire with no luck. My father lives in Milwaukee and I had him check the big stores down there for some of the older lily books, but again we struck out. So the only place left was to try my trusty little computer again. So off we went in search of this publication.

I started on Amazon.com but as it is out of print and not readily available they said they would have to perform a search for it and gave me a form to fill out and they would get back to me in 10 to 14 days, not quite what I had in mind.

The next stop was Barnes&Noble.com. This area was much easier to find an out of print book. As on Amazon you filled out a form with some info and then it browsed through it's list of books and told me that there were four different copies available. From there you can either call with your credit card info or do it right over the web. I purchased one from somewhere in Washington and they informed me that "all sales are subject to prior sale". So then it was a waiting game to see if the sale went through. After about four days I was notified that the book had been sold and that I should look for another copy.

Well I ran the search again, and believe it or not the other three copies that were available when I ordered the first copy were no longer listed! So what does a guy do now I had to wonder. Well I went to search and ran a search on book stores. After sifting through many stores that were listed I found a search engine for a bunch of stores called Advanced Book Exchange. With this one you type in the info of the book you want to look for and it will search it out. This time I came across six copies - all overseas from England to New Zealand. Some were pretty cheap and the condition report indicated why, some were torn and tattered, but I did find a first printing in good condition for what I considered a good price and sent a message requesting info on the shipping charges through the search engine. The store got back to me that night already and we set the deal in motion.

It took about 5 weeks for the book to make it over from England. But the book was packed quite well and survived the ordeal no worse for wear. It was also everything they said it was, condition wise. The dust cover is still complete and there is not a mark on any of the pages. About the only thing I did notice was some discoloration on the top of the pages where it must have had dust sitting on it for a good number of years.

The fellow was also kind enough to send me a list of other Lily books that he has on hand, both of which are also out of print. The first is Lilies: Their Culture and Management written by Woodcock & Coutts. A second printing from 1936 with 242 pages. The second is Lilies for English Gardens written by Gertrude Jekyll. A first edition printed in 1901 with 76 pages.

While on Barnes & Noble I also managed to find a copy of The Lilies of Eastern Asia by Ernest Wilson that I ordered for myself. This is another book considered by many to be very authoritative, especially with the growing of species lilies. As I write this it is sitting next to me on the desk and I am enjoying the information I thus far acquired from reading it!

I am not endorsing one search engine or another I am just relating my experience.

Darrel Roeder, WRLS Newletter Editor and Librarian

Top