Dealing with Book Club Edition Books

You’re browsing through a section of newly discovered books and see a book you’ve been hoping to find. You’re beyond excited but you temper your enthusiasm as you think to yourself, “Is this too good to be true?” You notice it has a dust jacket and is in particularly fine condition. As you pull the book off the shelf, your heart begins to sink almost immediately. You’ve been tricked! Alas, you have fallen victim to the dreaded book club… Well that all depends on your perspective of course. If you’re a connoisseur of fine books with an unlimited budget, a book club is the last item you’ll ever purchase. However, for the common collector with a fondness for a specific title or author, it might be a welcomed addition.

What is a Book Club?

There are two major groups that create Book Clubs, one that coincidently has the exact same labeling of “Book Club Editions” or a BCE, and the other better known as “Book-of-the-Month Club Editions” or a BOMC. Those books marked as Book Club Editions (BCE) are generally made with materials of inferior quality than their first edition counterparts and are typically associated with books published by Doubleday. In most instances, the Book-of-the-Month Club Editions (BOMC) are generally made with materials similar to their first edition counterparts and have no association with a given publisher. For what it’s worth, since its inception in 1926, the Book-of-the-Month Club continues to market and distribute books to this day.

How to Identify a Book Club

Keep in mind that there are always exceptions, but in general, here are a couple of ways to identify a Book Club and distinguish them from their more valuable first editions:

1. Size – The first thing you’ll notice is that the dimensions of the book is noticeably smaller, such as the height and width.
2. Textblock – Another area that is smaller in size is the thickness of the textblock, which is the side profile of the book that contains the entirety of the book’s pages. The textblock will likely show a thinner page as well as an uneven layering of the pages. It is also possible the top edge of the textblock will have a publisher’s top stain.
3. Marked Dust Jacket – As book clubs are issued as a hardcover, most likely you’ll find one with a dust jacket. On the rear of the jacket or rear inside flap, you might find a series of numbers up to five digits, which is a clear indication of a book club. Also, the front inside flap, and sometimes the rear flap, should have it marked as a book club edition or as a Book-of-the-Month Club (BOMC) selection. There is an exception, where the book is a first or later edition but it is merely marked as being selected for the BOMC. The best way to tell is that first and later editions will have a price on the jacket, while a book club will not have a price.
4. Different Board Texture – For many first edition books printed in the first half of the 20th century, the boards (or hardcovers) are made of a cloth-like material. You can actually feel the texture of the book if you run your fingers across the boards for most cloth bindings. Compare this with a book club, where the boards are typically (though there are exceptions to the rule!) made of a cheaper material that resembles a vinyl with a rubbery and smooth finish to the boards.
5. Blind Stamp – The dead giveaway of all book clubs is the blind stamp at the rear. Especially if the book is missing a dust jacket, the blind stamp can identify the book almost instantly. It can resemble a small dot, a square, a star, etc. and is found on the rear board at the bottom nearest the spine.
6. Lack of a publication or copyright date – Every publisher has their own way of identifying books, particularly pre-1970’s, which is a topic for another time. But for now, if you find the copyright page to be blank, lacking basic information, or a lack of a publication date on either the title or copyright page, you’re likely dealing with a book club. In the below example of, “The Caves of Steel,” the first edition will have a date after the place of publication “Garden City, New York, 1954” and the book club will not have the date.
7. Gutter Code – Usually within the last few pages of the book, nestled in the bottom gutter, is a code that contains a letter and two digits. Known as a gutter code, you can identify the month and year when that particular copy was printed.

Why should you consider buying a Book Club?

If you’re a completist, then the fanatic side of you will require the purchase of every type of edition out there for your favorite book title or author, to include a book club. For the average collector, a book club can be a nice copy to have because it allows you to start collecting without draining your budget since many book clubs can be purchased for a tenth of the price of a first edition. A book club copy also has two added benefits, 1. you’re not worried about showcasing your collection if your friends want to handle your books and 2. you can always enjoy reading a hardcover book club without the paranoia of damaging it.

Best of luck with your book hunting and as always, happy reading!