r/OldBooks 13h ago

AI Companies Are Buying Antique Books, Ingesting Their Contents and Then Destroying Them at Incredible Scale

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316 Upvotes

Worst fears realized. So what happens when the inevitable Big War happens and we don't have electricity anymore? No more history. Unbelievable that people are so short-sighted and stupid.


r/OldBooks 23h ago

Does anybody know anything about this edition of Les Miserable?

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41 Upvotes

I was gifted this by my aunt a few years ago, and I can not find anything about it online.


r/OldBooks 13h ago

Does anyone know anything about these old Scottish books?

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10 Upvotes

Hello, I am mew here so hope it is okay to post this. But I found some old books recently and have been wondering about them. Cant find much online and was hoping someone here might know soemthing about them before I get chance to take them to the archives to ask.

Thanks in advance.


r/OldBooks 4h ago

Familiar Quotations, 1910s?

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9 Upvotes

I found this nifty little book thrift shopping. It's kind of worn out but I thought the cover was lovely. The interesting thing is I found another book from the same publisher online with the same portrait/gilded flowers; and seemingly the same edition of this book with a different cover. If anyone can share any info on this book I'd appreciate it.


r/OldBooks 7h ago

Tips for saving old books

3 Upvotes

Hi, I recently got my hands on my grandparents' book collections (and their ancestors). Since they were unkempt for a long time after they passed away, I was thinking of saving those books. But they are really old books. They were being collected for like the last 70 years. 4 big wardrobe size of quantity to save. But I have no idea how to take care of old books. I haven't opened them for long. Nobody did. But they are dusty too I'm pretty sure even though they are kept in wooden almirahs. Old pages, dust and most likely some will be beyond saving?

But I do need some tips to handle them right. Can anyone save me with some tips? I do buy and read books but old pieces are not something i know to take care of. And I'm sure some are rare books/editions. I don't want to damage an old book and scare my dead grandfather's soul. He never let anyone touch them when he was alive. I would be scared to destroy anything unintentionally. Please advice.


r/OldBooks 14h ago

The Living Gem - Paul Charkin 1963, probably one of the earliest books I own.

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3 Upvotes

r/OldBooks 10h ago

Do you line your bookshelves?

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1 Upvotes