The Top 10 High-Demand Out of Print Books for 2011

[JamesG]

1. Sex
Author: Madonna
Originally Published: 1992






Madonna's Sex was a coffee table book made as an accompaniment to her fifth studio album 'Erotica'. Sex was released the day after the album came out on October 21, 1992.



Sex went through many hurdles in order to get published with Warner Bros. Records and Time Warner opposing the book's content; such as depictions of sado-masochism and oral sex.

Some celebrities were featured in the book such as actress Isabella Rossellini, actor Udo Kier, rapper Vanilla Ice, and super-model Naomi Campbell.



Sex sold over 150,000 copies on its first day of release and it remains as the most successful coffee table book ever released.

Sex goes for $359.00 on Amazon.com today.



The first edition of the book had a CD included, titled 'Erotic', that was wrapped in silver mylar packaging resembling a condom.















2. Promise Me Tomorrow
Author: Nora Roberts
Originally Published: 1982






Promise Me Tomorrow is a romance novel about an architect, Sarah Lancaster, falling for the womanizing architect firm member, Byron Lloyd, that hired her.



Promise Me Tomorrow was the first mainstream release of Nora Roberts and she is very displeased with her own work. She said of it, "the writing doesn't shine and the story itself isn't a grabber."

Nora Roberts holds exclusive publishing rights to the novel and she has refused to allow it to be re-printed; despite the constant high-demand for it.



Used copies of Promise Me Tomorrow go for $298.49 on Amazon.com today.













3. Rage
Author: Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
Originally Published: 1977






Rage was the first novel that Stephen King published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman.

Around the time Stephen King first began publishing his novels the general idea was that authors were only supposed to print one book annually so you wouldn't "overflow" your audience with your material. King wanted to publish more books and he created 'Richard Bachman' so that Stephen King's name would not have more material.

Also, King wanted to do a sort of experiment to see if his novels would sell if the readers didn't know that he was the author. He has said that he was outed too soon as the man behind 'Richard Bachman' for him to come with a conclusive answer to his experiment.





Rage is about a high school senior, Charles Everett Decker, with anger problems. After being expelled from the school he takes a loaded pistol out of his locker and shoots his teacher and fellow students.

At the time of original publication school shootings were not common.



On December 1, 1997 fourteen-year-old Michael Carneal opened fire on his fellow students at Heath High School in Kentucky. He had a copy of Rage in his locker.

Stephen King decided to stop the printing of Rage upon hearing the news, fearing that it could inspire similar tragedies.



Used copies of Rage go for $349.98 on Amazon.com today.













4. My Pretty Pony
Author: Stephen King
Originally Published: 1989






My Pretty Pony is a short story about an eldery, dying grandfather who tells his young grandson about the nature of time.

Stephen King grew disenchanted with the work and scrapped the printing.

New copies of My Pretty Pony go for $174.00 on Amazon.com today.













5. In a Dark Place: The Story of a True Haunting
Authors: Ed and Lorraine Warren, Al and Carmen Snedeker, w/ Ray Garton
Originally Published: 1992






In a Dark Place: The Story of a True Haunting is a "true ghost story" novel about the experiences of Ed and Karen Parker when they moved into their new home in Southington, Connecticut. They moved to be closer to UConn where their son was being treated for cancer.



In the basement the family discovered mortuary equipment and they soon found out that their house used to be a funeral home. The bedroom of the children used to be the casket showroom.

Shortly after the discovery the family began witnessing "demonic presences" in the house.



The family called upon paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren to check out the house and rid it of the demons. During their investigation the paranormal couple determined that the morticians engaged in necrophilia with the corpses which became the "source of the evil" in the house.

Horror fiction author Ray Garton was brought on to work on the novel and he has sinced dismissed the project saying that he is glad that the book fell out of print.

He said, "The family involved, which was going through some serious problems like alcoholism and drug addiction and, could not keep their story straight, and I became very frustrated; it's hard writing a non-fiction book when all the people involved are telling you different stories."





In 2009 the book was made into a movie called The Haunting in Connecticut starring Virginia Madsen.

New hardcover copies of In a Dark Place: The Story of a True Haunting go for $225.62 on Amazon.com today.













6. Codex Seraphinianus
Author: Luigi Serafini
Originally Published: 1981






Codex Seraphinianus is a surreal encyclopedia written by Italian artist and architect Luigi Serafini.

The book is written in the fictional alphabet of an unknown world and it has no literal meaning.


The original editions are out of print but Codex Seraphinianus was recently re-released in 2006 so people can get this edition very easily.

The original editions of Codex Seraphinianus go for $676.16 on Amazon.com today.













7. Man in Black: His Own Story in His Own Words
Author: Johnny Cash
Originally Published: 1976






Johnny Cash's autobiography, written in 1975, fell out of circulation in 1982.

The book was the basis for the award-winning 2005 film Walk the Line.

New copies of Man in Black go for $282.49 on Amazon.com today.













8. Marilyn: A Biography
Author: Norman Mailer
Originally Published: 1973






This biography of Marilyn Monroe was controversial upon original release because the author believed that she was murdered by the FBI and CIA for her affair with Robert Kennedy.

Marilyn Monroe's former husband Arthur Miller publicly discredited the work by saying that the author, "was acting out his own Hollywood fantasies."

Marilyn: A Biography only recently went out of print in 2009 and it goes for $113.70 on Amazon.com today.













9. Arithmetic Progress Papers
Author: H. Henry Thomas
Originally Published: 1952


This a collection of math problems that shows the evolution of arithmetic.

Amazon.uk is the only retailer with used copies that go for just $7.34













10. Mandingo
Author: Kyle Onstott
Originally Published: 1957






Mandingo tells the controversial story about a slave named Mede who is trained to fight over slaves in the antebellum South. He has an affair with his master's wife.

The controversial nature of the book caused the book to decline and it's been out of print for decades.

A film was made based on the novel in 1975.

New copies of Mandingo go for $208.51 on Amazon.com today.



For the complete list of the top 100 in-demand out of print books for 2011 go here: http://www.bookfinder.com/books/bookfinder_report_2011/

[Torgo]

I have Rage in "The Bachman Books"(which includes The Long Walk, Roadwork, and The Running Man)

I also have My Pretty Pony(It's a large hard bound book that comes in a cardboard sleeve, I think I paid $40 for it back in the early 90's, I found it in a book store in Seattle, the same store also had the edition of Firestarter bound in asbestos)

[JamesG]

Originally Posted by Torgo

I have Rage in "The Bachman Books"(which includes The Long Walk, Roadwork, and The Running Man)

I also have My Pretty Pony(It's a large hard bound book that comes in a cardboard sleeve, I think I paid $40 for it back in the early 90's, I found it in a book store in Seattle, the same store also had the edition of Firestarter bound in asbestos)

I would assume that The Bachman Books has also been discontinued, right?

I know that the three other stories included are still available individually.

[Torgo]

Originally Posted by JamesG

I would assume that The Bachman Books has also been discontinued, right?

I know that the three other stories included are still available individually.

They have, but you can still find copies for cheap prices.

[ZeldaGilroy]

I bet Arithmetic Progress Papers is a real page turner

[Crimson and Clover]

Originally Posted by Torgo

I have Rage in "The Bachman Books"(which includes The Long Walk, Roadwork, and The Running Man)

I have that too.

[Nighthawk76]

Originally Posted by Crimson and Clover

I have that too.

Me too!

[Nighthawk76]

Originally Posted by ZeldaGilroy

I bet Arithmetic Progress Papers is a real page turner

I sure couldn't put it down.

[dlemond]

I've got #16 on the list - Fast Times At Ridgemont High by Cameron Crowe.

[old grouch]

When I was little, my Mom had a copy of 'Man in Black'. She may still have it.