Sandy Storm Victim-Lost all our books...

[LisaD48]

My Husband and I lost all of our books -our entire collection of Stephen King books in the storm (along with our furnace, hot water heater, washer/dryer, bathroom etc). Our house flooded a little over 4 feet in Hoboken and of course we are not covered for contents. In fact we aren't sure what we will be covered for as that is still up in the air with our flood insurance.
Does anyone know where I can buy a used collection to surprise my husband for Christmas? He was the one who turned me on to SK to begin with, and he is heartbroken over our loss of the collection-especially The Gun Slinger series.
Thanks-L

[GNTLGNT]

...many kind hearted souls here can hook you up-both with info and locations....

[Spideyman]

Am so sorry for all you lost in the storm. Many appear to be having issues with their insurance as well as FEMA. Keep checking back to this thread- a great group here on the SKMB. May I also suggest keeping an eye out at Goodwill/Salvation Army/Library bag sales. Sending finding vibes your way.

[fushingfeef]

This is going to take some shopping around, I don't really think you'll be able to buy an entire collection in one location, so you'll have to go to multiple sources. Shopping online (Amazon, eBay) will give you the lowest prices but watch out for shipping costs. If you want good hardbacks that you can check on the quality before you buy, try going to a Half Price Books, they usually have a robust selection of SK titles.

Sorry to hear you were hit hard by the hurricane--thank goodness the things you lost can be replaced.

[Sundrop]

So sorry about your loss due to the storm.
It will take some time, and some shopping around to rebuild your collection.
In addition to what others have mentioned, David at Betts Books is extremely trustworthy and helpful. Betts is an online bookstore specializing in Stephen King.
Also, you should join the forum at thedarktower.org......everyone there is very helpful and quite knowledgeable.
Best of luck ♥

[kingricefan]

I am so sorry for your loss and all that you're having to go thru with the mess, clean up and the stupid insurance companies. I would start checking out any used bookstores and/or any thrift stores in your area. You would be amazed at what you can find at these types of stores. Hardbacks usually go for around $3-4 at thrift stores. Good luck with everything!

[Todash]

I've gotten great deals from Amazon used book sellers. I hope you can find what you want in time.

[tmac61]

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I lost my entire collection to a flood in 2010, so I can relate to how you feel. I've been able to recover what I lost through thrift stores, used book stores, yard sales, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. It's been a lot of work, but well worth the effort.

[Todash]

We're not in a flood zone; tornadoes are more the thing here. So ... maybe I should keep the books we really care about in the basement. :oh:

I just realized in our plans to (eventually) finish the basement, we don't have NEAR enough bookshelves. Whew. Thank goodness I thought of that now.

[kingricefan]

We're not in a flood zone; tornadoes are more the thing here. So ... maybe I should keep the books we really care about in the basement. :oh:

I just realized in our plans to (eventually) finish the basement, we don't have NEAR enough bookshelves. Whew. Thank goodness I thought of that now.

Hi! Even by putting the books in your basement you will still have to protect them from moisture. If a tornado rips off your roof (which I whole-heartedly hope and pray that never happens) there will be rain along with the wind. It's hard to know exactly what to do to insure our SK books don't get ruined by whatever comes along. Your best insurance is to have them insured. Talk to your insurance company and find out if they require an additional 'rider' for your books. I was with Farmers before and they did. The company I am with now does not, although I had to add another $20,000 in coverage. And, keep detailed records and photos of what you have.

[JellybeanJay]

Go on the Chapters Indigo website they have a used section and the prices are super reasonable.

[Ron2112]

A couple suggestions:

1. Library sales. Near me, these are at least a once-per-month occurrence, and the prices are super cheap. Less than a dollar for paperbacks and only $2-3 for hardbacks. And I ALWAYS see some SK books at these.

2. Amazon. Each title will have a link to where you can buy the books used. Lots of good deals to be had that way, and most of the dealers are reliable.

Good luck!

[Terry B]

Amazon.com is a good source. They sell new and used books (and collections) and very reasonable rates. For instance: Carrie; Salems Lot; The Shining [Hardcover] for $16.99 used. Let your computer do the work for you. There are many good sources out there to replace your collection.

[Lily Sawyer]

Dark Delicacies in Burbank, CA. Ask for Dave. He's great and they specialize in horror, not just Halloween stuff. I've bought many of my used Stephen King books there, as well as Peter Straub.....and if you're lucky, you might find a signed promotional post card tucked inside one of the books you buy! I witnessed this when Sundrop came to town and found a Peter Straub-signed card secreted inside a copy of Black House she bought.

May you have a happy holiday season despite the grief, hassle, and nightmare of Sandy......my heart goes out to you and yours.

darkdel.com
1-888-darkdel

[King fan from trinidad]

So sorry you had to go through all the storm problems and I too would be hurt if all my stuff was gone. Goodwill is a good place to start looking even though it doesn't have all the dark tower books but it does have some others like cell and from a buick 8. Really you should also go though your local papers and find some small independant bookstores to search in. I love doing that and finding good deal! I recently got desperation at a very low price.

[Sundrop]

Dark Delicacies in Burbank, CA. Ask for Dave. He's great and they specialize in horror, not just Halloween stuff. I've bought many of my used Stephen King books there, as well as Peter Straub.....and if you're lucky, you might find a signed promotional post card tucked inside one of the books you buy! I witnessed this when Sundrop came to town and found a Peter Straub-signed card secreted inside a copy of Black House she bought.

May you have a happy holiday season despite the grief, hassle, and nightmare of Sandy......my heart goes out to you and yours.

darkdel.com
1-888-darkdel

This was one of the many highlights of my trip. The book is a 1st edition, and like Lily said, there was a card signed by Peter Straub tucked inside the dust jacket. I paid $15 for the book.
Also, I met the owner, Del Howison.....he's a really cool guy and very helpful. He has some awesome hair, too. Yes, I embarassed Lily by asking to touch the man's hair......it's a stylist thing, I guess.

[Todash]

Hi! Even by putting the books in your basement you will still have to protect them from moisture. If a tornado rips off your roof (which I whole-heartedly hope and pray that never happens) there will be rain along with the wind. It's hard to know exactly what to do to insure our SK books don't get ruined by whatever comes along. Your best insurance is to have them insured. Talk to your insurance company and find out if they require an additional 'rider' for your books. I was with Farmers before and they did. The company I am with now does not, although I had to add another $20,000 in coverage. And, keep detailed records and photos of what you have.Thanks! That is very true. Really, though, we don't have much of value in that way. The main risk to me is sadness because of the loss of sentimental items (I know, I try to come off all hardcore, but really I'm a big softy). Unfortunately there is no insurance for that.

If I can get to the point where I can begin collecting the books I would like to collect, definitely I will make sure I have a specific rider for them if needed.

I still need shelves in the basement, though. We didn't even have a reading nook planned! WHAT WERE WE THINKING?? :laugh:

[cjconover]

Todash, were there specific books you are looking for or just whatever you can get?