public domain book reprints

[Annie Grieshop]

A friend from another part of my life just informed me of a new service --
http://www.publicdomainreprints.org/ -- for reprinting books in the public
domain.

I have ordered reprints of Daniel Spillane's "History of the American
Pianoforte:  Its Technical Development and the Trade" (1890, 369 pages) and
"A History of the Pianoforte and Pianoforte Players" by Oskar Bie, et al.
(1899, 336 pages).

Each book will cost me approximately $13 (through Lulu, www.lulu.com,
another really great service) and will be softcover.  Once Lulu has the book
in its catalog, anyone can order a copy.  And even though I have "ordered"
these books, I am not obliged to buy them... because they're not printed
until their paid for.  This is very cool, in so many ways.

The only copy of Spillane's book listed with Abebooks is $122.40.  Da Capo
reprinted the Bie book in the 1960s, but I only see one copy available for
less than I'll be paying for a newly-printed one.

I don't have any connection, whatsoever, with either publicdomainreprints or
lulu.  I just think it's a great idea and suspected some of you might like
to know about it, too.

And, of course, you can already download pdf copies of these books and read
them on your computer or print them out for yourself, but I really like a
bound volume that I can whack a cat with... or just peruse at my leisure
while sitting in my favorite chair.

Annie Grieshop