First edition. Preface by Sebastian Carter. Throughout his professional career, John Carter, 1905-1975, was recognized as one of the most important figures in the Anglo-American book world. He was known as an imaginative book dealer, a creative bibliographer and a stylish and thoughtful writer. In 1934, after working for several years in the London book trade, he achieved instant fame, along with his co-author Graham Pollard, for An Enquiry into the Nature of Certain Nineteenth Century Pamphlets, a brilliant piece of detective work that exposed Thomas J. Wise.

Carter quickly built up a circle of friends, including Frederich Melcher, the editor ofPublishers' Weekly and Elmer Adler, the editor ofThe Colophon. With those useful connections, he was able to publish over a dozen articles on bibliography and the rare book trade before he was thirty years old. Critics agreed that Carter's writing was characterized by precision, elegance and wit. Among his best known publications were Taste & Technique of Book Collecting and his popular glossary, ABC for Book Collectors. He was, above all, an articulate spokesman for the pleasures and challenges of book collecting. Contains a full checklist of John Carter's publications. Well-illustrated. This work will be appreciated by all bibliophiles who are interested in 20th century bibliophilia.