350 pages of text and pictures. Here is a text-only example. If I were doing it, I'd use a duplex, sheet-feed scanner at 300 DPI after cutting the book apart. Those can do both sides of a sheet in about five seconds.
Finally found a copy of Rags to Rifleman
- Thread starter gunzby
- Start date
Got it and agreed. Longer than I thought!
Why doesn't someone simply contact Buddy and ask what he or the author/author's estate would like to see happen, and would permit to happen.
It does seem that 500 or more well done copies of it -- priced around $25 -- in more reader-friendly, clear and consistently-sized text would easily recoup the modest production cost and return an estimable profit to the individuals involved in agreements. These kinds of books enrich the average and emerging players' attitudes about the level of skills and enjoyment that are attainable given sufficient motivation and dedication.
I read it when it was first published and found it extremely entertaining and easily of some cultural importance in terms of the road warriors in pool history and Ned Polsky-like expert sociological studies ("Hustlers, Beats, and Others"). To me, these two books --- R to R and Polsky's book deeply examine the subject (analytically & anecdotally) and represent a treasured, and vibrant niche area of our own larger, quite unique niche within the American sports world.
Arnaldo
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It does seem that 500 or more well done copies of it -- priced around $25 -- in more reader-friendly, clear and consistently-sized text would easily recoup the modest production cost and return an estimable profit to the individuals involved in agreements. These kinds of books enrich the average and emerging players' attitudes about the level of skills and enjoyment that are attainable given sufficient motivation and dedication.
I read it when it was first published and found it extremely entertaining and easily of some cultural importance in terms of the road warriors in pool history and Ned Polsky-like expert sociological studies ("Hustlers, Beats, and Others"). To me, these two books --- R to R and Polsky's book deeply examine the subject (analytically & anecdotally) and represent a treasured, and vibrant niche area of our own larger, quite unique niche within the American sports world.
Arnaldo
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Rags to Rifleman and Hustlers, Beats and Others are definitely two of the best, but I'd also add David McCumber's Playing Off The Rail to that short list. My favorite story in Buddy's book is the one about a match he had with Geese down in New Orleans. Geese vehemently denied it, but having seen him in action for many years, if the story wasn't true it might as well have been. Geese was a real character.
I'm pretty sure the process of making a print on demand version would be straightforward enough (although might take a bit of time).
Whether it would shift 500 copies I don't know. I reproduced an old (and even rarer) English billiards book, priced to sell, and last time I checked it was shifting a couple of copies a month. (I foolishly managed to talk an owner of similar rare books out of a partnership by being honest about that!) On the other hand, Rags might have more appeal and a wider audience, and I didn't advertise my project. And an author or star of the book might value it still being out there, available to people.
If any of our celebrity members know Buddy (or the author, W. W. Woody), and wanted to suggest the idea, I'd be happy to do the conversion work (unpaid, as a spare-time project) for an Amazon print-on-demand version, although I don't have a copy of the original.
The publisher still seems to be trading (https://huckleberrypress.com/). Whether they'd need to be involved probably depends on their original contract with Buddy and the author.
Whether it would shift 500 copies I don't know. I reproduced an old (and even rarer) English billiards book, priced to sell, and last time I checked it was shifting a couple of copies a month. (I foolishly managed to talk an owner of similar rare books out of a partnership by being honest about that!) On the other hand, Rags might have more appeal and a wider audience, and I didn't advertise my project. And an author or star of the book might value it still being out there, available to people.
If any of our celebrity members know Buddy (or the author, W. W. Woody), and wanted to suggest the idea, I'd be happy to do the conversion work (unpaid, as a spare-time project) for an Amazon print-on-demand version, although I don't have a copy of the original.
The publisher still seems to be trading (https://huckleberrypress.com/). Whether they'd need to be involved probably depends on their original contract with Buddy and the author.
I read the book when it first came out, and I really enjoyed the stories. The one about St. Louie Louie and the gun is probably my favorite, with the one about Buddy beating Louie while giving him the “wild free-rolling seven ball” (I used to go to the Sport Palace in New Orleans and heard a couple of versions of the story).
I agree that the print in the book is small, but that is not its biggest problem. My recollection is that the book is very poorly written and could use some serious editing.
I agree that the print in the book is small, but that is not its biggest problem. My recollection is that the book is very poorly written and could use some serious editing.
UPDATE: Several posters seem quite interested in making a very readable, professional-quality edition happen.
For their interest I'm relaying that someone has submitted the following very useful information as a way to contact Buddy:
When Buddy plays, he goes to Sully's in Metropolis,Ill. Might contact them to see if they have a # for him.
https://sullys-billiards-bar-grill.business.site/
Arnaldo
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Hah, looks like you're right!
I've tried again and done a bit better: Huckle Berry Publishing Co (with Huckle and Berry as separate words) was registered to a residential address in Tennessee. https://www.info-clipper.com/en/com...kle-berry-publishing-co.usd7pcrp.html?retry=1
(It's not listed on Tennessee's official companies register though (which includes terminated companies), so far as I can tell.)
However, the address was last sold in 2001 (after Rags was published), so will be in different occupation now.
I've also found one reference to a Berry Huckle Publishing Company at the same address registered in 2008, but lack of supporting info suggests it's erroneous. (https://www.whereisalocal.com/business-23792529-berry-huckle-publishing-co-elizabethton-publishers)
And for completeness, one reference to Huckleberry Publishing BV at the same address, but they seem to be a Dutch software company so again it seems like bad info.
Here is the back cover which gives the name of the editor or publisher and a brief bio of Woody.
Search for the registered copyright on copyright.gov and you'll get this information, which might help you run down the real name of the publisher / copyright owner:
If LaBecx International was the copyright owner, and it dissolved, most likely its assets would be returned to its shareholders. It looks like Mr. Woody passed away several years ago, with no natural heirs, so that's going to complicate your search.
Wallace Woody - View Obituary & Service Information
Share Memories and Support the Family.
www.tetrickfuneralhome.com
So he died 16 years ago. His nephew might be a good place to start. He is mentioned in the obit as: "He also taught billiards and his most prized student was his nephew, Josh Carmon."
It appears that one of his sisters was the editor/publisher.
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The net is closing!
That's some great research. It sounds very promising that the publisher is Woody's sister, and that Woody and Buddy were close friends. It suggests that Woody's share of the IP and the publisher's share could hopefully be worked out together (more or less).
The plan is to try to get word to Buddy first, which might lead to the other pieces falling into place through him (or might stop the whole project)
That's some great research. It sounds very promising that the publisher is Woody's sister, and that Woody and Buddy were close friends. It suggests that Woody's share of the IP and the publisher's share could hopefully be worked out together (more or less).
The plan is to try to get word to Buddy first, which might lead to the other pieces falling into place through him (or might stop the whole project)
I've had two copies of Rags to Rifleman over the years. I loved the book. Sold my 1st copy after reading it. Needed the cash. A couple of years went by and I found another copy for around $250 and bought it to put back in my collection. Then I sold that copy a year later for $400 cause I needed the cash. Again.
Amazon rapes independent/self-published authors. More so with print books than ebooks. But still, Amazon's royalty rates with ebooks to the author are only 35% if priced above $9.99. It's 70% if the book is priced at 9.99 or less, though it actually comes out to 65% because there'sa "delivery" charge. With printed books Amazon only pay 60% royalties (60% of book price minus printing costs).
Lulu.com is much more generous with royalties, and also does a better job at printing quality products. Authors get closer to 80% royalties for ebooks and printed books.
Nevertheless, I doubt anyone would put the time in to reproduce Buddy's book. I'd like to see it happen, but that would be a very time-consuming project.
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Wow. $400 is way over the prices I've seen. Those have been:
$150 Oct 2022 Ebay sale
$220 Oct 2020 Ebay offer
$165 Oct 2020 Ebay sale, both signatures
$85 Jul 2020 Ebay sale
$150 Dec 2019, inscribed, sale
It's been several years ago, probably 8 to 10 years. Any copy that came up on ebay went between 250 and 500 back then.
Used/rare book prices fluctuate like every other thing that people collect. I've been in the book business for about 20 years now. Some books hold their value well, others don't, and some bounce around like a yo-yo.
I hadn't heard of Lulu. (I'm pretty new to self-publishing and have published through Amazon and looked at IngramSpark.)
One of the things I liked about Amazon was your book is immediately available there. I know IngramSpark (and Lulu, it looks like) distribute to Amazon, but in practice, does it depend on Amazon deciding they want to stock your book, or will they list it by default?
Books are immediately available on lulu when published on Lulu. But they offer a global online marketing network that includes Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, Walmart, and a bunch more retailers. The only requirement for that is that you have to purchase (at your cost) a proof copy of your book to make sure it looks exactly like you want it to look, inside.amd out. Then you can approve it for global distribution.
The drawback with the global marketing network is that all the retail outlets want a slice of your royalties, and so they get a big discount (basically wholesale prices) on your book from lulu. Amazon's global marketing network operates in the same manner.
I'll PM you.
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Any new details on this?
I will sacrifice my copy for this cause.
I will sacrifice my copy for this cause.