Tavistock Books' Vic Zoschak knows his Dickens

Vic Zoschak, of Tavistock Books, ABAA, in Alameda, California, is an authority on Charles Dickens. Vic started his Dickens obsession in the 1980s when he discovered a first edition of Dickens' first book, Pickwick Papers, in an antiquarian bookstore in Vancouver. If you want to talk the dickens out of Dickens, he's your man.

By wonderful serendipity, back in February, on the occasion of the great Mr. Dickens' birthday, Books Tell You Why, ABAA (which will also be returning to the book fair), published a very interesting interview with Vic about Dickens, trends in collecting, and the future of rare books. We suggest you take a look.

Meanwhile, we're looking forward to seeing Vic, and Joachim Koch of Books Tell You Way, ABAA in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, when they return to the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair.

For Whom the Bell Tolls hooked Dan Whitmore

When Dan Whitmore, of Whitmore Rare Books, in Altadena, California, was in law school in Philadelphia a few years ago, he discovered a first edition of For Whom The Bell Tolls in a local bookstore, and he was hooked. He credits Kevin Johnson, of Royal Books in Baltimore, with helping him get started in book collecting and then giving him sage advice as he became a rare book dealer.

Nate Pedersen of Fine Books and Collections interviewed Dan for the magazine's Bright Young Things feature a couple of years ago. We hope you'll check it out and learn more about Dan.

We look forward to seeing Dan and his wife Darinka when they return for their second year at the book fair in March.