Signed Books Charity Auction

You all know this book and this particular author. Signed copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows are hard to find on the rare book market but two AbeBooks.com employees attended JK Rowling’s appearance in Toronto on her mini-tour of North America in October - this signed copy was personally obtained at that event by Judy Hamza, AbeBooks.com’s HR Director. The book is a Canadian hardcover first edition from Raincoast, JK’s Canadian publisher, and JK has signed the title page, which also has a silver hologram that guarantees its authencity. The book is unread and the lot also includes a ticket to the Toronto event, a set of Harry Potter stickers, a bookmark commemorating the event on October 23, a Harry Potter door hanger, and a Harry Potter poster – all of these extras were given to people who attended the Toronto signing.

Any book signed by JK Rowling is collectible and has value – AbeBooks sold an unsigned first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone for $37,000 in 2005. In August, AbeBooks sold a signed copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows for $5,500 – the book had been signed at her London launch event. Don’t miss this chance to own a very, very special signed book. All proceeds from this lot will be donated to the United Way's Project Literacy in Victoria, BC.

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Margaret Atwood is a literary icon and here’s an opportunity to own The Door, a very special limited edition book of her poems. Only 150 copies of this hand-numbered edition of poetry were produced for PEN Canada – a charity that supports freedom of expression. Published in October, this is No.4. Signed by the author, the book is housed in a box and was custom printed on forest-friendly paper. It is quarterbound in Iris bookcloth and decorative brown wrap with handmade marble endpapers. It includes a limited edition block print signed and numbered in pencil by the author. The blocks were hand cut by Margaret Atwood and editioned at Anstey Bookbinding on a Vandercook letterpress. The book is brand new. PEN Canada recently auctioned No. 1 for $2,000 and No.2 for $1,800. If you love Margaret’s work, then this is for you. All proceeds from this lot will be donated to PEN Canada.

Published in November, this is the beautiful new hardcover illustrated edition of the 2002 Man Booker Prize winning novel – author Yann Martel has signed it. The publishers staged a worldwide competition find an illustrator and Croatian artist Tomislav Torjanac got the job. The Life of Pi is an international bestseller – it tells the story of Pi Patel, who, after a shipwreck, finds himself adrift on a lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and a huge Bengal tiger called Richard Parker. This is a remarkable new edition of a modern classic – ideal for fans of Martel’s unique storytelling style. The book is brand new. Thanks to Yann and our friends at Random House Canada for donating this signed copy. All proceeds from this lot will be donated to the United Way's Project Literacy in Victoria, BC.

AbeBooks' PR manager Richard Davies recently interviewed Yann Martel, and learned about the focus of the book he is currently writing.

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Kiran Desai is one of the most talented storytellers on the literary scene. AbeBooks.com’s PR manager Richard Davies interviewed Kiran when she visited Victoria, BC, in October and personally obtained both signed copies. The books are softcovers and each one is signed on the title page. The Inheritance of Loss won the Man Booker Prize in 2006 while Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard was her debut book in 1998. The Inheritance of Loss describes how the inhabitants of a household, where northern India borders the Himalayas, are affected by a Nepalese insurgency in the 1980s. Guava Orchard tells how Sampath Chawla unintentionally becomes a holy man after 20 years of unremarkable living. The Inheritance of Loss is published by Penguin Canada and Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard is published by Anchor – both copies are later edition softcovers and unread. Thanks to Kiran for her time and her signatures. All proceeds from this lot will be donated to the United Way's Project Literacy in Victoria, BC.