Oprah's book club selection welcomed by out of print book sellers

When Oprah Winfrey announced East of Eden by John Steinbeck as the first title for her book club, out of print book sellers were ecstatic. They anticipate soaring book sales. New Internet sites such as Choosebooks.com put out the welcome mat for new visitors and buyers.

When Oprah Winfrey announced that East of Eden by John Steinbeck was the first title for her new book club, out of print book sellers were ecstatic.

Within hours readers began calling stores for copies. Some even wanted first editions for their collections. Other titles by John Steinbeck began moving off the shelves.

A number of new on-line book sites anticipate new customers. Michael Tokman, President of ChooseBooks.com noted that there are seventy-six copies on that site. Prices range from $1.76 for a paperback copy to over $300 for a first edition in dust jacket. "Oprah's choice of classic titles will be good for all the Independent book sellers who list with us. When book buyers realize that Choosebooks.com offers extra services at no extra cost, they will return to our site."

When asked about the extra services, Tokman mentioned a frequent buyer club for those who register, free book marks from the Resource page and Choosebooks.com's new search engine. "Some readers do not want books with underlining. On our site you can exclude books with underlining or other defects from your search results. No need to wade through lists of books that you would not buy. You save time and book buying is more fun"

Oprah's first title was just announced and already book sellers are anticipating the next one. They are convinced that her choice of older books will revive readers' interest in classic fiction. Those listing inventory on www.Choosebooks.com and other web sites believe the T.V. star will boost sales in the out of print market in 2003.

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