I keep hearing about
"The Guide." What is it?

"The Guide" is short for The Modern Library Price Guide 1917-2000 by Henry Toledano. Now in its third edition (the first two came out in 1993 and 1995), The Guide is a nearly complete listing of every ML title and major variant in flexible, hardback (standard and giant editions), buckram, paperback (except the college editions), and illustrated edition published since the series began in 1917. It's the bible of  Modern Library collecting.

Nearly everybody in the Modern Library collecting world uses the type designations and labeling system that Toledano has assigned to title variations, dust jackets, and binding types (among other things). It has become the de facto standard of description. It's really difficult to carry on any kind of meaningful discussion of Modern Library matters without referring to The Guide.

For a detailed review of The Guide including information on how to get a copy, see Toledano's Modern Library Price Guide. For other information, see The Guide topics elsewhere in these FAQ pages.

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