10 Famous Books from the Past That Are Hard to Find Today
These once-popular books made waves in their time but have become rare treasures that collectors and readers struggle to track down.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
As publishers move on and fashions shift, some books that have dominated bestseller lists for years eventually become obscure. These formerly well-known publications are now shockingly hard to find, whether because of copyright concerns, a lack of reprints, or changing public interest. You may be holding a lost literary treasure if you ever find one in your attic or a used bookshop.
1. I, Libertine by Frederick R. Ewing (1956)
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What started as a radio prank turned into a full-fledged novel when I, Libertine was written to match a fabricated bestseller. Despite its initial popularity, it quickly disappeared from bookstores.
2. Mandingo by Kyle Onstott (1957)
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This controversial novel about slavery in the antebellum South was once a massive bestseller, even inspiring a film. However, its problematic themes eventually made publishers hesitant to keep it in circulation.
3. Rage by Stephen King (as Richard Bachman) (1977)
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Originally published under King’s pseudonym, Rage was pulled from circulation after being linked to real-life school violence. The author himself requested that it no longer be printed.
4. A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr. (1960)
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Though a classic of science fiction, this post-apocalyptic novel has been out of print for a long time. Its deep philosophical themes and unconventional storytelling kept it from mainstream success.
5. The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosiński (1965)
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This harrowing novel about a child surviving World War II was initially praised but later fell into obscurity due to accusations of plagiarism against the author. Though still available in some editions, it’s much harder to find than it was at its peak.
6. Nightmare Alley by William Lindsay Gresham (1946)
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This noir novel about a carnival con man had a resurgence thanks to its film adaptations, but original copies remain hard to track down. For years, it was a cult favorite, only sporadically reprinted.
7. The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry (1966)
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Though McMurtry is best known for Lonesome Dove, this small-town coming-of-age novel was a major success in its time. Over the years, its availability has dwindled, making it a difficult find for modern readers.
8. They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? by Horace McCoy (1935)
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A bleak but powerful novel about Depression-era dance marathons, this book was widely read in its day. Despite its influence, it’s rarely reprinted, making physical copies hard to come by.
9. We by Yevgeny Zamyatin (1924)
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A precursor to 1984 and Brave New World, this dystopian novel was once banned in the Soviet Union and remains relatively obscure in the West. Though it laid the groundwork for countless sci-fi classics, it never received the same widespread distribution.
10. The Circus of Dr. Lao by Charles G. Finney (1935)
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This fantastical novel about a mysterious traveling circus won awards and inspired a film, but it’s surprisingly hard to locate today. Its mix of surrealism and satire makes it an oddity that never quite fit into mainstream publishing cycles.