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Collectibles book: A review
 "The Uunathorized Guide to The Simpsons Collectibles" from Schiffer Books. A collectibles guide worth collecting Pictured here is the cover of "The Unauthorized Guide To The Simpsons Collectibles: A Handbook and Price Guide" ($29.95, Schiffer Books), now available in U.S. bookstores. The 160-page book was written by longtime Simpsons collector Robert W. Getz. While not the complete word on Simpsons collecting -- it's probably impossible for anyone to list every Simpsons item produced -- the 500 color photos alone make this soft-cover book worth buying. The 8-1/2-by-11-inch glossy pages are packed with photos and brief descriptions of the best-known Simpsons dolls, action figures, trading cards, key rings, buttons, record albums, and other stuff produced over the past eight years. There are also some harder-to-find items listed here, including books, card games and other merchandise produced for markets outside the U.S. Robert lists with each photo the name of the manufacturer and typical prices that buyers can expect to pay for the item in both mint and "some sort of collectible" conditions. (The values listed are generally reasonable estimates for merchandise bought from dealers and collectors. They don't reflect some of the insane, high prices seen recently for some Simpsons merchandise at the eBay auction site.) We do wish that the book had included copyright dates with the descriptions, which would have given readers a better idea of when items were produced. And we could probably do without the lengthy introduction that's mostly an academic-style analysis of the history of "The Simpsons"; a thorough analysis of the history of Simpsons merchandise would have been more welcome. But these are minor nitpicks. The book is a fun read for those who are just fans of the show. And for those who are also serious Simpsons collectors, they're likely to spot many items they didn't know existed, or to learn more about others they already own. (The book helped us to identify some Dan Dee action figures we acquired years ago without packaging.). And best of all, the book gives Simpsons collecting some much-needed credibility with retailers, manufacturers, and those who think only children would be interested in a talking Bart doll. The book can be ordered from amazon.com for $29.95, plus shipping. Copyright 1998-98, William LaRue. Updated: 4/30/99
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