Uncorrected Proof Copy

Look, what I've got! This one I found in the mail today: it's a book I ordered from abebooks, My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares. 

Right after I first glimpsed at it, it occurred to me that this volume was somewhat unusual and peculiar, not the usual retail paperbacks they sell in any given bookstore. So I took a closer look at it and quickly found the little note on the back: "Uncorrected proof copy - not for sale quotation". Hm, it sounded weird, something I had never seen before, so, naturally, I googled it, and got the answer from yahoo. Uncorrected proof copy means that such volumes are not sold in bookstores, but they are sort of promotional copies sent out (for free) by the publisher to newspapers, magazines, bookstores, or whoever else they think can promote the book, and spread the world that it is coming out before their actual publishing. 

As the note suggests, the proof copy is yet to be corrected and edited, this is why they also state that it is not for quotation: certain passages may be cut out during editing and not included in the final, published version. It is also kind of unfinished: there may be typos and grammar mistakes, the cover art looks slightly strange and somewhat unprofessional, you would most certainly not find a book with such a cover in  a bookstore;  the spine of the book lacks the title or the name of the author, on the very first page (right as you open the book) there's the abstract of the novel - so interest can be awaken right after opening the volume - there's a page for dedication, however it's not specified yet, and in the end the aknowledgements are also still missing.

...and that was the lesson on books for the day. (There's always something new you can learn, isn't there?) 

Interesting, isn't it? 

Although on yahoo answers it's suggested that such an uncorrected proof copy is worthless, it is not anything like a first edition of a rare or highly popular book. Nevertheless, I am very glad I got (sort of accidentally) hold of such a copy: to me it is a rarity and I find it special, especially since this is a book by Ann Brashares. Not to mention that this way I got to learn that such copies exist.

I will definitely have an eye out for typos and grammar goofs, as a matter of fact, will be happy to find a few here and there.