New to NAP start here

[vovin]

This post should help those new to the forum. I have highlighted points of Interest in regards to the New Avatar Power threads.

[SoulFire]

A few days ago, I ordered a used copy of NAP from Amazon, based on the suggestions of several members. I received my copy today. But I'm sorry to report that from the moment I opened the package, my nose was assaulted by the STRONG odor of cigarette smoke! Ugh. I am very sensitive to cigarette smoke. I don't mind cigars or pipes; I sometimes smoke cigars myself. But cigarettes--yuck! (I know that's supposed to be an embarrassed smilie, but he looks sorta sick, like how I felt when I opened my package and caught a whiff of smoke.) No offense to any of you who may smoke cigarettes; I just can't handle them personally. Were it not for the odor, it would be a pristine copy. The binding is tight; the pages are clean; and there are no marks in the pages. The dj is fairly good too. I considered returning the book, but it is very difficult to find in such good condition. I paid nearly $40 for it. Other than the problem odor, I am very excited to begin working with the text.

[vovin]

Hi Soulfire I have had the same issue .. What worked for me was to give it a good airing. and I sprinkled baby power in the front and rear sleeves that removed the smell completely..

[ElBrujo]

Ha! That happened to me when I ordered a used copy of Kraig's Modern Magic. You should get some kind of steamer and run it through all over the pages. If you dont have one you can boil some hot water and pass the book through the steam. It should take most of the smell out, but make sure you dont moisten the pages too much.

[Fio Praeter Humanus]

The book sounds like total bunk to me, but a lot of people are talking about it, some who opinion I trust, so I decided to check it out. Found a copy for $3 off amazon, and have spent the last week reading it over.

The book is completely hokey, reads like a info commercial, and reminds me of those ads I used to see in the back of comic books when I was a kid. But if you read between the lines it contains a great secret to magick. I am not even sure if the author knew that he knew it or it was a complete accident, but regardless there it is. It is the same secret that I AM told me so long ago and I didn't understand it because it was just too simple.

[Martialis]

I, too, purchased NAP about a week ago from amazon after having read many of the testimonials here at evo. I'm still waiting for the package to arrive but will give some feedback once I've gone over it.

[Fio Praeter Humanus]

Is anyone else creeped out by the authors floating head on the back cover?

[SoulFire]

Hi Soulfire I have had the same issue .. What worked for me was to give it a good airing. and I sprinkled baby power in the front and rear sleeves that removed the smell completely..

Thanks to all who gave suggestions on how to get rid of the cigarette odor from my copy of NAP that I ordered recently. I googled various other ways to deodorize it as well. One person suggested using dryer sheets. We don't use dryer sheets, but we had a package of two sample Bounce sheets from a promotional offer that came in the mail, so I put the sheets in the front and back of the book, and put the book inside a large plastic Ziplock bag for about a week. I'm happy to report that it works. There is a marked improvement in the book's odor. Although I can still smell cigarettes in the book, the odor is not as strong now. Perhaps it helped that the Bounce sheets I used are treated with Febreeze. I would have left the sheets in with the book longer, but my partner complained about the Bounce odor. Another author wrote that newspaper will absorb odors, and recommended wadding some paper into balls and putting them into the plastic bag with the book. That seems like an interesting idea, but I was concerned that ink from the newsprint might stain my book. Apparently, a lot of librarians use clean kitty litter to get rid of odors in books. They put the book into a plastic bag as I did, and pour the litter into it and leave it for awhile. I also read of people using baking soda. Since my book still smells a bit of cigarettes, I may try again using one of these alternate methods.

[SacredOak]

I just ordered a copy (finally!) from Amazon and I noticed that they specified that this is a 1st Edition. Does it matter which Edition -- where there mistakes made in the 1st?

[vovin]

If I remember correctly there are two editions with different dust covers thats it. No errors or omittions