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DEAR ABBY: My father is an antiques collector. He spends every weekend at estate auctions and much of the rest of his time buying for shops. He is experienced and prides himself in knowing the value of things. For my birthday, Dad gave me an old copy of a favorite book. He said it was a first edition and worth a lot despite its poor condition. The title page, where the publishing date and run would appear, was missing. The issue is that it ISN’T a first (or even a second) edition. It has the wrong cover and is actually a later run that just had a rough life. I know Dad knew this. The information is easy to find, and I’m pretty sure he cut out the title page so he could pass it off as what he said it was. I don’t know why he did this -- there could be any number of reasons -- but he keeps bragging about what great a gift it was. Should I say something the next time he brings it up? Having the lie hanging out there feels uncomfortable. -- WONDERING IN THE EAST DEAR WONDERING: Be kind. Just thank your father again and resist the urge to tell him you know he is fibbing. If you suspected he had been taken advantage of by a bookseller, I might have answered differently and suggest you warn him about doing business with someone who is unscrupulous. However, because you stated that he’s experienced, I hesitate to advise you to put him on the spot. *** Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
