Intelligentsia Reviews 

Edit #2: as everyone can see there's still no apology or willingness to take responsibility by this seller and no admission of their previous lies about not receiving any communications from me. All the way through this saga I've done nothing but share what actually happened. As I previously noted, I have had problems buying from this store previously. Why did I buy from them again? Thanks to this seller using different bookstore names I didn't realise who I was buying from until I'd already paid. I nearly cancelled the order when I realised who it was, but I decided to give them another chance and hoped this transaction would be ok. It wasn't. On top of it, I've been given a condescending little lecture about rare books. As a rare book dealer myself I can't imagine ever lecturing a customer like this, much less assuming they're ignorant or addressing them by the wrong gender. I also wouldn't annoy a customer to the point where they feel compelled to leave a review like this.

Why didn't I return the book? By the time I actually received a direct response from the seller 8 days had passed and I'd actually read the book. It didn't seem ethical to return a book I'd read. It's not acceptable for the seller to demand and dictate what will happen; their role is to offer solutions and for the customer to choose the one that works for them. Nothing even remotely like that happened here.

This seller has truly terrible customer service and I can only keep repeating the same thing - stay away from them unless you want to go through the same kind of stress and unpleasantness that I've been subjected too. And of course, you'll need to be happy with a shabby, damaged, dirty book too.

Edit #1: In response to the reply from Andrew Barnes/Intelligentsia, his reply is an excellent example of the dishonest way this seller behaves. I contacted the seller about the problems the day the book arrived (17th April 2026) at 12.55pm, through the Abebooks platform, where I'd bought the book. When I didn't get a reply, I also wrote directly to Andrew Barnes, through his website, and attached photos of the issues. This email was sent at 4pm on 17/4/2026. Both times I asked only for a partial refund to reflect the condition and edition problems. On the 18/4/2026 I got a form response from Abebooks telling me to send the book back. I immediately replied, reiterating that I only wanted a partial refund. On the 25/4/2026 I got a reminder from Abebooks to send the book back; once again I reiterated my desire for a partial refund only. Later that day (25th April) I finally got a direct response from Andrew Barnes. This is his reply in full:
"Dear Sir This item is still available should be returned ASAP. We cannot vary payment as this is an abe order and have not received any payment from you. Also It is not our policy to issue partial refunds. If you are not completely satisfied please simply return the book. We accept returns either from our own site on from reseller orders without question in a timely manner for any reason. Regards Andrew Barnes"
As everyone can see, he addressed me as "sir" (I'm clearly a woman), claims that he has received no payment from me (then why did he send me a book? and why was my Paypal accound debited for $44.98?) and once again telling me to return the book. Subsequent to this email I wrote this review, and a few days later Andrew Barnes wrote his response. As you can all see, he is full of BS, doesn't apologise or accept responsibility and is quite rude into the bargain.

The book was not only NOT a first edition, it wasn't even the first paperback edition, so it doesn't even qualify as a "first edition thus". It's just a later reprint. So either Andrew Barnes doesn't know how to identify editions correctly, or he deliberately misrepresents the edition. The outcome is the same either way - you don't get what he advertises.

I would be glad to attach screenshots of all the emails, my receipt and the colophon if Trust pilot will allow me to add them.

My original review is below, and I stand by everything I said in it. I can only confirm that this is a seller not to be trusted and if you care about books, you'll shop elsewhere.

Original review: Terrible company and not to be trusted. The books are dirty, shabby, not the edition advertised and are really poorly packed. They don't respond to emails or any customer complaints. My last purchase was described as a "first edition" and "new"; it was neither of those things. It was a banged up, obviously read book with a cracked spine and bent corners, and it definitely wasn't a first edition. I've made the mistake of buying from them three times (over 5 years) and each time I've had the same experience: a badly described, badly packed book with condition issues. Bookshops like this give Australian bookdealers a bad name.