Giving a collectible book can wow the devoted reader just as easily as the ardent collector.

Alibris stocks tens of thousands of affordable first editions and books signed by their authors. Anyone with a favorite book or favorite author would be thrilled to receive an autographed volume as a truly special gift. And a first edition of a cherished childhood fable is practically guaranteed to make any adult child beam with satisfaction.

Alibris makes purchasing such stand-out books affordable, which is great news in the current cautious economic climate.

"Why spend $20 on a boring gift certificate this holiday season when you could find a much more meaningful, collectible book, LP, or movie instead?" asked Brian Elliott, President & CEO of Alibris. "I recently started my holiday shopping by picking a first edition of Summerland that was signed by author Michael Chabon and was being sold on Alibris for only $18--a bargain and a homerun gift for someone on my gift list."

Elliott further explained that Alibris, since starting business in 1998, has come to be known across the world as the premier marketplace for buying hard-to-find books, but that such rare and collectible books can range from highly expensive classics to highly affordable finds.

"We sell thousands of collectible books each month, and they run the gamut from a $25 modern first edition of David Sedaris's bestseller Me Talk Pretty One Day to the recent $10,000 sale of a first edition of Dreams from My Father, which was signed by author Barack Obama himself." Elliott reiterated that the likelihood of holiday shoppers finding that just-right gift at the just-right price is high.

With 100 million items available, Alibris invites holiday shoppers to discover how the Rare and Collectible store makes finding gifts much easier than fighting mall crowds, winter weather, and snarled traffic. An added bonus is that recipients of collectible books will likely find their gifts appreciating in both sentimental and economic value.

With books, music, and movies as perennial favorites for both gift givers and recipients, Alibris has given shoppers an easy way to turn a good book into a great collectible gift.

About Alibris

Alibris is the premiere online destination for new and used books, music items, and movies, as well as rare and out-of-print titles. We connect people who love books, music, and movies to the best independent sellers from 45 countries around the world. Our proprietary technology and advanced logistics allow us to offer more than 100 million used, new, and out-of-print titles to consumers, libraries, and retailers, which include Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Blackwell U.K., Books-A-Million, Borders, Chapters/Indigo, and Half.com. Founded in 1998 and acquired by Oak Hill Capital Partners in 2006, Alibris was named a "Fast 50" and a "Technology Fast 500" growth business by Deloitte. Alibris is a registered trademark.

SOURCE: Alibris

Alibris 
Cara Holbrook, Communications Manager, 510-594-4552 
Fax: 510-550-6051 
Media inquires:pr@alibris.com

The Guide to Understanding the Insurance Industry 2008-2009 is available for purchase online at The Insurance Book Store www.insurancebookstore.com and Amazon.com www.amazon.com.

The guide is packed with 60 pages of charts and graphs that explain--in a colorful and concise way--how insurers earn and spend money. It is handy reference for industry-current trends and terminology, and a comprehensive resource that focuses on the many lines of business within the property/casualty, life, health and reinsurance industries, with rankings of top writers.

The guide also highlights information on the following:
- captive domiciles
- solvency and ratings
- new U.S. insurance companies
- A.M. Best stock indexes
- how insurance is sold and regulated
- how catastrophes affect the industry

The Guide is an excellent resource for reports, speeches and presentations, and is appropriate as a gift for new employees, board members, customers or anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of how the insurance industry works.

For additional information about this and other books in the A.M. Best Guide Series, including the recently released The Guide to Understanding Insurance Ratings and The Guide to Understanding Employee Benefits, please visit http://guides.ambest.com.

A.M. Best guides also are available at Abe Books www.abebooks.com, Alibris www.alibris.com and Baker & Taylor www.btol.com.

Founded in 1899, A.M. Best Company is a global full-service credit rating organization dedicated to serving the financial and health care service industries, including insurance companies, banks, hospitals and health care system providers. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

SOURCE: A.M. Best Co.

A.M. Best Co. 
Marilyn Ostermiller, 908-439-2200, ext. 5562 
Assistant Vice President, Communications 
marilyn.ostermiller@ambest.com

Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) is the world's largest enterprise software company. For more information about Oracle, please visit our Web site at http://www.oracle.com.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020718/ORCLLOGO)

Trademark

Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Oracle

http://www.oracle.com

This 64-page guide provides overviews of solvency and Best's Credit Ratings, and looks at some financial ratios used in analyzing an insurer--with actual examples. It's designed as a resource for insurance agents and brokers who need to explain how financial strength is measured.

The Guide to Understanding Insurance Ratings also can serve as a go-to reference for commercial insurance buyers, among them risk managers and business professionals, who must explain to management what factors they use to select liability coverage.

The Guide to Understanding Insurance Ratings includes:

- Solvency trends, with examples of high-profile impairments;

- An overview of Best's Credit Ratings;

- A look at insurance companies that have carried a top rating for the better part of the past century;

- A sampling of methods that go into establishing a secure rating, with examples using actual company financials; and

- Listings of top Property/Casualty and Life/Health writers.

For additional information about The Guide to Understanding Insurance Ratings and other books in the A.M. Best's Guide Series, please visit http://www.insurancebookstore.com.

Founded in 1899, A.M. Best Company is a global full-service credit rating organization dedicated to serving the financial and health care service industries, including insurance companies, banks, hospitals and health care system providers. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

SOURCE: A.M. Best Co.

A.M. Best Co. 
Marilyn Ostermiller 
Assistant Vice President, Communications 
908-439-2200, ext. 5562 
marilyn.ostermiller@ambest.com