I found this hard cover book and wasn't really sure on what it was. So I called a friend and he said it was "a rare edition" and that I could get quite a bit of money out of it. Is it actually rare and worth much?
the back cover and the inside are printed with the following:
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual. Special Reference Work. 4th Edition, August, 1979. Hard Cover.
An alphabetical compendium of all the monsters found in advanced Dungeons & Dragons, including attacks, damage, special abilities, and descriptions.
By Gary Gygax 1977, 1978 -TSR Games
Gently used. Binding is in perfect condition. No rips, tears, or folds.
Over 350 Monsters This book provides a complete alphabetical listing of all "monsters" encountered in the various works which comprise the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game system. It is an invaluable aid to players and dungeon masters alike!
Best Answer
This isn't rare at all. This is the Monster Manual from the 1st edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. It's worth about $5–$25 (US) on eBay, depending on condition. I got mine there for about $12, a few years ago, and prices haven't changed. Yours looks to be in fairly beaten condition, so you're unlikely to get anything much for it.
Although it's not valuable monetarily, it's a source of valuable insights into the history of D&D monsters, since this book is the first version of many monsters that appear in later editions.