i recieved a very dirty book today any advice on how to clean it

Some members report success using fine sandpaper on page edges.  A damp cloth may clean the covers, depending on the paper finish there is also a chance of further damage.

Yup, I've used sandpaper to clean dirt off the edges ... just pinch the pages tightly together and sand lightly. Try it out first on an unpostable book if you have one.

Unless the covers have some sort of glitter or cloth type surface, we use a little hair spray onto a rag and clean the book. We don't usually have to clean the edges of the pages, but my guess is your problem is with the cover. That's the most common kind of dirty book we run across and the hairspray is our preferred method of cleaning. Sometimes it will need a little extra scrubbing, and maybe a shot of spray directly onto the book in an area that doesn't come off easily, but it tends to work pretty well for us.

DH gave me what is essentially a sponge covered with fine grade sandpaper.  It's about the size of a Magic Eraser and works wonderfully well on page edges.

I've found that Goo Gone works well on most books (front and back covers and the spine).  Some matte finished books, though, don't do so well with it.

And yes... I was hoping for some smut talk when I opened this thread.  :)

Baby wipes (unscented), Clorox or Lysol wipes  work well for glossy covers, as does a little alcohol on a paper towel. An eraser works for smudges (pink doesn't work as well as beige/white) and soft art gum erasers work better than hard. A lot of libraries use baby wipes and/or alcohol before reshelving. 

I saw "dirty book" and thought this was some kind of x-rated book question.....lol.....excuse me while I get my mind out of the gutter