How do I get the stench out?  TIA....

Well, this may not work, since smoke tends to be hard to remove, but my copy of "Rodale's Book of Hints, Tips and Everyday Wisdom" http://www.paperbackswap.com/book/details/9780878575787-Rodales+Book+of+Hints+Tips+and+Everyday+Wisdom suggests for musty books:

"Place books outside in the sun and frequently fan the pages so air can reach them.  If pages are damp, sprinkle cornstarch between them and brush it off after a few hours."

Cheers,

Catt

Some members swear by putting a book in a large ziploc bag, filling with kitty litter and leaving it for a week or so.  I've been lucky enough not to have gotten any stinkers yet, but give it a whirl!

I put musty books in a ziplock with a dryer sheet in them. Seems to work for that. I am not sure about smokey books tho.

I put mine in a a zip-lock bag with a bar of soap. Normally after three or four days it's fine but I got one so bad it's been a month and it still reeks. I keep putting the bar of soap between the pages of this nasty book and I still can't read it. This book must have lived in a bar for years. It even has a yucky feel to it too.

Kerrie, I put an extremely smokey book in a ziplock bag with crumpled up newspaper and left it alone for about 2 weeks. When I took it back out, the smokey smell was completely gone. Even the newspaper didn't smell smokey. I read it and sent it along to a non-smoking friend who couldn't smell any smoke either.

Pam

And I went the ziplock bag and baking soda route.  I had an incredibly smelly book and it took weeks but ultimately the smell went away.

I'm seeing a theme here -- the ziplock bag, the odor-absorbing substance or material, and TIME.  Good luck!  :->

I put them out in the sun,with a dryer sheet in the middle.Seems to work great.Just don't forget to bring them in if a storms coming.

I highly encourage those of you using dryer sheets and soap to consider that most people aren't going to think to put other smells on their requestor conditions, and you are applying an oil based smell that cannot be gotten out like smoke smell can. While cigarette smoke is somewhat oil based, it is not nearly as much so as dryer sheets and soap. Please reconsider using unscented kitty litter, crumpled newspapers, baking soda, and just plain air to rid the books of smoke smell. All of which I have used successfully. But have never been able to read a book once someone place an aromatic substance such as a dryer sheet in it.

I just brought a book in to check it, since this topic reminded me of it. I've had it out on the porch for a while in a paper bag (which helps to draw odor) with kitty litter. It was an old musty cookbook, that I couldn't stand to be within 5 feet of! I had only used the kitty litter on smoke smell before (and some really rank ones too! with great success) so I thought I'd try this cookbook, as it is an old bisquick one, and I knew it would have some recipes in it that I would like to try, but I couldn't hold it! (Oh, and it was NOT from PBS  :)

The smell is not completely gone, but I do have to hold the book close to my nose to smell it now!!! Hooray!!! I can hold it and look thru it, whereas before, I couldn't stand it in the same room, several feet away. I probably won't pass it on, except maybe as a freebie, but atleast I can get some hopefully good recipes out of it! Anyway, I just wanted to share that I believe normal levels of musty smells can probably be completely removed with the kitty litter or newspaper & baking soda, too, and let you know that it is very successfully used by several people on here for smoke.

Oh yeah Sherry, I use the arm and hammer pure ones, they just smell like baking soda.I can't touch kitty litter.freaks me out.And I hesitate to use cedar chips,which are my other fav thing to keep bugs,and smells away.But, it usually fades pretty quick.But, if someone has allergies, Iwouldn't send it on to them.

Oh, my goodness, Pip! I am soooo glad you 'hesitate' on the cedar chips, at least until after you send me mine!!! I'd sooner have someone smoke a downy sheet and blow it all over my books! hahhahaha I am one of the very few people that cannot stand cedar! I was given a small cedar box one year for Christmas, and I have had it stuck away and will never use it because I can't stand the smell. The thing is awesomely beautiful, but is made from unvarnished wood, but, I've never gotten to enjoy it!

Hey, my new DIL needs a jewelry box! Perfect! Thanks for making me think of that, Pip! Good idea!

Thank you for all the suggestions! :)