Does anybody here collect books?

[pooteeweet]

I've been collecting books for a few years now. I try to pick up good deals on 1st/1st's of my favorite titles and Pulitzer Prize winners. And first edition paperbacks are nice as I like the artwork and the feel of a paperback versus hardback.

I would say some of my highlights are, Rise of Silas Lapham 1st/1st (have two) His Family by Ernest Poole, (have two 1st/1st's and a 1st/2nd), Slaughterhouse-Five 1st/1st, as well as many others...

Patrick

[Brad Coelho]

The ones I truly love I make a point to buy- I also like having them not only if I'm tempted to do a second/third read through, but almost as a reference. I do admit that after a collection of a particular author exceeds a few books, I'm tempted to top it off frivoulously w/ the rest of their work just to round things out :) And yes, they look nice in the book case!

By the way, love the screen name! If there were enough space I'd be tempted to make mine another Vonnegutian phrase:
I rented a tent, a tent a tent...

[commandoratchet]

I usually collect the books that I have fallen in love with, but when the library gives out the withdrawn books I always get at least half of them before I let others get them. I have a bookshelf but I can't seem to fit all of the books in there!

[dfloyd]

as there are classifications of books. I once read of a man who only collected books about Joan of Arc; he had over 4,000 different titles. When asked if he read them, he said, "Oh no! I only collect them."

I have been collecting books for more than 40 years. My collection is of finely illustrated, bound, and printed books. Most are from one publisher: The Limited Editions Club. From 1929 through 1985, the LEC printed a limited edition of 1500 books of a title once every month. It was by subscription only. These books were primarily classics both modern, such as For Whom the Bell Tolls, or ancient, such as Antigone or Oedipus Rex. Not like the collector of Joan of Arc, I read my books. In the years I have been collecting, I have accumulated about 1,000 volumes.

The bindings are of many different types: silk, leather, cloth, hand marbled paper, etc. Many in the earlier years were printed letter press with hand set type. The translations were of the best at the time of publishing. Each book is numbered 1 through 1500, and signed by the author, illustrator, book designer, or printer. The illustrators are some of the most renowned in the book world and include Picasso and Matisse. Many of the modern authors have signed their book. I have a copy of Hiroshima signed by John Hersey, Death of a Salesman signed by Arthur Miller, Fahrenheit 451 signed by Ray Bradbury (bound in aluminum so it won't burn), and The Jungle signed by Upton Siclair.

[Paulclem]

as there are classifications of books. I once read of a man who only collected books about Joan of Arc; he had over 4,000 different titles. When asked if he read them, he said, "Oh no! I only collect them."

I have been collecting books for more than 40 years. My collection is of finely illustrated, bound, and printed books. Most are from one publisher: The Limited Editions Club. From 1929 through 1985, the LEC printed a limited edition of 1500 books of a title once every month. It was by subscription only. These books were primarily classics both modern, such as For Whom the Bell Tolls, or ancient, such as Antigone or Oedipus Rex. Not like the collector of Joan of Arc, I read my books. In the years I have been collecting, I have accumulated about 1,000 volumes.

The bindings are of many different types: silk, leather, cloth, hand marbled paper, etc. Many in the earlier years were printed letter press with hand set type. The translations were of the best at the time of publishing. Each book is numbered 1 through 1500, and signed by the author, illustrator, book designer, or printer. The illustrators are some of the most renowned in the book world and include Picasso and Matisse. Many of the modern authors have signed their book. I have a copy of Hiroshima signed by John Hersey, Death of a Salesman signed by Arthur Miller, Fahrenheit 451 signed by Ray Bradbury (bound in aluminum so it won't burn), and The Jungle signed by Upton Siclair.

Do you have a big house? :D

I'm constantly trying to shed books - charity shops etc etc

I re-read infrequently, and though I'd like to collect books,in reality they are are not going to be read again. I often look a the ex- Old Uncle's and it is a little sad that his books - hundreds that he collected over the years, will all probably have to go to the charity shop too when the Old Auntie passes away.

If your books have an intrinsic value Dfloyd, then they may be collected on after you. It'll be a nice collection I'm sure.

For others, it's perhaps best not to lumber your forbears with them. Get rid of them to a good cause where they might be read again by someone. I'm not a book philstine, just a storage needer. :D

[eyemaker]

it's my hobby, i must say. I procrastinate over my school works but most of the time find ways to buy books in the book sale.

[Revolte]

I almost feel ashamed to say that I do collect. I havnt read through most of them and I almost feel bad.

Some where given to me, others you can say, I gave to myself.

so far I have

1. The Zombie Survival Guide
2. The Imancipation of The American Women
3. Jack London ( thats all it says on the " cover " its an old book my friend just gave me with alot of Jacks writings in it )
4. The Handmaid's Tale
5. The Catcher in The Rye
6. Romeo and Juliet
7. Everything You Know is False ( I think i have the title right on this, but its to dark in here to check, and my lights dead )
8. a physcology book given to me by a friend

I have some books from colledge too, I never sold them after I dropped out and I still wanted to learn.

I think I have a ton more hidden around in my room.

I have mixed tastes lol.

I am dying to add some Poe and this one book called Jay's Jurnal to my collection as soon as I have the money.

[Katy North]

Unfortunately I don't have the money to collect 1st/1st editions, though I do collect books themselves and love having them around as objects as well as for the reading value.

I did attempt to become a used book seller about a year and a half ago, and while it didn't quite go as well as I hoped, I did come out of it with a couple of exquisite books... one which is an edition of the Water Babies illustrated by Atwell, and the other a WWI satire book titled "Alice's Adventures in Kultureland" . If I were to pick up collecting books I wasn't planning on reading it would probably be of bizarre or beautifully illustrated books, as I don't think my bank account could handle first editions of the books I love...

[stlukesguild]

I'm interpreting the OP as being a question about collecting books as aesthetic objects or collectors editions (first editions, etc...) as opposed to simply collecting books to read. I have a literal small library... somewhere in the neighborhood of 3000 books. A good number of these are hard-bound/leather bound editions of major works and favorite authors that over time I purchased to replace cheaper paper-bound books. I have some beautiful hard-bound Cambridge Edition copies of various English poets from the turn of the century. I have a beautiful hard-bound boxed set of the complete Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire with beautiful sepia-toned reproductions of Piranesi's prints of Roman Ruins. A have a signed copy of Ginsberg's Howl and a few other volumes of poetry signed by the poet. As much as I am enamored of the book as an art object I have very little of any real value to the book collector in terms of rare or valuable books. The vast majority of what I have are for reading and if I purchased a better quality hardbound edition of a given work it was because the book was inexpensive enough (I purchase such mostly through used book stores) and the said book was something I felt I would be reading enough to demand a sturdier edition. I have bought very little simply for the sake of having a collector's edition or a book as a fine art object. Not that I would be adverse to such were I to come into some real money, mind you.:D

[Katy North]

To see some incredible books, go to:
www.betweenthecovers.com

[dfloyd]

I purchased Green Grow the Lilacs from them, published by The Limited Editions Club in 1954. This is the play by Lynn Riggs from which the musical Oklahoma was taken. The book is illustrated by Thomas Hart Benton and signed by him. I found Between the Covers nice to work with and they gave ne a fair price ($250.00). I would reccomend them.

[kelby_lake]

Nancy Drew Books :)

[Modest Proposal]

I am more like StLukes in my collecting habits in that I mostly collect for my own reading purposes. I frequent used book stores and library sales to supplement my reading from college (from which I have kept most of my books). Books I care for, I buy slowly in nicer editions.

Though I must say for me a nice edition means a 20-28 dollar Everyman's Library edition as opposed to used paperbacks. They are by no means masterpieces, but they are durable and aesthetically pleasing.

[Night_Lamp]

I'm at (about) 1500 or so, and counting. I have a 1920s house, with a finished attic that is accessed through a door at the back of a closet- very Narnian! Up there are shelves wall-to-wall almost 2/3 of the way around, it's a great place to just sit and read.

Highlights: the first printing of the second edition of LOTR; bought in the mid 90s for pennies, before the movies skyrocketed the price of anything Tolkien. Many, many art books ( I have a great love of art, although I couldn't draw you stick-people) including a first edition of the large-size printing of HST's
Curse of Lono and a really cool 19th C. set of large Dore illistrated books on religious themes owned by a priest.

My collection goes more towards hard to find books than overly valuable ones; like lost gothic classics, and authors like Le Fanu who's works in print have been reduced to one or two of the many he wrote.

[eric.bell]

I have been collecting for about a year now (before that I generally read selections from my hometown library, as well as my university library). I only have roughly three-hundred at this point, but I have some gems among them. One being a 1st edt. The Old Man and The Sea, with the original sleeve. But over-all I love collecting hard backed short story compilation books. I also would say whatever I happen to want to read at the time is what I purchase, and I do not buy from Books-A-Million, etc. if it can be helped.