Most expensive book/Most valuable book

[ZTay]

What is the book you paid the most money for?


What is the book you most value?


It occurred to me that my most expensive book is also my most valued. I wonder if that is the case for all of you?

[Darcy88]

I paid 250 dollars for a neuroscience text book once. I usually buy cheap used paperbacks. My most expensive book that wasn't for school is an edition of Thucydides for which I paid 60 dollars. Second most expensive is my copy of Augustine's Confessions, which cost me about 50 dollars.

[ZTay]

I was also curious to see what other people were willing to pay. If I were the lone loon. Seems to be 2. I paid 90 for Petrarch's "Africa" and I remember people saying, "I wish I had 90 dollars to waste.". But I paid 6.95 for my copy of Confessions. Is yours autographed? Because that would be a DEAL.

[Darcy88]

I was also curious to see what other people were willing to pay. If I were the lone loon. Seems to be 2. I paid 90 for Petrarch's "Africa" and I remember people saying, "I wish I had 90 dollars to waste.". But I paid 6.95 for my copy of Confessions. Is yours autographed? Because that would be a DEAL.

No, it is not autographed. It is just a hardcover with nice illustrations and beautiful font and it came with a classy looking brown case.

I neglected to answer your second question. I'd say there are four books I most value and they are my copies of Don Quixote, a collection of Edgar Allen Poe, one of Plato and another of Nietzsche, his basic writings. My Tropic of Cancer and my Complete Works of Rimbaud also possess much value to me, but not as much as the other four, which are books I've been reading again and again for many years now and also have my first attempts at poetry written in the front and back covers.

[ZTay]

No, it is not autographed. It is just a hardcover with nice illustrations and beautiful font and it came with a classy looking brown case.

I neglected to answer your second question. I'd say there are four books I most value and they are my copies of Don Quixote, a collection of Edgar Allen Poe, one of Plato and another of Nietzsche, his basic writings. My Tropic of Cancer and my Complete Works of Rimbaud also possess much value to me, but not as much as the other four, which are books I've been reading again and again for many years now and also have my first attempts at poetry written in the front and back covers.

I think it's a quality of the renaissance man to value books that way. Similarly for me with Petrarch, anytime I refer back to it, it's almost like looking into the mirror and remembering who I am; shaking off the cobwebs or something. Incidentally, I'm a big fan of the other writers you mentioned, especially Plato. Marsillio Ficino would probably appeal to you. He isn't a foundation like Plato; but he's a great supplementary author: having the same spirit, but in a much more digestible form.

[stlukesguild]

In spite of some 3500 books... including several that are long out of print and quite likely worth a handsome sum today... I'd be hard pressed to think of any book that I paid more than $100 or $125 for. There are a number of books in this range... mostly huge art books.

Which books do I personally value the most? For literature it would include my Dante translations by Jean and Robert Hollander, the Complete Shakespeare, my various Bible translations, William Blake's works, Baudelaire's Fleurs du Mal, and my collection of J.L. Borges.

For art books... The Masterpieces of Japanese Screen Painting, my facsimile edition of the Tres Riches Heurs of the Duc du Berry by the Lindburg Brothers, my Beckmann, Matisse, and Klee Retrospectives, The Italian Renaissance, my Degas and Bonnard and Rubens monographs... and probably my slew of books on the visual works of William Blake.

[ZTay]

I think it's a quality of the renaissance man to value books that way. Similarly for me with Petrarch, anytime I refer back to it, it's almost like looking into the mirror and remembering who I am; shaking off the cobwebs or something. Incidentally, I'm a big fan of the other writers you mentioned, especially Plato. Marsillio Ficino would probably appeal to you. He isn't a foundation like Plato; but he's a great supplementary author: having the same spirit, but in a much more digestible form.


I'm estimating I have 300 or so books. Have read about half of them. How's your ratio with your 3500? I am guessing the more books you collect the easier it is to get behind on reading them. But then again it could have the effect of making you an even more diligent reader.

[stlukesguild]

There's a J.L. Borges poem dealing with confronting ones own mortality in which Borges admits that there are books on his book shelves that he will never open. I understand the feeling. I have probably read a good deal of about half of my books... and I try to read at least a bit of every new book I add to my collection before shelving it. I have come to the point that I rarely add anything "new" to the collection. If I do buy a new book it tends to be a better edition/better translation/better copy of a book I already own. There are of course exceptions... but I honestly can't say I have purchased many truly new books over the past couple of years.

[ZTay]

Possessing books vs. reading books is an explored subject in literature. I became confronted with it in Tolstoy's "War and Peace". Practical Nicolas Rostov never bought a new book before finishing the one he had previously bought; and dreamy Pierre dealt with that fact something like, "I know Nicolas reads all his books before buying a new one, but that's irrelevant anyhow.".

I view them as resources. I once bought a exhaustive 2 volume study on the Colonial South for 2 dollars. I've never read them; but if I ever need it. Ya know.

[Emil Miller]

Some years ago, I was one of a group of visitors to the stately home of the Marquess of Bath. In the library I noticed all 12 volumes of Carlisle's History of Frederick the Great. These beautifully bound volumes are obviously worth a good deal of money but there is no monetary value in their text any more than in a paper backed version. The true value of a book lies in its content.

[Vota]

I have around 300-350 books atm. I haven't read most of them, but I plan to eventually. As another poster said, I think of them as resources among other things. I've only recently in the last year become interested in reading quality literature, philosophy, history etc, though I've read quite abit over the past 20 years or so of your typical sci-fi and fantasy. I've been creating a personal library built off the books listed in most of the top 100 western canon book lists. Translations are important to me so if a particular work like war and peace or the divine comedy will be better enjoyed based off the translation, then I do a little research and purchase the translation I most like. The appearance of a book means something to me. Books are storehouses of knowledge, but they are also, imo, works of art. A well-made, hardcover book is far more enjoyable to hold in the hands while reading than a paperback, and if well cared for will maintain it's condition even through multiple reads far better than a paperback will. Most of my collection is made up of franklin library, easton press, heritage press, folio society, and 1940 or older books.

My favorite book is probably my franklin library the divine comedy, john ciardi translation. My most valuable books are probably the 11 volumes of the Franklin Mint Oxford complete works of Charles Dicks. These oxford/franklin books, though I got them at a ridiculously cheap price, are quite expensive and limited in number.

The most money I have actually paid for a book, in this case a group of books, is 150 dollars for a nice 4 volume set of the dialogues of plato by benjamin jowett. I've read some newer translations "deemed' superior and still prefer these late 1800's, early 1900's translations. Though I list my divine comedy as my favorite book, this 4 volume set if probably my most valued book possession.

[OrphanPip]

I've read pretty much every book I own, apart from a handful of paperbacks I haven't gotten around to. I suppose I have around 500ish books in my room, though I don't keep many of the books I buy from second hand shops. In terms of monetary value the most valuable are probably a handful of textbooks and reference texts from my undergrad days, and the numerous anthologies I own from Longman and Norton (The most valuable works of literature I've handled personally have been Second and Third Folio Shakespeares and some medieval manuscripts, our department also has some pages from a Gutenberg Bible but we can't touch those). Sentimentally, the most valuable is probably a beat up copy of Winesburg, Ohio which I stole from my brother when he was in college.

[JBI]

My personal library is around 4000 or so books. Mostly Chinese ones which are high quality and dirt cheap. On my body I have about 200-300 odd books. My most cherished being my facsimile of a Song-Ming edition of Wenxuan with the Li Shan commentary attached. It's the most elegant book to read, and the shape of it is beautiful.

As for most expensive, I have some coffee-table sized books which I acquired for a couple hundred dollars each. About chinese archaeology mostly.

[Lokasenna]

I own far too many books...

My prized possession is my libretto of Skallagrim: The Opera - a slightly mad Edwardian attempt to turn saga into Gilbert-and-Sullivan style opretta. It's very rare, though probably not very valuable - but I would never sell it, I love it too much.

[ZTay]

Thanks for the replies. I enjoyed reading about your books. Most people I know see books as something to avoid.

[Evan Shaw]

The most expensive book I ever paid for, and easily one of my most prized, is a Carlyle translation of Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship and Travels by Goethe (printed in 1882, cost around 100-150).

[ChicagoReader]

I have signed, first editions of Luis Alberto Urrea's The Devil's Highway and Into the Beautiful North. Major personal worth for me because he was my professor for a couple classes this past semester and he's the nicest/coolest person I have ever met.

[seaofmilktea]

I was recently given a hardback collection of Wordsworth's poetical works published on 1858. Not very good condition, and probably not that special, but there are no decent second hand book shops in my region so I'm really happy to own a piece of the past. There is a little message inside from that era written by the bloke who bought it as a gift in 1859 which is a nice touch.
I've also got a Chinese pocket book of Catholic prayers published in 1967, which is cute.

Content-wise though, they aren't the books I love the most.
I really like second-hand books, especially ones with relatively personal scriblings in the margins. I remember driving for hours to visit Haye on Wye (spelling?) last time I was in England.

Can't wait till I graduate and get a decent job. Then I can start to aquire a personal library as extensive as yours instead of borrowing from the library. At least the library system here is excellent. 4000 something books just blows my mind. Nice to see someone into Chinese.literature . Do you read in translation or do you know Chinese?

[cafolini]

Excuse me. Important: Nelson Mandela, the man who tolerated 27 years in prison during his fight against apartheid in So. Africa is about to pass away. Experts say the possibility of amelioration is almost nil. God bless this great man.

[The Atheist]

What is the book you paid the most money for?

The Natural History of Animals, class mammalia, 1888 (Cost $180/US$150)



What is the book you most value?

[British and Dominion] Warships of World War II



It occurred to me that my most expensive book is also my most valued. I wonder if that is the case for all of you?

Not me: the most valuable book I own is a 1st edition of Biggles in Spain, worth $1000-$1500.

[Emil Miller]

Not me: the most valuable book I own is a 1st edition of Biggles in Spain, worth $1000-$1500.


:lol: As a boy I read all of the Biggles books avidly and even wrote to Capt.W.E.Johns to tell him how much I liked his books. I was thrilled when I received a letter of thanks from someone who was my hero. It was only years later I read that he was a drunk and a wife beater but what really irked was that he never flew anything in his service career, being merely one of the ground personnel. Never trust a role model.

[The Atheist]

:lol: As a boy I read all of the Biggles books avidly and even wrote to Capt.W.E.Johns to tell him how much I liked his books. I was thrilled when I received a letter of thanks from someone who was my hero. It was only years later I read that he was a drunk and a wife beater but what really irked was that he never flew anything in his service career, being merely one of the ground personnel. Never trust a role model.

Interesting claim you make about Johns never having flown. There's quite a lot of evidence to say that he did fly during WWI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._E._Johns#Military_service), even being shot down as a bomber pilot, while the majority of his flying was done as a flying instructor.

[Emil Miller]

Interesting claim you make about Johns never having flown. There's quite a lot of evidence to say that he did fly during WWI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._E._Johns#Military_service), even being shot down as a bomber pilot, while the majority of his flying was done as a flying instructor.

Thanks for partially restoring my boyhood hero's reputation. I don't remember in which newspaper I read about his being a non-flying officer as it's a long time ago since I read it but I think it was the Daily Express. Never trust a tabloid newspaper.

[The Atheist]

:cornut:

Another attempted negative thing I've heard a few times about Bill Johns is that "He hardly ever flew in combat, most of his career was swanning around with pupils."

I'd take von Stalhein and the von Richthofen any day, over flying in groups of "friends" who are as likely to cut you in half in a bad turn as one of the vons would be to shoot you down.

Whichever way you look at it, flying in WWI was no picnic, no matter where you did it.

[*Classic*Charm*]

This was my most expensive: http://www.online-literature.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8822&d=1373252850

I think I paid about $85 which was a wicked deal. Talked the seller down from $125, which was fair, because I'm a regular buyer and it was my birthday ;)

[ennison]

I too read the Biggles books avidly and the Gimlet series. They had everything a voracious young male reader could want. There were some that I thought better than others and I was perfectly aware of the stereotyping and latent ( even explicit) racism but that was more than made up for by the generally overt admiration for honesty, courage, humour and honour no matter the source. Is it me or does it seem darkly funny to shoot one's own propellor off twice. I shouldn't laugh but ... They were a brave and adventurous group these early pilots. My most expensive book is a tome on dredging in harbours. It cost me a packet and I knew when I was purchasing it that I would only need to refer to a section of it but I was drunk at the time ...

[*Classic*Charm*]

Do textbooks count? I never thought to count those. I've spent well over $200 on some of those.

[Lokasenna]

I'm part of the large team here in Durham tasked with looking after the visiting Lindisfarne Gospels - does that count? If it does, I suspect no one is going to be able to beat that tally - they're currently insured for £70,000,000, making the gospels arguably the most expensive book in the world. We've also got the Cuthbert Gospels - a pinch at £10,000,000.

I'm amazed at how many people have complained that the books are inside glass cases - a lot of our visitors seem to have been expecting to be able to handle the books personally!

[seaofmilktea]

I'm part of the large team here in Durham tasked with looking after the visiting Lindisfarne Gospels - does that count? If it does, I suspect no one is going to be able to beat that tally - they're currently insured for £70,000,000, making the gospels arguably the most expensive book in the world. We've also got the Cuthbert Gospels - a pinch at £10,000,000.

I'm amazed at how many people have complained that the books are inside glass cases - a lot of our visitors seem to have been expecting to be able to handle the books personally!

Oh I might be studying literature in Durham next year! Put it as my insurance offer haha.

[Lokasenna]

Oh I might be studying literature in Durham next year! Put it as my insurance offer haha.

Good luck! I may even end up teaching you. Durham's a wonderful place.

[lawpark]

My most expensive purchases in the last several years was first: Taisho (大正藏 Vol 46) at 18,000 Yen plus tax (those were the days when Yen were around 85 I think - of course the text is alvailable online, but I want to really study this academically so I need a real physical book), then ~$130 for "Oxford History of Historical Writings: Vol 3" (which I read cover to cover) Closed to this is "Oxford Handbook of World History", and ~$100 are "Oxford Handbook of Causation" and "New Cambridge History of Islam Vol 3" - for these I really should spend time to finish reading them.

With something like ~1,600 books for myself (plus many kids' books for the kids), especially with frequent home-moving, I always resolve (but not always successful) not to buy books just as reference. For purchases in the past few years, I probably managed to read about 50% of my purchases cover to cover.

[bookowskee]

the most pricey book I ever bought was probably Jeff Noon's Cobralingus. I can't find it in any of the bookstores, so I resulted in buying it online. Costs around hundredtwenty. Worth it, though. Other than that, I've got first prints from my grandfather. The Sun Also Rises, (which by the way my fav hem novel (next is Green Hills of Africa), Aldous Huxley's Point Counter Point, first english print of Camus' The Stranger, J.D.'s The Catcher in the Rye. and so on and so on.

All of them are unsigned, but I heard some of them, particularly Hem's novel, can fetch up to 500$ more or less.

[Pen Name]

Lokasenna, I decided against visiting Durham, for a couple of reasons, one it was three times the distance travelling to York, and the other was that it would all be behind glass, and only a few pages to view.

Instead the A4s locomotives including 'Mallard' at National Railway Museum won out, (My Mum, Grand dad and great grand dad all worked for LNER) for the Great Gathering all 6 A4s that are still running were there.

The bookshops in York were the real winners, and on the theme of favourite books, an unexpected favourite was an old paperback called 'Saxon and Norman Kings', by Christopher Brooke, and which I have read cover to cover a couple of times and regularly dipped into, so I was pleased to come across a nice clean 1st Edition hardback (sans dustwrapper) in one of the York Bookshops, which was snapped up for a mere £6.

Probably my favourite book is John Richard Green's A Short History of the English People, single volume 1888 Edition.

My most expensive book was a single volume leather bound 'Lord of the Rings', it is printed on India paper and is a joy to hold.

If I was to sell one of the thousands of books (I think I have read between 1/4 and 1/5 of them, but they accumulate so quick I lose track lol) 'With the Turks in Thrace' by Ashmead Bartlett would be one of the more expensive @ circa £300/£400 for the 1st Edition 'Fine' copy I have, it is also a fave, but obviously not 'The' fave book I own.

[stlukesguild]

I always have to laugh at you British avoiding travel beyond a few miles. I was shocked that one member lived perhaps a little over 100 miles from London but almost never traveled there. If I were a little over 100 miles from New York I'd be there at least every other week... let alone London. As it stands I'm 400+ miles from Chicago, and 500+ miles from New York and Washington and have visited all of them dozens of times. Right now I'm in North Carolina... in the so-called Outer Banks... just off Roanoke Island where the first English settlement in the continental US was at. It was a drive equal to the very top to the bottom of Britain... and quite a considerable distance more for those first colonists.

[Lokasenna]

Lokasenna, I decided against visiting Durham, for a couple of reasons, one it was three times the distance travelling to York, and the other was that it would all be behind glass, and only a few pages to view.

Well, I won't try too hard to flog the exhibition, but I can say that it represents the single largest gathering of medieval Northumbrian manuscripts since the Reformation - something which we are unlikely to ever achieve again. And whilst all the exhibits are behind glass, what with most of them being worth tens of millions of pounds and being extremely fragile, it is still an awesome experience to be in their presence. The Durham exhibition gives visitors a unique opportunity to view the Lindisfarne Gospels in their full historical context, alongside other gospel books and artefacts of the period.

...and Wakefield is not far! Certainly not as far as travelling to see their other home in London!