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Do you collect books?
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Scott
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Mar 15, 2009 04:57PM
I loved The Night Class, A Choir of Ill Children, November Mourns, and The Deceased. The only one I didn't like was A Lower Deep which didn't make any sense to me at all.
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Tressa wrote: "Kristen, I know! I'm sure we don't have it at my library, but maybe it's available through ILL. I can just imagine the people who would be wanting us to take it off the shelves.A few years ago th..."
If they think those are bad, show them a list of titles from Carlton Mellick III ! He has some of the best (and most disturbing) titles ever. (Razor Wire Pubic Hair, The Baby Jesus Butt Plug, Electric Jesus Corpse are some of the nice ones) He is very graphic and entirely unapologetic.
I've just got to read Razor Wire Pubic Hair. Got to. Reminds me of this recent headline: http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/loc...These titles are great, but are the books?
Razor Wire is pretty good. Extremely graphic in language and visuals, but I liked it. All his books are novellas really though. I don't know if any ever reach the 200 page mark. But that's fine, when the story is done, it's done.Razor Wire is a cyberpunk/horror/bizarre story.
Here is the plot as stated on the back of the book.
plot: a multi-gendered screwing toy is purchased by a razor dominatrix and brought into her nightmarish lifestyle of derranged sex and mutilation.
Like I said, graphic and different!
Matt R. wrote: "I was just curious how everyone maintains their collections of books. In my house we have shelves and boxes and boxes of books. Do you prefer hardcover, paperbacks or both (since some releases ar..."
I keep books that I may want to read again. I collect Norah Lofts book which are out of print and so have some that are paperbacks falling apart and a few recently published hardbacks. We have too many books actually and too many bookcases too! I put some in boxes to keep the dust off them.
I keep books that I may want to read again. I collect Norah Lofts book which are out of print and so have some that are paperbacks falling apart and a few recently published hardbacks. We have too many books actually and too many bookcases too! I put some in boxes to keep the dust off them.
I love all my books. I keep them all. Some on a book case, and a lot put up in boxes. Just don't have enough room to put them all out on display. Wish i did.
I have two bookcases. The bookcase in my family room is for my hardbacks and the bookcase in my second bedroom is for paperbacks. I also have some in my closet. I used to keep all my books but lately I've been giving them to the Goodwill bookstore and I just signed up at paperbackswap.com. Now I'm only keeping ones I like and/or want to remember that I've read.I collect signed first editions. Most of the signed books I have were signed by the author in person; Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, China Mieville, Peter S. Beagle, Frank Beddor and Brad Meltzer. I also have a couple I've bought already signed.
But my prized possesion is a first edition of "The Phantom of the Opera" by Gaston Leroux. Unfortunately, there's no chance of getting him to sign it. ;-)
I don't keep everything, I only keep the stories that I enjoyed reading. But I do have quite the library. Most are in boxes in my garage [since I live in an apartment:]. The HC/PB issue depends on the author. If it's an author I know and generally enjoy, I would prefer HC to PB since they tend to age better and obviously hold up to more readings than PB. But some authors don't get the benefit of HC. When I've decided to purge the library, family and friends get first crack and then generally I give the rest to a local charity, I've yet to use any online swap programs yet though. I also keep a seperate box of books for give away/donate, so when I re-read a story and it doesn't click with me anymore, it gets removed from the library.
Between me and my husband we have well over 3,000 books. Mine are better of course (not) he's an artist, and a history nut so he has a lot of serious books. I just can't get rid of a book to save my life. I tried the online book swap thing, but just sent out books, didn't really get many that I wanted though. I give away books I like a lot, but then have to get another copy. I have 2 books shelves in my bedroom, books in my closet and dresser, books in the kitchen, under the beds, lining the walls of the florida and living and dining and family room... someday I'm going to go through them and give some more away!
I am a book collector - have been for years. I have no idea how many books I have (probably several thousand). Many of them are horror. I order from Cemetary Dance when I can afford it... but I also collect signed first editions, fine press books, very rare and antiquarian books, classics and I have quite a collection of Ray Bradbury and Clive Barker signed firsts as well as Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams and Stephen King. I am being run out of house and home but do not want to give up a single book. I occasionally sell a book if it has gone up extraordinarily in value but I never enjoy the selling.
We are moving soon to a larger home and will be adding over 100 inches of additional floor to ceiling bookshelves so all of my books can come out of storage.
Not everything is valuable, I have paperbacks I really like as well as well loved books from Amazon or B&N. I donate or get rid of books that are just so so in my personal opinion.
I am also a weird kind of collector who reads all her books - even the most valuable ones. Many collectors do not. They buy "reading copies" that are disposable but do not really read their collection.
Do you read your collections? How strange is that question?
My kids were picking on me because I said "sometimes I just like looking at all my books, they make me happy". I pretty much divide my life by what I was reading at a certain time; I was reading these books in high school, these in college, these with my first pregnancy, etc. So yeah, I keep them because they do mean something to me. I really don't want to get rid of any of them!
Although I have a lot of signed/limiteds, the only book of that sort that I don't plan to read is my signed, leatherbound, illustrated Easton Press copy of Harlan Ellison's Deathbird Stories. I've already read the book (and some of the stories again since), and if I decide to read it again I will probably buy a cheaper copy. Just don't want to chance anything happening to it. It's my favorite book ever. It made a huge impression on me when I read it in high school
Well, now that you mention it, I have a few that I am not anxious to read - like the entire F. Scott Fitzgerald collection from Easton - they are still in the shrinkwrap (but I have already read them all). They were so beautiful I just had to have them - though I can't say I will not ever read them. I may just sit down with a glass of wine and look through them all - someday. But for the most part - I read my collection. I have a copy of Uncle Tom's Cabin from the year of publication (I have not verified it as a first edition) that I definately will read as I have always meant to read it and reading a copy from 1852 will make it a special experience...)
Scott said, " ...I don't plan to read is my signed, leatherbound, illustrated Easton Press copy of Harlan Ellison's Deathbird Stories. I've already read the book (and some of the stories again since), and if I decide to read it again I will probably buy a cheaper copy. Just don't want to chance anything happening to it. It's my favorite book ever. It made a huge impression on me when I read it in high school"I have some signed Ellison- Deathbird Stories - though I can't put my hand on it just now - I suspect it is in storage - Slippage and Repent Harlequin (both signed and limited in slipcase) I have always like Harlan Ellison, also.
I think I have read all my Ray Bradbury signed and know I have read all my Clive Barker and Dean Koontz.
I guess I just think a book's purpose is to be read and my collection is constructed to build a personal library. And libraries are for reading. Many collectors would disagree with me, I know...
I never let a little something like disagreement stop me from anything else, however and I am way too old to start now - (smile)
I agree that books are for reading; that one is really the sole exception. It's just a special book for me and when I had the opportunity to get it for a good price I went for it, even though I already had a cheap book club edition. I've never normally been one to collect just to collect.
I love books, I can't see my life without them. Just last month I bought 15.
This is a neat idea for a thread. For me, all of my books are on my bookshelf, but I've been buying faster than I read lately, so a few are stacked on the floor nearby. I like the look of hardcovers, but I like the feel of paperbacks more. I'm also slightly neurotic when it comes to my books--I love worn-in books and I love brand-new books, but I hate the in-between process. As far as which books I keep, as I read a book, if I decide I like it enough to re-read it, it stays on the shelf...if I don't, I donate it somewhere.
I keep my books. I have about eight shelves which won't hold them all. I have books everywhere...stacked on my desk, kitchen counter, by the bed, in the closet. When I moved I had to give away a bunch of books because I was concerned with space, but now I am restocking my collection. I have one shelf which I well dedicate to my favorite books. I am currently making an excel list of all of my books so I know what I have.
Also, I prefer the original covers...Normally I hate it when the cover changes to say...a movie cover. I feel the original cover art is usually the best and devoted to the book itself. I love hardback books, but because of cost, I end up buying a lot of paperback (and now ebooks). That is the one thing I miss about ebooks is the cover art.
I display books that I keep on my bookshelves in the living room and in my office, which is currently a part of my living room. My textbooks and non-fiction are kept together in my office. My fiction is kept separately. The really brutal and naughty ones are kept in my bedroom. I also have a small bookcase for cookbooks in my dining room. I keep both hardbacks and trade paperbacks. I rarely keep MMP's and usually swap those on swap sites like BookMooch.com, Swaptree.com, TitleTrader.com, or PaperBackSwap.com. I used to sell on amazon.com and eBay.com, but not anymore. I blame swap sites for the number of books that have come into my home. It got ridiculously out of hand and I have to keep most of them in boxes hidden away in closets. I'm currently swapping out many books that I know are available at the library in order to make more room in my home.
Well I used to go to a lot of book fairs and such, and collected a lot of nature books and science fiction-i used to have a shelf the lengrth of a wall full of Asimov books that I had to sell when I moved.
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I guess I never really answered the main question, "Do you collect books?"Considering how many I have, the obvious answer is yes. I don't have anything special though, aside from several Easton Press editions and some first edition hard covers. By nothing special, I mean that I don't go out of my way to obtain special signed editions or anything like that. I simply acquire and keep lots of books.
Collecting books "is a big pat on the back"...what the hell did he mean by that? Special? Weird.....no friends? Personally I do not loan books...there are those rare occasions. I have to know that person will take good care of it.
My Stbx and I owned an expensive collection of art books, some rare, like a Hokusai. The Hokusai was worth over $1000. We also owned a bunch of philosophy and graphics books. We sold the books to a dealer when we split. I personally own tons of cookbooks and fiber art books.
I love cookbooks. I have a few. My very first cookbook was Fannie Farmer Baking Book. Mine is the Twelfth Edition and I believe it was published in 1979. I still have it after all these years. I got a great recipe for meatballs out of it and have made it my own over the years.
We just moved to a huge apartment (1750 sq. feet) in an apartment building we bought. I said earlier we would get 100 inches of floor to ceiling bookcases... Well, it is 250 inches floor to ceiling bookcases and books. ALL of my collection is out of storage and when putting it on my new shelves, it became clear I needed more space - lots more space - so we made another trip to Ikea today for more shelves and a library ladder. I am in heaven. I find myself just sitting and looking at my books. I'd post some pictures but don't know how on this site. My fine leatherbound are all mixed up with paperbacks and "regular" hardbacks. It looks FINE... I may put all my fine print and signed firsts together at some point but for now, I like the look of them all mixed together. Before this move, my books were crowding us out of our apartment! Now I am hoping to be able to mostly fill my shelves. I will be able to collect for a long time without worrying about having enough room. YAY
I am a keeper of books too. Unless they were really bad and then I will swap them at the book exchange. I have more fun swapping my mum's books though as I have no bond with them hehe!
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My dad is the same way, most people won't respect the book and they throw it around ,bend pages, lay it open, ack.. book abuse.. but the dude I argued with, I have no clue what was wrong with him.. not keeping ANY books, that's just odd.
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no I dont use my name there, too many freaks lol
Yesterday I finished my library, for the time being. There are going to be alterations made, as I will obviously be buying more books. Plus, as I am unemployed at the moment, we didn't have the money for super nice stuff, so this is a mishmash of stuff we had for shelves, and affordable stuff we could buy. I'm going to start a thread for others to post their pics of their reading areas, and I will post pics there.
@Kasia, what I meant was,what is Huffingtonpost?
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Oh it's a website , mostly politics but w sections fr books and entertainment, blogs, food etc
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Lots of arguing going on of course lol
2 things I avoid like the plague, politics and religion!
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You are spot on my friend!
Huffingtonpost is a website for lefties. Oh, I do collect cookbooks. I especially love to go to thrift stores and library book sales and get those thin promotional recipe pamphlets from decades ago that were put out by food companies. They're quaint and fun to look through.
I also like to collect old folk wisdom books or books describing how foods were made back in the good old days.
I woudlnt know a leftie from a rightie-totally ignorant of politics!
Well, lefties gather at Huffingtonpost.com and righties gather at Rushlimbaugh.com.
I love my books so much. I like to find books which have inscriptions in them....like taking a look at the history of the book. Right now my books are on shelves, but in no order. We just had to get them put up so my husband could work on the aquarium. Now that the aquarium is almost built, I am going to finish my list of books in excel and organize them on the shelves....The shelves hang on our living room wall...they surround The Constitution and The Declaration of Independence. We have three large frames holding copies of that.
We have book cases in every room-- even the bathrooms. That's why getting e-readers was a godsend. Of course we immediately started collecting for those too :-). For those with e-readers, you can get hundreds of free titles of public domaine works (all genres) at http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/score...
jennybunny - that sounds cool. I'd love to see an image of it. I am a bit sappy about the constitution and declaration also. Does anyone know how to post images on here? It would be fun to share images of our book shelfs...
Well as soon as I get my books sorted I would be happy to post picture. Right now they look atrocious. LoL
Debra to post pics you need to host them somewhere like photobucket or flickr and copy the link that ends in .jpg. Then insert it inside tags like this<*img src=www.url_of_pic.jpg> removing the* (I have to put a * in so you can see the tag)
As an example I shall post this sites logo
Which looks like this
<*Img src=http://www.goodreads.com/images/layou...
Tressa wrote: "I also like to collect old folk wisdom books or books describing how foods were made back in the good old days. "Same here, I've got quite a few of how many things were done before electronics. It's my way of balancing things out since I'm always drowning in some high-tech cutting edge technology.
Sometimes I wish I lived in caveman days. Yeah, it was a perilous existence and I'd probably live to age 30 if lucky, but the simplicity is alluring to me.
I don't think I'd want to go quite that far back.
Horror Aficionados
Books mentioned in this topic
Night Shift (other topics)Daybreak 2250 A.D. (Star Man's Son) (other topics)
The Fannie Farmer Baking Book (other topics)
Deathbird Stories (other topics)
A Winter Haunting (other topics)
