The Simple Joys of Book Collecting

I am an avid book man with limited financial resources to support my hobby. Yet, it does not stop me from constantly seeking books of all types, genres, shapes, even condition. Having written about my father's influence and my early love for particular authors' books, I won't expend much more energy on the past. Just know that I have moved from being a reader and collector of paperbacks to being more interested in hardback books.

I find myself walking into antique stores, pawn shops, even garage sales with the hope of finding that special book treasure that I must own (a misnomer since one can never truly own a book; rather, we are more likely caretakers of the books). The greatest pleasure for me is entering a used book store, many of which are dark, a little dusty, odorous, cluttered, unorganized (to be fair, it is nearly an impossible task to make a book store ordered), and start examining titles. Each store seems to emphasize a particular genre or type of book, most likely according to the interests of the owner. I enjoy the search, the quest, the exploration, the sense of adventure that accompanies my visits to bookstores. My pulse quickens when I think I see something I must have, and I relish the getting on the floor, pulling books out of the way so I can see the books behind the books that may have been hidden for years.

I love opening a book hoping to find a 1st edition, maybe even signed by the author! Or seeing a book I have never seen and learning something about it, its history, its writing style, its organization, and mostly its personality. For, you see, each book has a kind of personal distinction: from the binding, to the title page, to the publisher's information, to the table of contents, and finally the prose or narrative. Is it 1st person or 3rd person? Does it cover a short period of time or does it change time periods frequently? Is it factual or fiction or maybe a little of both (I am beginning to believe that even the boldest fiction cannot be entirely removed from reality or fact). All these factors and more make each book, no matter how insignificant, special with its own character and qualities.

And reading remains an important part of my life in that I cannot recall a time when I was not reading several books at once usually with one in particular that captured most of my attention. Couple this devotion to reading with my tendency to get immersed in one particular author and suddenly I find myself committed to acquiring every book by certain authors. And there I was driving through a city out of state, looking for bookstores when I stopped and visited a dark, rather musty bookstore in a bad part of town. After a quick look to get the "lay of the land," I began my closer inspection of the contents. I found a few books that had to be in my collection, but nothing really substantial. Finally, out of time, but wanting to do one more quick look, I moved several books out of the way and found a treasure. It was a 1st edition, 1st printing of a book in mint condition. The owner wanted $83 for it which I was happy to give knowing the book was worth close to $500.

I left happy with my find, feeling as though I had explored, conquered, and somehow improved my lot and my territory! All rather silly emotions to a non-book person, but those who love books will understand the feeling. Onward to future books, more reading, and more dedication to the search. Ah, the simple joys of life.