My Four Book Collections

Do you collect books? I do and, for the most part, I think we all do in some form or another. I’ve seen a few people post discussions about others criticizing those who collect…but, really, who doesn’t? What is so wrong with having multiple copies of one book (fyi, it’s my money, my shelf space, and no one should be concerned with what I put in my surroundings). That’s my two-cents.

But this isn’t about whether we should collect books. This is a post saying heck yes, I collect, and let me show you my books.

My collections are pretty small because I just started most of these. So, I have 4 main collections (baby ones, and bigger ones) that I’ve been working on. This is in order from smallest to biggest (not including any non-book related items I have, that’s another post):

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA

I don’t really know how this one started. It just did. My dad got me the huge movie tie-in edition when I was younger, but I never read it. I’ve since gotten rid of it (because let’s face it, movie tie-ins aren’t pretty). Yet, now, when I see editions of these books at swap meets or used bookstores, I buy them. Right now, this is a smaller collection, I only have 2 editions. One is an old Scholastic edition that was my husbands when he was younger. The other is my little pride and joy because I love the artwork: a complete 1970’s box set in publication order with artwork by Roger Hane. I just love it so much – I found it at a swap meet!

 (image from google)

PETER RABBIT

This one is for my husband. My mother-in-law found the original set she used to read to him and give it to us (it’s not that old, only from the 80’s). Then, we bought the pretty Barnes & Noble edition. We’ll probably end up buying more throughout the years because of the sentiment, but for now, I love this mini collection.

*Not my image (image source) but this is the edition we have

KING ARTHUR

Again, my husband started this one (I’m starting to think he’s the real collector and I’m just trying to claim these as my own, I mean seriously). Anyways, I haven’t read King Arthur and I’m actually not too familiar with the story behind him (shameful), so this one I’m giving 100% credit to my husband.

We have a few books about King Arthur, like The Once and Future King (which he got me and I still haven’t read…it’s so daunting!). However, our baby in this collection is the Easton Press’s limited edition set. It’s 4 books, has art by Howard Pyle including the image on the spines depicting the White Champion meeting two knights, and all sorts of fancy features that I couldn’t even begin to list. For me, they look pretty on the shelf, for my husband, he loves the story.

(images from Easton Press)

J.R.R. TOLKIEN

Alright, here’s my real collection. I’m still building this one. There are so many editions of his books that I want that will probably have to buy an entire bookcase and dedicate it to him before I die.  We have several editions of the main works, including that super pretty leather set from Barnes & Noble (which, by the way, looks way bigger in photos, but it’s so tiny I’ll never be able to read it). We have the mass paperback editions, movie tie-in editions, hardcover cloth editions (I really tried to find online but can’t find them anywhere). We have the Shaping of Middle Earth and various other about Middle Earth books.

Though, of course, we have a baby in this collection too. The Easton Press Tolkien’s Classics 5-book set. It comes with The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, and The Silmarillion. There is artwork and fold-out maps in each one. They’re so beautiful, I never want to open them (but my husband made me promise I would read these ones…we’ll see).

(images from Easton Press)

COLLECTIONS I WANT TO START

1. Game of Thrones – There are so many beautiful editions out there, I need them!
2. Penguin Drop Caps – Thanks to Ali from The Bandar Blog because they are so pretty!
3. Shadow and Bone – Have you seen the new one coming out?
4. Penguin Classics
5. Alice in Wonderland – I’m actually not a fan of the book, but I love some editions that are out there. I have one, a 1940’s cloth cover illustrated edition

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As you can see, my collections are much smaller compared to others, but I know it will continue to grow. Do you have any collections? Do you want to start collections?