[werewolfv2]

The thread about how to tell 1st editions got me wondering.

How many of you collect for the sole purpose of have a collection of books you like (and can chat about) and how many of you collect with the intent of having books that are potentially worth $$ someday?

Myself I don't really care if my books go up in value, I just like being able to say that I have them.


........and then in the dark of night caress them with a lovers touch and giggle perversely.... :eek:

[cheese]

I just like having books...I really dont care if their first edition and what their value is because im never going to end up selling them. I will take them to the grave ;) ...I like looking at my collection..Buying books is a addiction.

[Severn]

I don't give a toss about whether they're worth money or not. To me my books are worth a lot in emotional currency - I have a very loving relationship with them.

I collect them because I want to, and my life is enriched and fulfilled by reading, as it always has been. This is why I belong to a site like this and get excited over posts like these, and also have a ridiculous-sized to-read pile. :)

Occasionally I go and just....look....at them. Erm, I actually have dreams about my to-read pile. I dreamed the other night that it came crashing down and landed on my boyfriend's head - hm, the symbolism I've read into that is rather interesting. I also dreamed once that I was anchored at the edge of a vast sea by a tiny thread to my towering bookshelf. You can see what a scary individual I really am from that yes? Hehe.

[Kirby]

I know that some of the books I own are first editions, usually artwork based, and usually pre-1970's - I bought them for their contents though, more than their "rarity". I have only ever tracked down one first edition (on ebay) because that was the only print ever made of it, and I couldn't buy it commercially. ("Of Muppets and Men" by Christopher Finch).
But I am not a specific collector of first editions, and the ones I do have were not bought with an eye to their value as a monetary "investment".
(Although I sometimes wonder what the value of my (inherited) first edition Doc' Seusses are - and no, I'm not selling! ;) )

[tracyt1800]

I've always wanted a personal library ... a personal library full of books that I read. I've never considered selling any. I seriously doubt, though, that I have any worth more than they'd fetch at the used book store.

Well, I do have five that have been autographed by the authors. None of those authors are famous at the moment, but if they ever are, maybe I'll have some books that are worth more than the cover price. However, I doubt I'd sell those.

[cgw]

I also love just having the books. Whether fiction or technical books for my business. I have been collection certain scifi and fantasy books lately (along with some other literature).
I have this fantasy of people coming into my house and being impressed with the books in my living room bookcase ("Nice book collection. Aren't those books all Hugo winners?").
Number of people that have come to my house so far that even know what the Hugo is - zero.

[werewolfv2]

Number of people that have come to my house so far that even know what the Hugo is - zero.

number of people that have come to my house that like fantasy/sci-fi = zero

I get the crowd that seems to think fantasy is a class of reading for junior high... I try to explain to them that yes, some fantasy is like that just like any other literature...but their eyes start to glaze over.

[magze]

I collect because I love books,they're mine value doesn't come in to it...I have hardbacks and paperbacks all as precious as each other.I do have books that are valuable but that does'nt come into...I'd never part with them any way

[Bond]

I get the crowd that seems to think fantasy is a class of reading for junior high... I try to explain to them that yes, some fantasy is like that just like any other literature...but their eyes start to glaze over.
After hearing of the statistics regarding reading one is probably justified in being sceptical with such expressed attitudes. It would be interesting to know what they read. Chances are they haven't really read anything. From my experience people who read a lot when they were young and continue today to read as adults have an appreciation for a wide range of books. Those who have only picked up reading when they were older and those who do not read at all are those that are likely to have popular prejudices towards fantasy because they simply aren't familiar with it.

[Severn]

number of people that have come to my house that like fantasy/sci-fi = zero.

Heh. Luckily the majority of my friends are either fantasy/contemporary fiction fans (the two types of books I am most interested in and therefore own the most of); the flipside of that is that I lend them out a lot (Kirby, who replied earlier, has quite a few of mine sprawled around her house :D ) and I get just a wee bit nervous and protective. I have a 'library list' so I know who's got what and when they borrowed it. The only rule is that no one gets anything on the to-read pile until I've read it...

Friends came over yesterday. A married couple of whom the male part has read only David Eddings and Jordan. I have an inner nervous tic - oh the conversion potential versus oh-god-I-don't-want-to-let-my-babies-off-the-shelf-and-into-the-big-bad-world.

K