[Mithfânion]

What are your most prized books?

One thing that's always important to me (perhaps irrational) is the feel of the book. It's one of the reasons I prefer trade paperback over mass market PB. I save hardcovers for the works I value the most, and of course, financial reasons.

A couple of books stand out for me.

First would be my beige hardback copy of Gibbon's Decline and fall of the Roman Empire, a birthday present of great costs. Smells like no other book and looks terrific.

Second would be the green Hardcover of the Lord of the Rings, with the Grey pilgrim on the cover.

Third would be my Merlin trilogy allin-one volume. Fourth the Riddle-Master trade paperback (again, all-in-one )

Two other books that have the perfect feel: The Summer tree by Kay and all of the Sharon Penman books published by Ballantine, trade paperbacks.

Anyone else have some classics, in terms of looks and feel? Or is it of no importance to you?




[This message has been edited by Mithfânion (edited February 07, 2002).]

[Slog22]

I really like my hardcover editions of LOTR. It's in excellent condition and I plan to keep it that way.

I am also a a big fan of my Book of the New Sun editions. I have the Shadow & Claw / Sword & Citadel editions and I just think they are excellent looking books.

Also a very old hardcover edition of Dune that isn't in great shape, but that's part of its mythos!

[SusF]

My leather bound volume of the first five Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books.

Also I recently found a leather bound, illustrated volume of the Three Musketeers.

My second editon Tolkien's Lord of the Rings hardbacks.

Susan

[Rob B]

Donald M. Grant Hardcover boxed set of first 3 SK Dark Tower books which includes
3rd printing of The Gunslinger
2nd printing of The Drawing of the Three
1st printing of The Waste Lands
and to go with them a 1st printing of Wizard and Glass

My Memory, Sorrow and Thorn 1st edition Hardcovers

Signed Advanced Reader Copy of John Marco's The Eyes of God

[LeMort]

I've got the limited collectors editions of The History of Middle Earth.

It comes in three volumes, each one costing around ninety pounds.

The books are printed on fine Indian Silk paper, leather bound, and are embossed with gold upon the cover and spine. The page edges are gilt with gold too.

Lovely!

[Loaba]

I have in my possesion a very beat up hard back edition of LoTR. Unfortunately my book has come unbound http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/frown.gif

When it was new it was absolutley stunning. All the illustrations are beautiful and the jacket had gold edges with Elven runes.

This edition contains all 3 books and a complete apendix section, showing a time line of events concerning the War of The Ring and various family trees, ect.

Loaba

[Mithfânion]

Fitz, that's an interesting mention of M,S &T because I was thinking of buying them in hardback, since it seems like something I would enjoy very much. In fact I'm delaying reading it all the time. I can't find pictures of the covers anywhere though, are they the same as the paperback covers?

[Rob B]

They are the same, at least for the US versions.

[Mithfânion]

Sus, that leather bound edition of the HH guide, could you give me the ISBN? I can't track it down anywhere.

[saintjon]

Well, my Lord of the Rings books are paperbacks, quite beat up by now but I still prize them. I don't harp about the series much in this forum but it changed my life and the story is cherished above all others. Narnia got me started on fantasy and the Rings hooked me for life.