For no other reason than it brings me great joy, I present you some book porn today: My copies of the L. Sprague de Camp edited four volume sword-and-sorcery series, published by Pyramid (last volume Putnam) between 1963-1971. Classics of the subgenre.
I'm not a collector. I don't particularly value items that are inherently collectable (i.e., rare, highly coveted, mint condition, bagged and as unhandled as possible). I don't care if the books I have are in excellent condition or are worn readers' copies, though obviously given a choice I would prefer the former. I am a man of utility. I buy books for what they contain, in order to read them, enjoy them, and occasionally write about them here and elsewhere.
That said I am a completist. Not owning a particular volume in a series gnaws at me until I can track it down and add it to the shelf, with a sigh of relief. I've got a few holes that I'm working to fill.
I'm also a lover of print. Outside of a couple digital subscriptions to new publications, I far prefer books over e-pubs/Kindle and the like. I love books for their artwork, their feel, the smell (creepy?), and being able to cast my gaze across a full bookshelf or three, and get lost in the titles and the thought of what I will read next.
I'll do more of these posts
Wonderful covers by Finlay, Gaughan, Steranko. Favorite cover = The Spell of Seven. |
in the coming days. I won't always have anything to say. The pictures will mostly do the talking.
4 comments:
Nice. I have a different cover on my SPELL OF SEVEN but it is still a Pyramid.
My books are so disorganized now I need to figure out if I own the rest of these or not :D
All my books are lovingly organized on my bookshelves at left, to gaze at... my precious.
Those are quite lovely.
I pick up copies of these any time I find them. Great books.
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