Fellow readers, I have a dirty little secret to admit to you today, and I wonder how many of you out there suffer from the same...well, addiction. What is this horrible malady, this shameful weakness of which I speak? I think the best, most descriptive title I can give it is Luxuriating. Book Luxuriating, to be exact, and while it's not illegal or anything, it can certainly be hard on both your wallet and your available shelf space. Yes, folks, I confess that I sometimes buy another copy of a book that I already own, because some other publisher has released their own edition of it with a gorgeous new cover, or additional appendices--what video afficianados call "better special features"--or has restored the original illustrations. The list of reasons can be never-ending, really. Let me give you an example of a book that I have not yet begun Luxuriating in, but am considering it very seriously. (Obviously, if these books are being simultaneously released by multiple publishers, we know we're dealing with classics, books for which the original publishing copyright has expired.) Exhibit A:Jane Eyre
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| Collector's Library Edition This is the one I currently own. |
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| Everyman's Library Edition This is the current movie tie-in, as well. |
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| Penguin Hardback Classics Edition This whole series is so gorgeous, and very reasonably priced if bought one or two at a time. My secret ambition is to someday own them all. |
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| Penguin Drop Caps Edition To further torment me, Penguin is just getting ready to release the first few volumes of this new, elegant series as well. |
You see my predicament? If you're thinking that it doesn't get much more "First World Problem" than this, you're absolutely right, and it is that very realization that makes this a problem. It engenders guilt, you see; I mean, I don't really NEED all these different editions of one book, now do I? What's a bibliomaniac to do? Honestly, it's a fun problem to have, but I'd still be interested in hearing how all of you handle the issue, if you've come up with some creative solutions to the problem of Book Luxuriating.
I am far too cheap to spend money on extra editions, tempting though they are. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right, of course; it's hardly sound fiscal policy! I admit it--I'm weak sometimes. :)
DeleteI never buy second editions. The only time I've ever contemplated doing so is with The Lord of the Rings. My copy is giant sized encompassing the entire trilogy, and I have sometimes wondered if I wouldn't like to have them singly as well, making it easier to carry them around and read them as and when I want to without worrying about the size and weight.
ReplyDeleteI had that exact same issue, and I did go ahead and buy the separate volumes--it just made reading them SO much easier!
DeleteYou must look at duplicating ownership of the same book as you might any other obsession. Tempt yourself with another book instead, or don't take your purse to the book story or let someone else control your income. It must be stopped! STOP! :)
ReplyDeleteYou say that like my obsession is a BAD thing! :D
DeleteMy copy of Jane Eyre is a 1943 Random House edition, that probably originated at my grandparents. I love that book.
ReplyDeleteFamily heirlooms are the best kind of books, of course. I have some of my grandmother's textbooks from when she was in junior high--individual Shakespeare plays and some novels by James Fennimore Cooper.
DeleteI feel you. I really do. I see all these beautiful additions (PS I LOVE the penguin addition third from top) and just want to snatch them all up just to be surrounded with beautiful books.
ReplyDeleteHere is how I cope: I'm broke. No money=no books. Maybe that will change someday when I'm an award winning author (manic laughter), but until then I'll just be the dweeb in the bookstore who's JUST LOOKING.
Happy IWSG Wednesday!
Yep, I'm right there with you. It's probably just as well for me never to write a best-selling novel--how wasteful would it be to spend ALL that money on just buying more books?!
DeleteI don't buy multiple editions, but I do have over 300 TBR books on my Kindle. Yikes! You don't want to see my Amazon bill. hahaha
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the club! :)
Melissa - science geek and writer.
Hi, Melissa. Maybe the best thing about e-readers is that there's no such problems with e-books--no flashy covers with gilt edging and full-color illustrations. You buy the text of the book, and that's it.
DeleteOMG, I think we're related! I have the same problem! I drag my DH to every bookstore across the country looking for oldies but goodies. Found a wonderful copy of War & Peace once in a thrift shop. Snared a pristine copy of Christmas Carol published in the late 1890s!
ReplyDeleteI'm a new follower, who's happy to meet you.
Hurray! New followers make my day!
DeleteI do love looking at all of those covers. I believe if it were a favorite of mine, I'd do it, and then, hide it. I have to be very careful (and sly) when it comes to purchasing new books in our house. The word obsession doesn't even touch my condition! Hopping over from IWSG. :)
ReplyDeleteGood to know I'm not the only one who has a really bad case of this condition!
DeleteI don't think there's anything wrong with collecting multiple editions of a favorite book. I do it myself with Jane Eyre. I have three of the four you have pictured plus a few paperbacks with covers I love. It's a book I reread often, so eventually I will have read out of each of them. I don't hide them because I like looking at them. It's not any different than any other collection...some people collect teapots or postage stamps or figurines of something they love. I found a couple of blogs where people are talking about their collections of different books. I just posted on this one about Jane Eyre http://justjillsblog.wordpress.com/2011/07/09/more-jane-eyre/
ReplyDeleteSo I say have fun!
I don't see my comment here yet but I just realized it may have sounded like that blog I linked to, about a Jane Eyre collection, is mine...it's not, but I would love a collection like that, if I only had the shelf space!!
ReplyDelete