Enjoyed this, both the wistfulness about those mostly out-of-reach collectors' editions, and the memories that seeing a book can summon up about its provenance--I bought this one in that bookstore back in grad school, came across that one in a library book sale, another that was given away when old so-and-so was culling his collection. I'm not a collector, but I do have a few neat things I've been unable to resist acquiring: some early editions of Jeremias Gotthelf (a favorite of mine), a few books from Peter Berger's library, an old edition of Peter Rosegger that came from the library of the House of Wittelsbach in Bavaria. So many memories bound up with particular books as specific physical objects.
I'm a terrible collector! I fall for old things, but I am incapable of taking care of them. I often find some precious discovery that I have allowed to be crushed by a haphazard pile of other cumulous. When I was a child I felt guilty for not attending to my dolls; I realize I now feel this way about my books. I fear the piles are a metaphor for my mind …
Just wanted to say I'm a fan of your book "The Gutenberg Elegies," and I like how this essay brought me back to the tactility and joy of book ownership I got from that book!
Enjoyed this, both the wistfulness about those mostly out-of-reach collectors' editions, and the memories that seeing a book can summon up about its provenance--I bought this one in that bookstore back in grad school, came across that one in a library book sale, another that was given away when old so-and-so was culling his collection. I'm not a collector, but I do have a few neat things I've been unable to resist acquiring: some early editions of Jeremias Gotthelf (a favorite of mine), a few books from Peter Berger's library, an old edition of Peter Rosegger that came from the library of the House of Wittelsbach in Bavaria. So many memories bound up with particular books as specific physical objects.
I'm a terrible collector! I fall for old things, but I am incapable of taking care of them. I often find some precious discovery that I have allowed to be crushed by a haphazard pile of other cumulous. When I was a child I felt guilty for not attending to my dolls; I realize I now feel this way about my books. I fear the piles are a metaphor for my mind …
If it reassures you, I also have far too many piles!
Just wanted to say I'm a fan of your book "The Gutenberg Elegies," and I like how this essay brought me back to the tactility and joy of book ownership I got from that book!