Signs of Collector's Fever

It is horrifying to admit to any duplicate books in a collection other than study copies and pristine copies, or personal copies and loaner copies.  However, I have discovered the following duplicates in my library and it does say something about me and the library I keep:

Daisy Miller, Washington Square, Portrait of a Lady, Mrs. Dalloway's Party, Kew Gardens, (oh, here's a mortifying one) Flush, The Sea and Poison, Kokoro, Some Prefer Nettles (this is explained by the fact that my original is falling to pieces).

And that's only the start, I'm afraid.  I think I shall leave off plowing through the newly opened room for the evening to give myself respite and breathing space to recover from a surfeit of nearly everything.

Comments

  1. FredFebruary 5, 2010 at 12:32 AM

    Why is it "horrifying" to find duplicate books in one's collection?

    I do that regularly, and I certainly am not horrified by the discovery. It's just one more to put in the trade box and get credit so I can get a different book, and what's neat about it is that I still have the book.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnthonyFebruary 5, 2010 at 1:50 AM

    My library frequently comprises multiple copies of those books I upgrade until I get to Fine/Fine, 1st Ed., 1st Printing. If the downgraded editions have sentimental associations, I can find it difficult to sell them. I also use good quality copies as gifts, so it is good to have some stock.

    ReplyDelete
  3. StevenFebruary 5, 2010 at 7:23 AM

    Dear Fred,

    I have a horror of spending money on what I've already purchased. But you have pointed out an upside to the horror. So I've moved from "Heart of Darkness" to the bright side of H. P. Lovecraft. Upside, I can assume that no elder ones are lurking in the shadows for me. :-)

    Dear Anthony,

    Would that it were from such a motive. I left those off the list. I have, for example 8 copies of Ulysses, all of which have an association for me--one largely uncut Shakespeare and Company edition (I don't know if it is a first), down to the most current mark it up copy. Similarly with almost everything by Virginia Woolf, with the soon to be exceptions of "Freshwater" and _Flush_ both of which I own two copies of by mistake.

    But most of what I've listed is merely material that I've bought twice--and when I think about how many others there are that I want to buy--ah well.

    shalom,

    Steven

    ReplyDelete
  4. FredFebruary 10, 2010 at 4:24 PM

    Steven,

    I'm not sure that moving from _Heart of Darkness_ to the bright side of HP Lovecraft is much of an improvement.

    ReplyDelete
  5. StevenFebruary 10, 2010 at 7:54 PM

    Dear Fred,

    But it is a move in the right direction from modernist alienated existential terror straight into the realm of eldritch dread--you have to admit, a real step up.

    shalom,

    Steven

    ReplyDelete
  6. FredFebruary 11, 2010 at 10:34 AM

    Well, if one looks at it in that light, then I would have to agree.

    ReplyDelete

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