Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Upgrading








I'm sure I'm not the only one who does this, but I take a certain sort of weird delight in "upgrading" my books. By upgrading, I mean finding and buying a better copy of a book I already have. Yesterday I found a very nice first edition hardcover copy of Jeffrey Ford's The Portrait of Mrs. Charbuque, which will replace my old ex-library copy. I also found a first edition hardcover of Steven Millhauser's In the Penny Arcade. (Only to find when I got home that it's got a remainder mark along the bottom edge.) My other copy is a trade paperback.

Will I keep my old copies of these books? Well...yeah.... I'd like a nice copy of the Ford because it's a book I really like and maybe I can get Jeff to sign it the next time I see him. And it's nice to have the other as a reading copy. The Millhauser? I haven't even read the thing! But from what I've heard, I'll probably like it. So there.

I know. I understand that concepts of space and time are limited. If I owned a reading copy and a "collector's" copy of every book I own, I'd have to buy another house (or two). And with all the books I have (and I sure as heck keep getting more of 'em), I'll probably never read them all. Plus, when I have gone the way of all flesh, what's going to happen to my precious "collector's" first editions (as well as the "reading" copies)? I've heard that you can't take this stuff with you. Man... That sure presents a problem.

2 comments:

John said...

I've upgraded my copy of The Winter King three times (this last time thanks to you). I went from a used trade paperback (bought at Half-Price Books) to a new trade paperback to a 1st edition U.S hardcover. I've also upgraded the Iliad, The Lord of the Rings and The Sound and the Fury (Norton Critical Edition) all at least once. Unless I have made or intend to make annotations in the old copies, they go to friends or the library.

Andy Wolverton said...

My pleasure to help with your upgrade.

I also use less desirable copies for notes/study...at least that's often my intention.

There are also a few titles that I pick up whenever I see them - not like Mel Gibson with Catcher in the Rye in Conspiracy Theory, but to give away. Some of my favorites to buy and give away:

Sarah Canary - Karen Joy Fowler, because I love the book and think everyone should read at least one book by KJF.

Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis because it's such a beautiful book.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott for people I've led in DC Writer's Way workshops.