A bookseller takes you behind the scenes of book collecting

I’ve been a collector of books (and a few other things) for almost 25 years. I spent most of these years as a bookseller—first as a bookstore owner and later as a manager. My love of books has kept me connected to the book industry. Being in the trade has been very beneficial to my collection, although my wife does complain (just a little) every time I bring home more new additions for it. My collection is unique, as I only collect titles I have read and liked, plus any other similar or related items of interest. Like my tattered, signed first edition of In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote, most of the collection is autographed—either by the author or the editor, and in a few cases by the person the book is written about.

As my reading habits have changed over the years, so has my collection. At first, it was mainly stocked with science fiction and fantasy titles. Slan, by A. E. Van Vogt, and Have Space Suit, Will Travel, by Robert Heinlein, were among my first acquisitions. But like anything else, times and interests change. I’m currently going through a mystery phase, with fairly recent additions like Flood, Strega, and Blue Bell, by Andrew Vachss; The Black Echo, by Michael Connelly; and A Thief Of Time and The Blessing Way, by Tony Hillerman. I’ve also been nurturing a nonfiction phase, with titles like The Executioners Song, by Norman Mailer, and Chuck Amuck, by Chuck Jones, making the cut.

My collection really took off during the mid 1990s, as modern firsts were all the rage and I had developed a good eye towards purchasing the right titles for my customers. As that part of the business grew, so did my purchasing, both for the store and for my own shelves.

One of the more pleasant aspects about owning a bookstore is that customers are always letting you know about the great book they just read. When I noticed a trend (either from brisk sales or if many customers were recommending it), I’d make the effort to read that title to see what all the fuss was about. Most often, the book was OK, but every once in a while, a real treasure was identified in this fashion and then added to my collection. For instance, The Red Dragon, by Thomas Harris, was a huge customer favorite, and after reading it, I worked hard to locate and purchase every first edition copy that could be found. The book was a huge success (as were both versions of the film), plus, because it took the author ten years to release a sequel, he really helped it to keep its collectible status intact. I’ve yet to meet Mr. Harris in person, so I do not own a signed copy, but I still have one put away, just in case he comes around. Other customer favorites that also made the collection include Aztec, by Gary Jennings, Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card, and The Stand, by Stephen King. All four are great reads and are on my personal top-ten best books list*.

I also do not limit the collection to first editions or signed books, as I have many odd editions and/or later printings that are treasured additions, usually because of a personal reason or connection to the work. Most of these will have little to no value to anyone but me, which is just fine. An example would be the Dr. Seuss books I have collected over the years, as none of them are true first editions, nor are any signed by the author. Titles like Horton Hears a Who and Green Eggs and Ham are not only considered classics but are great fun to have around—plus they also make excellent gifts. Another title that I’ve come across and have purchased multiple copies of is Walter the Farting Dog, by William Kotzwinkle, Glenn Murray, and Elizabeth Gundy. This wonderfully illustrated book takes a slightly off-color topic and makes it into an exciting and heartwarming story for children. I’ve gifted around seven or eight copies so far and will continue to do so, whenever the opportunity presents itself.

If you are looking to start your own collection, make sure to have the right mindset going in. If you want to collect for strictly monetary reasons, you should be very careful about what you buy. Try to make sure that whatever you do purchase will still be a sought-after title in five, ten, or even 20 years. This is an extremely tough thing to do, and I know this from my own experiences. Chances are that if you really like something, there will be hundreds, if not thousands, of other people who will also feel the same way. The problem is that there are many circumstances that need to all come into alignment before a book can become considered collectible, and really enjoying it is usually only the first step. I could attempt to divulge all of my own theories and practices about collecting for profit here, but would need far more time and space, as it is a topic all unto itself.

If, on the other hand, you collect what you love, you will have none of these problems, speculations, or worries. You will be free to add, cull, give away, and/or replace any item inside of your collection at any time.

As a bookseller, I have seen some amazing collections over the years. One woman took me to her house to see her collection of blue books. Every book she collected had a blue cover. She loved to read, but more importantly, she loved to read and collect blue books. Another customer had the most incredible collection of reference books I had ever seen (more than 7,000 titles in all). Included in this collection was the world’s smallest printed edition of Webster’s Dictionary (which measured one square-inch and was impossible to read without a magnifying glass).

My all-time favorite, though, was a finicky little man who had amassed the largest collection of cookbooks I have ever seen. When I first saw this collection back in 1999, I estimated that it was close to 20,000 titles and growing. The funniest part about it was that he absolutely refused to do any cooking; he ate all his meals out. The collection had originally belonged to his mother (and to her mother before that), so he was doing his part to keep the tradition alive. He managed to purchase at least one new cookbook a week (sometimes more), plus he was already involving his niece in any decisions made concerning the collection, as she would be the next member of their family to take it over. In my humble opinion, this is what collecting should be about: passing the love of books and of reading from one generation to the next.

No matter how big or small your collection might be, I encourage you to continue adding to it whenever possible. It’s tough to explain to anyone (even to myself) the reasoning behind the madness, but in the end, I know it brings some serenity to my life that I really enjoy. It’s kind of like having comfort food for your brain. Just make sure to keep feeding your brain and you will be a happy collector!

*Just for the heck of it, I’ve included my personal top-ten list (in no particular order), if only to see whether I can stir up any debates!

• The Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs, by Thomas Harris: I actually consider these two books to be one big story. Try to forget that he wrote a third and is under contract to submit a fourth book to the series.
• Stranger in a Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein: It is a little dated but still a great read. Give it a try and then let me know if you grokked it. [Editor’s note: Jay’s post just helped me to learn that Heinlein coined the term “grok.” Maybe this is a revelation to you too?]
• Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk: It’s at least 60 times better than the movie. Ok, maybe 100 times better.
• Aztec, by Gary Jennings: I’ve read this book three times over the last 20 years and will do so again soon. It’s a long one, so make sure to set aside some time. I’m glad that no one has tried to make a movie of it yet.
• The Stand, by Stephen King: This is King’s best piece of long fiction. He is also a fabulous short-story writer, so feel free to give Night Shift a try as well.
• Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card: This is heavy science fiction but a great read because the author has created a unique story, which includes a surprise ending for both the reader and the main character!
• The Stranger beside Me, by Ann Rule: This is one of the best (and creepiest) true-crime stories ever written. Turns out that the author and Ted Bundy had worked together around the time he went off on his killing spree.
• Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris: This may be one of the funniest books I’ve ever read, although I had to read it in stages as I kept losing my place while laughing.
• The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody, by Will Cuppy: History buffs will love this book, as it sends up some of the greatest people who ever lived. The chapter on Cleopatra alone makes it a true treasure.
• Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot, by John Callahan: This is the autobiography of the quadriplegic cartoonist. It will make you both laugh and cry—but mostly laugh, as his sense of humor is unique and quite sick.