If you’ve noticed that I’m posting a day later than usual, you’re absolutely right. I held off until today to call special attention to my topic—collecting books—because tonight’s episode of Collector’s Call takes us into the home of a collector of rare volumes.

However, you don’t have to amass a library’s worth of pricey first editions to have a respectable collections of books. Anyone can put together a fine personal library of works that they find valuable.

The most obvious value that works of non-fiction have lies in the information that most of them bestow. Whether you’re one to peruse cookbooks, business guides, or commentaries on current events, you can find hundreds, if not thousands, of titles on your area of interest that inform, educate, and even enlighten you. You can collect books about current research in science, health, and politics just as easily as you can pick up titles that cover historical events, ancient peoples, and prehistoric places.

If you’d rather simply have a good read, especially while on vacation, works of fiction are particularly easy to amass since we often seem to have our favorite authors and enjoy possessing all of their novels. Perhaps you read Tom Clancy or Jan Karon. If so, you can easily collect their works. Maybe you fancy J.R.R. Tolkien or J.K. Rowling and their storytelling abilities. Again, you’ll have choices for your shelves.

Another way to surround yourself by riveting stories is to collect literature. You can collect the classics, old and new, whether you’re drawn to Greek tragedies or Renaissance drama, Shakespearean sonnets or Romantic poetry, or British or American novels of the 19th and 20th centuries, respectively.

Of course, most fiction and non-fiction today are usually heavy on the text and light on the artwork and presumes that we’re primarily interested in the written contents, which makes me wonder why stories aren’t illustrated for adults. Who decided that adult readers don’t like visuals as much as children? Case in point: Two of the best examples of illustrated works are children’s books that include art by Tasha Tudor and Beatrix Potter. Contemporary children’s books can also have enchanting illustrations that appeal to us adults, too.

Of course, coffee table books, too, are known for their visuals, which are often stunning photographs. Our cocktail table, as my parents called such furniture, is currently being held down by a stack of illustrated guides and compendiums covering the World Wars, Currier & Ives, North American birds, and shell collecting. Some are filled with realistic illustrations; others with glossy photos. All have images that rival the text.

Perhaps those are some of the reasons why I enjoy living with a house full of books. They provide information and impart wisdom. They not only educate, but they also entertain. They also make me feel right at home: Rainy days in Rochester, summer afternoons at the lake, and wintry evenings in Western New York all provide excuses to browse the titles around the house to find an old friend from childhood, an extension of a hobby, or a new adventure waiting to begin.

When it comes to collecting books, our reasons can involve learning something new and enjoying something interesting as well as appreciating the physical volumes themselves. Their value comes in many forms.

Happy Reading–and enjoy tonight’s episode of Collector’s Call on MeTV.

Patti
The Committed Collector

I hope you find books as informative, interesting, entertaining, and indispensable as I do. If so, please leave a comment, and let us know what kinds of books have you hooked.

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