Your most treasured book? Why?

[Priest_Sidran]

Strange question, huh...

Well here goes my answer...

My most treasured book (after my family bible) would be my First Edition copy of Uncle Toms Cabin followed in a close second by my Second Editon Copy of Call of the Wild, by Jack London.

Anyone else collect old books, what do you have what is your favorite, etc.

The Aforementioned bible is KJV from 1812, It has a number of family tree information from my family before the 1900's. Along with it came a German Hymnal from 1908, and Atlas of the World from 1907, and several other books such as a copy of an english law book in latin from 1756 (Hand stiched). The Copy of Uncle Toms cabin was discovered in a box of stuff on a family estate sale, and Call of the Wild was given to us from a close friend. We have a 1st edition copy of Jules Vernes From the Earth to the Moon, as well as Around the World in Eighty Days, A Biography entitled the Life of Napoleon the Great 1889 Edition, and the History of Scotland 1885 By the Late Reverend McKenzie, a first editon copy of Miles Standish and other Tales by Longfellow, and around 17 First or Second Edition Andre Norton Books.

 

[Tetsubo]

My 1972 two volume set (with magnifying glass included) of the Oxford English Dictionary. My wife gave it to me as an engagement gift when she asked me to marry her.

 

[Huw]

The American Heritage Dictionary - and that's high praise, considering I'm British! Simply the best encyclopaedic dictionary I've ever found. Well laid out with good illustrations. Also, if you're a linguist, worth it for the Indo-European and Semitic root appendices alone (which, incidentally, are available separately).

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

my orignal Dragonlance Trilogy signed by the authors

Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers signed by the chefs at the restaurant. This was a gift from my in-laws that really touched me for its thoughtfulness.

 

[Wombat]

My 1972 two volume set (with magnifying glass included) of the Oxford English Dictionary. My wife gave it to me as an engagement gift when she asked me to marry her.

Sir, let me just say you have a very cool wife!

My most treasured book is a copy of Hawthorne's Wonder Book with tipped-in illustrations by Arthur Rackham, still with the ricepaper coverings. This book belonged to my mother when she was a child and she gave it to me as a present when I first set up my own apartment. I cannot tell you how often I had asked my parents to read me that version of Perseus & the Gorgons and how often I shuddered and thrilled over those illustrations.

Coming very close to this, however, is a not-particularly-ancient copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. This was a present to me when I was something like 2 years old (obviously I had no chance of being able to read it then!) and I have taken it with me everywhere. When the world gets strange or out of balance, all I have to do is start reading about Alice sitting near her sister and being unable to understand what her sister is reading to set my world right again.

The first book has some serious monetary value. Both of them, however, have more serious sentimental and emotional value.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

My Side of the Mountain.

I have very fond memories of reading and rereading this book and it was the first book I can remember doing a book report on.

 

[Mycanid]

Hmmm ... tough choice. I must point out first that I do not really collect old books in general, but ... my most treasured book? .... hmm.

Well ... unfortunately my most treasured book was lost.

My grandpa (now reposed) owned a copy of the Teacher's edition of the New Jerusalem Bible. I loved that book and read it for YEARS. But in the year 2000 I lost both it and my journal for that year. I was heartbroken.... Never found them either.

But at present? ... dang ... I can't think of any off the top of my head.

Edit: AHA! Did some assessing and came up with it: my diaries/journals. I have been keeping them since 1989. They don't just contain "my history", they also contain many ideas and quotations from other authors or people I have met as well who made an impact on me. They are also my travel logs and memories, etc., etc. There's a lot of stuff there. But likely other people wouldn't be so interested.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

A History of The United States first printing 1842. The picture of the early United States it paints is a very different one and it talks about so many smaller things passed over by modern history books. Been in the family for a loong time.

Le Morte de Artur printed in the 1880s. It was given to my great-grandfather by Teddy Roosevelt when he joined the revived Rough Riders unit to go to WW1. The last cavalry unit in the US Army to ever make an assault on horseback. He signed the first blank page with a little note. And the inside of the cover has the names of the places they passed through in France scrawled on it.

 

[Fast Learner]

10 individual first-edition volumes of The Chronicles of Amber, all signed by the author to me. I spent hours with Mr. Zelazny that weekend, and he signed all of them to me, and just seeing them on the shelf brings up memories of those conversations and meals.

I have other books that are more sacred, but they're all ones I could get more copies of if I lost them. These are my most treasured.

 

[Silver Moon]

My Uncle's family Bible that I inherited.