On 2/12/2014 2:44 PM, wrote:
Over the past 8 months, I have begun collecting first editions. It all started when my in-laws handed me their John Grisham books. I knew enough to check out the copyright page and it turns out all of them were first printings. Over the past 8 months I have picked up a total of about 20 first printings and first editions (in various printings). My prize thus far is a first printing of Clancy's Patriot Games. As a very new collector, I am looking towards the future. I realize that finding a first printing of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is probably not in my immediate future or budget; however, who should I be looking for now? Thus far, Ive collected King, Crichton, Clancy, and aforementioned Grisham.



Book collecting is a never ending process of learning and expanding your
reading interests and knowledge. I have been engaged in the process for
more than 50 years. The more you know, the more you can knowledgeably
collect. So, reading widely and deeply may be the best way to become a
collector.

I have a few simple rules.

The first is: Do Not Collect Books You Are Not Interested In.
If you do, you end up with a collection of books that you would never
read and take up space on your shelves.

The second is: Try to Learn All You Can About the Author.
I just posted about an author new to me before writing this post. A
little research and something that was a mystery to me when I got it (in
a lot with other books I wanted) became an exciting bit of literary
history.

The other day I saw a book entitled The Gathering of Zion: The Story of
the Mormon Trail by Wallace Stegner. Now if I had not known that
Wallace Stegner was famous for The Angle of Repose which won the
Pulitzer in 1972 (granted I already have a number of his books), I might
not have pulled the book off the shelf. And I would have missed that he
not only signed the book, but inscribed it to an in-law of his son Page.

Also, I should note that determining what constitutes a first edition
before the arrival in the lates 1970s of the number coding system
requires both knowledge and resources. I recommend that you do an
online search for "Identification of First Editions". There are some
excellent resources out there.

Then there are some good pocket sized guide books, such as Bill
McBride's Points of Issue, which helps you distinguish the true first
from other copies of the first printing. One of my favorites is Lew
Wallace's Ben Hur, the first state of which has the following
dedication: "To the Wife of My Youth". Apparently, Wallace brought
home a copy for his wife after the first day of the printing. The rest
of the run contains the following dedication: "To the Wife of My Youth,
With Whom I Still Abide."


Francis A. Miniter