All those signed first editions...

[fajrdrako]

From February 26, 2009:

• Hardcover? Or paperback?
  
• Illustrations? Or just text?
  
• First editions? Or you don’t care?
  
• Signed by the author? Or not?

Are these either/or choices? I don't do either/or. Tends to be 'both'. But I can talk about these things...

I buy hardcover only in special cases. Favourite authors - Dorothy Dunnett, Guy Gavriel Kay, maybe Mary Doria Russell or Meghan Whalen Turner. I usually buy paperbacks for easy of carrying and shelving.

Illustrations if it's a graphic novel (by definition), or occasionally if it's an illustrated work by a favourite artist, like Ernest Shepard or Charles Vess. Otherwise illustrations are not necessary, and are often detrimental. My mother's grandfather's editions of Charles Dickens had terrific illustrations. Etchings. And the first Jane Eyre I ever read had woodcuts, ugly things, but part of the ambience.

First editions if they are new and the authors excite me. Otherwise it doesn't matter in the least.

Signed by the author if they're favourite authors. I have a small collection of autographed books by my favourite authors that I cherish. Again, Dorothy Dunnett and Guy Kay; I have autographed copies of almost all their books. Karin Lowachee. But not the aforementioned Turner or Russell. I have autographs of Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, Chris Claremont, Keith Giffen, and many other favourite comic book writers; but not Alan Moore or Warren Ellis.

I have one autograph from an author I've never read, though I cherish the autograph just because I so enjoyed meeting him: Theodore Sturgeon. An interesting man.

Another cherished 'special case': I have a copy of Anything Goes by John Barrowman, signed by the author, and I feel very lucky to have it.