Book collecting is a sort of madness, even if a gentle madness, as author and book collector Nicholas Basbanes puts it. A madness that at times can be pleasant, and at times frustrating. Although book collecting can be done for fun, profit, or both, few book lovers ever want to part with the books they collect, as they usually become part of the family.
Why is book collecting a madness, you ask? Oh, the exhilarating feeling you get from finding a book you've been searching for a long time. To hold it in your hands, to touch its covers, the spine, to open it ever so gently and smell its pages. I'm sure you're beginning to understand. If it is money you want, or a quick investment, the stock market is a better place for you.
As a beginning collector you may wish to read a bit on the subject. Quite a few authors have much to say about it. Most noticeably Nicholas Basbanes, who has written books such as A Gentle Madness, Every Book its Reader, Patience & Fortitude, Among the Gently Mad, and many more, and who has made books and book collecting his life.
As with any hobby, the best tool you can use when hunting for books is information. Inform yourself so as to know what you're doing. And secondly, book collecting can be a time-consuming endeavor. Most of the time you'll be driving to far and out of the way places looking for the best catch. You'll meet other crazed collectors in the process, but not to worry, their madness is gentle and non-threatening.
Start by collecting books you like
Although true that the value placed on books sometimes differs depending on the auction houses, collecting what you like will make the process much easier. Usually the wisdom in book collecting is clearer in hindsight. And since it is almost impossible to predict which book will do well and gain value, it is best to simply buy the ones you like. At least you'll enjoy reading them, and if luck is on your side and they grow in value, well, perhaps, and only perhaps, you may wish to part with them for a higher price than you paid for them.
Buy books in good condition
If there was one copy of each book out there, it would be very easy to decide which one to buy, although you may not be able to afford it. But since there are thousands in some cases, buy the one that's in the best condition. If it's not the way you like it, buy it, then later you may find a better copy and be able o replace it. Some books can only be found in not so great of a condition, but if you really want it, and are not sure if you'll ever see another copy of it again, buy it. Just remember, do not overpay for a book that is in bad shape.
Know the book you're buying
Do your homework before you pay the price, no pun intended. Everyone makes mistakes in the beginning, but the more you collect, the more experience you gain, and the better the decisions you make. Read all you can on the subject you're collecting. Know which titles are hot and which are not. Learn the difference between trade editions, which are collectible, and book club editions which are not, unless that is the subject you collect.
And by all means, have fun with it. The experience of book collecting can be very rewarding, both intellectually and financially.
Tibi Tomulet - Born in the highlands of Transylvania in the late 1960s, Tibi Tomulet immigrated to the United States in 1986 at the early age of ...
