Book Finds

I recently indulged my lifelong love of books by reading Book Finds - How to Find, Buy, and Sell Used and Rare Books - by Ian C. Ellis. A book about books almost sounds too good to be true, if not as witty as Kramer's coffee table book about coffee tables (that, appropriately enough, folds out into a coffee table itself).

I learned a few interesting lessons in Finds:

1. There are some seriously bizarre aspects of book collecting for the avid collector. For example, the dust jackets can be worth almost as much as the book itself. Also, the slightest incident of damage can render a book virtually worthless to the collector. If you want to protect the value of a first edition, don't even think about reading it; the simple act of opening it far enough to view an entire page will fracture its value. The irony of this is almost enough to completely turn me off from collecting books.
2. Although a hunch of mine before reading the book, I found real evidence that many collectors of books don't have much interest in the literary value of the books they collect. Again, this could seriously turn me away from wanting to collect books.
3. I don't think the rise of eBooks and the overall digital movement will pose a serious threat to book collecting. It will be a long, long time before book printing ceases altogether. And even when that day comes, printed books will continue to rise in value (probably more so as they become harder to find). Just as photography didn't kill painting, the printed book will have its place in the economy and culture of man for decades to come.

I'm fascinated by books and will continue to be for the rest of my life. Although I enjoy nothing more than a great read from a printed volume, I support the move to digital books. It's clearly inevitable that much of the publishing world will make the transition. It's probably best for the world ecologically, economically, and to ensure the most efficient distribution and access to books for everyone.

There are those who feel the book's day has come and gone. Whether printed or digital, I couldn't disagree more. The Internet revolution has made it infinitely easier to share, convey and absorb snippets of information (this blog is no exception). But the book author is forced, through the sheer longevity of the project, to devote serious time to developing something worthy of the effort. Granted, some books mean more than others, but books will endure simply because they convey big, important ideas. You're just not going to find such meaning in a Wikipedia entry.