It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.

Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.

Thank you.

 

Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.

 

Jackpot !!

page: 1
23

log in

join
share:
+5 more 
posted on May, 10 2020 @ 04:24 PM
link   
I've probably mentioned that I collect old books. Old Science Fiction mostly, but every great once in a while I'll run across something just too good to pass up.
Like yesterday.
I went to Kentucky this weekend to see my Mom and ran across someone with an old pile of books they were going to throw out. I asked if I could look through them and was told "Sure, just gonna burn'em anyway, take what ya want".

I found a 1940 hard cover printing of John Milton's "Paradise Lost". MINT condition. Like it had been kept in a bank vault the entire time. Sharp corners, no stains, torn or missing pages...I mean just perfect.

A 1939 paperback printing of "Heidi". A little rough but still in fair shape, considering the age.

A 1960 hardcover of a book called. "Bears Are Sleeping" which is a child's picture book, but with the score for piano music on each page so the child can play along with the story.

And just to show the shocking decline in our education system, a 1934 edition of "New Elementary Latin" …..meant for Junior High students.

I love to go through books stores, rummage sales, garage sales, etc and see what I can come up... and sometimes I get lucky.
Are they actually worth anything ?
I dunno... to me they are.



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 04:46 PM
link   
a reply to: DAVID64

Congrats. Science fiction is where it’s at.

Presumably, you don’t know what your most ‘valuable’ find is, but what about the best read you ever came across?



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 04:59 PM
link   
a reply to: Cravens

"best read I ever came across"....

That would be impossible to say. I've read so many great books over the years that coming up with one is just ..GAHH.

I mean where would you start ?
Heinlein.
Asimov.
Clarke.
Anderson.
Bear.
H.G. Wells.
Poul.
Reed.
Norton.
Le Guin.
Bradbury.
C. J. Cherryh.

and that's not even getting started on the list.

ETA : Neil Gaiman
Terry Pratchett
Allen Steele
Harry Harrison
Vernor Vinge

How the hell could I miss them ! ? [ and that's just looking at one row on my book shelf ]

Well, see what I mean ? There's just so many.

edit on 10-5-2020 by DAVID64 because: (no reason given)



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 05:04 PM
link   
a reply to: DAVID64

Addictive isn't it. Been collecting for a long time myself.
Have to have periodic clear outs due to space but I can't resist a bargain.

I usually only buy for myself but my luckiest finds that I sold were a 1927 copy of Dracula that I sold for £80 .....cost me 10p.
Terry Pratchets Carpet People 1st ed. Sold for £112. ....cost me 20p.

Got a beautiful copy of Uncle Lubin by W Heath Robinson that cost me 20p and I'm keeping that one!




posted on May, 10 2020 @ 05:05 PM
link   
a reply to: DAVID64

Awesome. I love old books, too. My grandmother had a bunch of old books stored away, and a few on her shelf, that I snagged.

There's a collection of Georgia Code from the 60s from when my grandfather was a state senator; there's a book from maybe the 30s-40s on shorthand, which is fascinating, and some history books from around that same time, and other sundry finds.

When I was remodeling houses years ago, there was an old house the owners were using as storage, and we were tasked with cleaning it out so we could fix it up. Inside were a couple of boxes of books that the foreman was just going to throw out. I was like, wait a minute, you don't just throw away books. There were a few volumes of an encyclopedia from like 1909, or somewhere around there, he was just going to throw away. Not a complete set, and one had a busted spine, the the few others there were in fair enough condition. So I snagged them.



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 05:24 PM
link   
a reply to: DAVID64


Ummm...I have that same disease...

I’ve got a fair amount of old...Edgar Rice Burroughs books...although they’ve definitely had their fair share of usage...

My gems however...are a complete set of machinist and mathematics (algebra...calculus...geometry...etc) manuals from 1930...most are in excellent condition with the exception of the trigonometry manual that my dog decided to chew on the front cover of...when she was a pup...

Those were all in a box at a yard sale...I think I payed $2.00 for the box...

Perhaps they’ll come in handy some day...after the zombie apocalypse...

Truth be told...even though I love collecting these old books...that old book smell plays havoc with my allergies...

Cool thread man...






YouSir



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 05:34 PM
link   
a reply to: YouSir

Oooooooh that smell.

Spent time working in archives and libraries for years.
Smells like home to me but I know what you mean.



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 05:38 PM
link   
a reply to: Tulpa




Oooooooh that smell.



FREEEEEE...BIRRRRRD



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 05:42 PM
link   

originally posted by: DAVID64
a reply to: Cravens

"best read I ever came across"....

That would be impossible to say. I've read so many great books over the years that coming up with one is just ..GAHH.

I mean where would you start ?
Heinlein.
Asimov.
Clarke.
Anderson.
Bear.
H.G. Wells.
Poul.
Reed.
Norton.
Le Guin.
Bradbury.
C. J. Cherryh.

and that's not even getting started on the list.

ETA : Neil Gaiman
Terry Pratchett
Allen Steele
Harry Harrison
Vernor Vinge

How the hell could I miss them ! ? [ and that's just looking at one row on my book shelf ]

Well, see what I mean ? There's just so many.


I took every course Jack Williamson taught when I was at college. And I wasn't even in the English Dept. Sometimes some of the people you listed would come visit and guest lecture, hang out and drink with the students. Wonderful days!!
edit on 10-5-2020 by olaru12 because: (no reason given)



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 05:49 PM
link   
a reply to: olaru12




Sometimes some of the people you listed would come visit and guest lecture, hang out and drink with the students.


……………...I hate you. I mean really really hate you.

( shuffles off grumbling in envy ]



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 06:32 PM
link   
a reply to: DAVID64

That is so cool, thanks for sharing! S&F. I love old books. I love the way they smell. There’s something about an old book that is just magical. I have a handful in my bookcase. Including a political thriller fiction book printed in 1963 about the President of the United States going mad. Good stuff there. I love going into bookstores full of these books. I could spend hours browsing and bringing a few treasures home.



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 06:47 PM
link   
a reply to: DAVID64




 Sure, just gonna burn'em anyway


That's sacrilege.

So glad you saved some.



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 06:49 PM
link   

edit on 10-5-2020 by Bigburgh because: (no reason given)



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 08:00 PM
link   
The smell of a good book is something you just can't get over, if you're into books!

My wife thinks I'm nuts; the first thing I do with a book is smell it!

Congrats to you!

ETA - Oh, and NO, I'm NOT joe biden!!!
edit on 5/10/2020 by Flyingclaydisk because: (no reason given)



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 08:04 PM
link   
a reply to: DAVID64

Well, you started somewhere and it seems I know what you mean.

Impressive list, btw.



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 08:18 PM
link   

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
The smell of a good book is something you just can't get over, if you're into books!

My wife thinks I'm nuts; the first thing I do with a book is smell it!

Congrats to you!

ETA - Oh, and NO, I'm NOT joe biden!!!



He sniffs "The book of children's hair" by Sir Walmsley Dirigible ÌII.
first edition 1843.



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 08:29 PM
link   
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

That's something I learned from my step mother as a child: smell that book (some peeps do that with their women, too, though). The smell of a new book cracked open in the morning.

Old books, not so much.

So, children would be like new books and geezers like Biden sneezeworthy books .ould be those old dusty things we find in corner stores,



posted on May, 10 2020 @ 09:48 PM
link   
I have a 1916 (don't hold me to the year, it's buried in a box in the closet at the moment) edition of The Three Musketeers that my grandmother had, and that my mother was going to THROW IN THE TRASH after my grandmother died & we were sorting her things. I said "Hm, let me see that, I might read it if it's in ok shape", "Meh, keep it, I don't care."

It's in really good shape. Not mint, but pretty damn good condition for it's age and could fetch a little bit if it's in collector demand at any point. I plan on keeping it, though, it's buried in the closet for a reason -- that's a family heirloom book now, as decreed by hubs



posted on May, 11 2020 @ 09:11 AM
link   
a reply to: DAVID64

At this time in my life, I'm looking for complete 1st edition sets of Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Johnny Swift...from the 50's n 60s...

I'd like to re-read them all...again, in order
edit on 11-5-2020 by mysterioustranger because: (no reason given)







 
23

log in

join